The reason beer fans get up early on Black Friday has nothing to do with saving a few bucks on some pint glasses at Walmart. The early morning excitement is due to the release of Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout and all the wonderful variants of it. This year, not only are the bottles different in size (all 16.9-ouncers) and appearance, but some interesting variants are on the way, too. No Vanilla Rye (we’ll wait for you to compose yourself), but Rare makes a return for the first time since 2010, and Regal Rye, a blend aged in rye whiskey barrels with cherries, blackberries, and sea salt, should be enough to get you to set your alarm early on Black Friday. And, if you happen to be in Chicago, this year’s Proprietors sounds spectacular, brewed with maple, toasted pecans, and guaillopeppers.
This Year’s Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Variants
