Goose Island Bourbon County Vanilla Rye Stout 2024
14.0% ABV | 16.9oz / 500mL bottle | Rye imperial stout, 1 year in rye whiskey barrels | 2024 vintage | Chicago, IL — the vanilla variant, reimagined: Goose Island Bourbon County Vanilla Rye Stout 2024 is a new take on the legendary 2014 Vanilla Rye release — this time the base is a rye imperial stout, aged a full year in freshly emptied rye whiskey barrels, then finished with Madagascar vanilla beans. The rye whiskey barrels bring a rich spice character the bourbon-barrel vanilla variants never had.
Vanilla variants are the most chased bottles in the Bourbon County family, and the 2024 edition adds a twist: rye grain in both the beer and the barrel. The official profile promises the beloved vanilla-variant attributes — deep vanilla, chocolate, bourbon warmth — plus a spicy rye edge that cuts the richness and adds complexity. At 14%, it's a slow, contemplative pour and a blue-chip cellar bottle: vanilla BCS vintages are the ones collectors hunt a decade later. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Tasting notes
Per Goose Island's official description: the beloved vanilla-variant profile — vanilla, chocolate, barrel warmth — plus rich spice character from the rye whiskey barrels.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 14.0% ABV — rye imperial stout aged a year in rye whiskey barrels, finished with Madagascar vanilla
- A new take on the 2014 legend — the vanilla variant returns with a rye-whiskey twist
- 2024 vintage — vanilla BCS releases are the most collected; this one will age for a decade
- From Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago — the original barrel-aged imperial stout
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Cellar temp (50–55°F) in a snifter. The vanilla blooms as it warms — give it 20 minutes in the glass. A natural pairing for crème brûlée, bread pudding, or a quiet night.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from regular Bourbon County Stout?
The base beer is a rye imperial stout (not the standard stout), it's aged in rye whiskey barrels (not bourbon barrels), and it's finished with Madagascar vanilla beans.
Is this related to the 2014 Vanilla Rye?
It's a new take on that legendary 2014 release — same concept, new recipe built on a rye imperial stout base.
Will it age well?
Exceptionally — vanilla BCS vintages are among the most cellared beers in the world. Cool, dark, upright; 5+ years easy.