A New Barrel-Aged Blend for 2026
This morning brings an exciting first look at a major new release coming in 2026 from Goose Island Beer Co. in Chicago, Illinois. The brewery is preparing to debutStout Cordage Cuvée, a complex and limited-edition blended ale that continues Goose Island’s long tradition of innovative barrel-aged beer craftsmanship.
Stout Cordage Cuvéewill be a blend of Bourbon barrel-aged stouts and rich barleywine ales, bringing together two of Goose Island’s most celebrated strengths: deep, spirit-driven stout character and malt-forward, long-aged barleywine complexity. This blend is being developed in collaboration with Benny’s Beverage Depot, adding a unique retail-partner twist to the 2026 release.
Fans of Goose Island’s barrel program, especially those who follow Bourbon County Stout, Proprietor’s variants, and past cuvée blends, will immediately recognize the potential for a layered, expressive, and cellar-worthy beer.
Packaging and Presentation
The 2026 edition ofStout Cordage Cuvéewill be packaged in 12-oz bottles, aligning with Goose Island’s modern barrel-aged format and making the release accessible for both collectors and casual drinkers. Expect labeling and design that reflect the collaborative nature of the project and the brewery’s premium barrel-aged identity.
What I Know So Far
While the final ABV, full blend composition, and tasting notes have not yet been announced, early details suggest a beer built for fans of:
- Bourbon barrel-aged stouts
- American barleywine ales
- Blended strong ales
- Chicago craft beer releases
- Limited-edition 2026 barrel-aged beers
Given Goose Island’s reputation for blending mastery,Stout Cordage Cuvéeis already shaping up to be one of the more anticipated 2026 specialty beer releases.
Stay Tuned
More information, including ABV, tasting notes, barrel components, and official release details, will be shared as Goose Island moves closer to launch. This is definitely one to watch for collectors, barrel-aged beer enthusiasts, and anyone following the evolution of Goose Island’s specialty lineup.
About Goose Island
Goose Island is the innovator, brewer, and bringer of fun. Because since 1988, Goose has been dedicated to making quality beer for all people and all occasions.
Goose is at its best when it’s bringing great beer to everyone because beer is fun, and life should be fun, too. Goose was born in Chicago, but raised around the world. Goose is inclusive, fun-loving, and explorative. Goose asks, “why not?” Goose cares about quality. Goose cares about being an active member of the community. Goose is a lot of things. But Goose, at the end of the day, just wants to have fun (oh, and bring damn fine beer to the city of Chicago and beyond). You get the gist.
You know what we need more of? Fun. And not the big, planned, prepared-for fun. But those everyday moments when you’re able to think, “You know what? We got it pretty good.” Hanging with friends on your front steps downtown. Watching a ball game in the rain. Running into an old friend on the street with time to spare. Or crammed in a DIY basement party to see your friend’s shitty band.
Our beer started with a trip across Europe, when Goose Island founder (and unabashed beer lover), John Hall, took a tour across the continent. Pint by pint, he savored the styles and selections of brews in every region, and thought to himself, “America deserves some damn fine beer like this, too.” Craft beer wasn’t widely known at the time, but upon return from his European sojourn, John set out to change all that. He settled down in his hometown of Chicago—a city perfect for craft beer, with rapidly evolving tastes and the largest system of fresh water on the planet—and then he got to brewing.
First, he made some beer. Then he invited the city to enjoy it with him. The result was a new fascination with craft brewing. That was back in 1988 and we haven’t slowed down since. By 1995, John’s beer became so popular that he decided to open a larger brewery, along with a bottling plant to keep up with demand. 1999 brought even more growth, along with an additional brewpub, and today, what was once one man’s pint-filled dream has become the Goose Island you know and love.
Here’s where we tell you that in 2011, Goose Island Beer Company was acquired by Anheuser-Busch. Since then, we’ve continued to brew beer that we’re proud of and now we get to share these beers with our friends locally, nationwide, and internationally. We think that’s pretty sweet. If you’re ever in Chicago, we’d love for you to stop by the brewery and have a beer with us.
Our brewery was built in 1995 and has more than doubled in size since originally built. We bring you our tasty pints using 32 fermenters, over 15 different yeasts, state-of-the-art filters, centrifuges and a 50 barrel JV Northwest 5 vessel system that brews 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It turns out that making awesome brews is quite the science. Luckily, our brewery facilities have all the equipment necessary to deliver results.
Our can/bottle line alone bottles 500 cases an hour, with our keg line at a rate of 50 kegs every 60 minutes. Once the beer is complete, we store it at a crisp 38 degrees until shipping. We even have separate rooms to house small batch innovation programs and yeast propagation units, and our barrel-aged beers have their own dedicated stockroom and 143,000 square foot barrel warehouse. It’s only the very best equipment for our beer.
We pride ourselves on the quality of our beer, and that is why we have a robust Quality Program and dedicated Quality Assurance Laboratory. We are able to measure and analyze our beer through microbiological, physical-chemical, and sensory means. We have industry-specific instruments that allow us to monitor and control the brewing and packaging processes from raw materials to packaged, finished goods. We generate and interpret data to support our brewing and packaging teams to help them quickly identify and resolve issues.
If you found this interesting, it might be time for you to book a tour on Fulton Street.
In 1992, Goose Island gave the beer industry a new reason to belly up to the bar: bourbon barrel-aged stout. We thought we’d never make it again… In 1992 Greg Hall, wanted to brew something truly unique for the brewpub’s 1,000th batch, he just needed inspiration. Then a chance encounter between Greg and Jim Beam’s Booker Noe led to Goose Island acquiring the barrels for what was to become the world’s first bourbon barrel aged beer. The young brewmaster soon found himself in the uncharted waters of bourbon barrel aged beer.
