One Bourbon, One Beer, One Bottle

It's been a particularly trying weekend matching wits with double trouble.  As usual, we lost and remain witless.  The twins are down for the evening and there is literally no hockey being televised inside the beltway (assuming you have DirecTV).  So, we are kicking back and pretending we don't like to watch AFV while nursing a Goose Island 2009 Bourbon County Brand Stout.

Brewed as the 1,000th batch from the original Clybourn brewpub, Bourbon County comes in a 650 ml bottle and pours thick and dark.  The head is dark brown and pours nice but breaks down quickly.  By the time you are a few sips into a pint there are but a few faint bubbles remaining.  The aroma is caramal and chocolate with a bit of bourbon on the back end.

Bourbon County has a prominent chocolate flavor and drinks like a bourbon and a brew all in one bottle - meaning it warms as it goes down but like a good stout it goes down thick and creamy.  Exactly what you're looking for when your ears are still ringing from the screaming and your nerves are shot to hell.  The spicy, hoppy finish lingers on the pallette.  We are not thrilled with the sweet start and spicy finish but it certainly didn't stop us from kicking the bottle.  It's 13 percent ABV so we refuse to be held accountable for grammar and speling.  Note: we are never accountable for anything.

Beer aged in barrels is just the lastest trend in microbrews.  It's a trend we like but more importantly it shows that microbrews continue to be flexible and nimble; pushing the envelope of how to brew good beer.  We're not sure what the next trend is but we will enjoy this one while it lasts.