Goose Island Beer Co.
Born in a small brewpub in 1988, the Goose Island brand has spread worldwide, with pubs in China, Brazil, London, and South Korea (thanks to the help of their owners, Anheuser-Busch, who took over in 2011). Goose Island made their name on fan-favorite beers like their Honkers Ale (a mellow, toasty, English-style bitter) and 312 Wheat Ale, a sweet and lightly citrusy thirst-quencher that is perfect for a hot summer day.
Their original location on Clybourn Avenue finished its 35-year-run at the end of 2023, but their Fulton Avenue taproom remains a destination for lovers of the brewery’s many beers, including their famed line of barrel-aged brews: Bourbon County Brand Stout. Every year’s release of BCBS is different, with variants through the years including a bananas foster beer and an Earl Grey tea beer. Barrel-focused variants feature beers aged in casks from distilleries like Old Fitzgerald, Eagle Rare, and Elijah Craig.
