No really, though.. that's not the way to deal with your problems (waxing philosophical). But to put me in a better mood, I'm cracking open a beer I have long sought-after, and possessed for a fair amount of time...
Goose Island - Bourbon County Brand Stout (2012)
a MONSTER Bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout at 15% ABV and 60 IBUs. Probably considered one of the forerunners of barrel-aged stouts and a relative benchmark for this style, I'm stoked to finally try one. It pours pitch-black, essentially no head. No surprise here. From the moment the cap is popped, as it's being poured, as it sits.. oh lordy lordy! The nose on this is magnificent! There's tons of dark chocolate, coffee, molasses, dark fruits, maple syrup, vanilla, oak, touches of smoke.. there's simply too much to list and I don't want to sound pretentious trying to list it all. It's just wonderful. The body and taste is pure silky smooth heaven. It's just so effin' smooth... the purest melted rich chocolate melded with dark roast coffee and a shot of bourbon added in (let it be known I am NOT a bourbon guy at all.. scotch is tops in that realm for me, I'd even drink a wine cooler before I go for straight bourbon.. but whatever). The alcohol is very very very well hidden.. it drinks more like a 7-8% regular stout. Crazy. This is so friggin complex I can't even being to fathom it, but is unbelievably balanced. So so good.. the finish makes you take another sip, leading down a long, hard spiral into which the level of beer gets lower and lower and you try to savor each sip more and more. Sweet chocolate, black cherries, touches of smoke and woody oak, bourbon, vanilla, roasty espresso, touches of alcohol.. basically perfection. yep. said it.
- - 10 Hops!
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