Controversial, acclaimed Goose Island beers head to L.A.

Chicago’s Goose Island Brewery, one of the most acclaimed and controversial breweries in the Midwest, is heading to Los Angeles with events this week to showcase some of its most sought-after brews.

Goose Island Brewery has been making renowned beers since 1988, and its barrel-aging program is considered one of the biggest and best in the beer business. Bourbon County Stout -- a potent and viscous imperial stout aged in a variety of bourbon barrels -- is not only the most well-known beer that it makes, it is widely considered to be one of the best barrel-aged stouts in the world.

In 2011 the beer world was shocked (and many were worried) when Goose Island became one of the first large craft breweries to be acquired by the multinational beer giants when it was purchased by AB-InBev (parent company of Budweiser and many other brands) for nearly 40 million dollars. While many craft beer fans blackballed the Chicago brewery because of the new corporate owners, the brewers stuck to their craft roots and the extra resources provided by their new parent’s deep pockets provided them with more time and equipment to focus on Goose Island’s famed specialty beers (like Bourbon County Stout).

On Wednesday you can get a taste of these rare brews when Goose Island stops in K-Town at craft beer destination Beer Belly (Facebook event link). The Goose Island team will not only be taking over the Beer Belly taps, they’ll also be pouring a limited amount of the acclaimed Bourbon County Stout variant that’s been aged in Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels for two years. The event begins at 6 p.m., and the Bourbon County Rare Stout won’t last long.

Can’t make K-Town on Wednesday? You’ll have another shot at a sample of Bourbon County Rare Stout on Thursday at 6 p.m., at West Hollywood’s Surly Goat Bar (Facebook event link). There will be eight other Goose Island taps (including three additional variations of its Bourbon County Stout) pouring until 9 p.m.

Goose Island has become somewhat of a black sheep among craft breweries because of the new corporate ownership, but it’s really the beer that should matter the most. These events are a great way to sample the best that the brewery has to offer before you decide if you’ll continue to support the brewery or to lump its beers in with the Blue Moons and Shock Tops as craft beer imitators.

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