To see the top-selling real estate agents, click here.

1Lowe Group Chicago Compass $298.0 million

2Dawn McKenna Group Coldwell Banker $255.8 million

3The Jane Lee Team RE/Max $207.9 million

4Matt Laricy Group Americorp Ltd.  $202.9 million

5Emily Sachs Wong @Properties $178.3 million

6Leigh Marcus @Properties $158.2 million

7MG Group BHHS Chicago $157.7 million

8The Sarah Leonard Team RE/Max $148.7 million

9The Schiller Team @Properties $137.0 million

10MacPherson Westhoff Group Compass $136.2 million

11Bari and Elena Team @Properties $111.4 million

12The MVP Team Compass $109.2 million

13RNP Group Vesta Preferred $108.6 millionShould you renovate your house before putting it on the market?It is so much better to put a property on the market that’s been even mildly updated. Just replace countertops, repaint cabinets, refinish floors. Buyers cannot visualize anything anymore.
You can’t assume they are going to see past scuff marks.

14Mike McCatty Group Century 21 Affiliated $106.8 million

15Klopas Stratton Team BHHS Chicago $98.4 million

16Wilczek & Bacza Group  Realty Executives Elite $94.3 millionShould you renovate your house before putting it on the market?Not in this market. Don’t chase
what the buyer wants. Good photographs with digital color enhancement can help buyers see the property in its best light without spending on renovations.
How much does social media play
into selling properties?It really has taken the place of any print media. Thousands of followers scour our Instagram and Facebook pages looking for the newest listings, so it’s important to get a professional photographer and even a videographer.

17Morrison Home Team @Properties $93.4 million

18Home Discovery Team Jameson Sotheby’s $90.4 million

19The Biazar Group North Clybourn Group $90.2 million

20The DelBoccio/Marchetti Group @Properties $90.1 million

21GetBurbed @Properties $87.7 million

22Pattie Murray Team BHHS Chicago $84.5 million

23Ames Group Chicago Engel & Völkers $84.4 million

24The McKay Group @Properties $84.1 million

25Sergio & Banks Group @Properties $82.5 million

26The Wexler Gault Group @Properties $82.3 million

27The Kombrink Team RE/Max $82.0 million

28The Kite Team Keller Williams $80.8 million

29Bryan Bomba Group @Properties $78.0 million

30The Paige Dooley Team Compass $76.0 million

31Phil Skowron @Properties $75.5 million

32The Leslie McDonnell Team RE/Max $74.7 million

33The Sheahan Group Compass $70.2 million

34Kim Alden Compass $70.1 million

35Team Fallico Dream Town $69.9 millionWhat small thing can be an
immediate turnoff to buyers?Not having a bathtub. People are taking out tubs when they remodel, but 95 percent of buyers want one somewhere.What can sellers do to capitalize
on this hot market? Price your home at or below what it’s worth. Don’t try to squeeze extra money out of the market, because right now it’s either sell or sit. You’ll get more than one offer that will then drive the price up.

36The Lance Kammes Team RE/Max $68.9 million

37The Ben Lalez Team Compass $67.9 million

38Bridge Team Compass $67.7 million

39Brad Lippitz Group Compass $67.4 million

40Ivona Kutermankiewicz Group BHHS Chicago $67.2 million

41Mary Grant & Liz Watson @Properties $65.1 million

42Quaid & Rooney Keller Williams $64.3 million

43Busby Group Compass $64.2 million

44Marina and Andy Homes Griffith, Grant & Lackie $63.8 million

45Smothers Group Compass $62.8 million

46Weinberg Choi Residential Keller Williams $62.0 million

47The Cindy Banks Team RE/Max $60.8 million

48The Joanne Hudson Group Compass $60.7 million

49Team Luis Ortiz RE/Max $60.1 million

50The Danny McGovern Team RE/Max $59.9 million

51Lyon Folker Campbell Partners @Properties $58.5 million

52Rubenstein Fox Team Baird & Warner $57.5 million

53Missy Jerfita Compass $57.3 million

54Qamar Group Compass $56.2 millionHow can buyers get a leg up
in this hot market?It won’t always work, but a letter from the heart is phenomenal. A few paragraphs about why you really appreciate the house, how you see yourself living in it — that can resonate with the seller at a very deep level. What’s the best strategy for fielding multiple offers?
The highest isn’t always best. A lot of buyers go really high on their offer and count on the appraisal to bring it down. Look for strong financing terms and as-is offers.

55Melissa Siegal Group @Properties $56.0 million

56DG Advisors Group Fulton Grace $55.0 million

57The Moy Group @Properties $54.9 million

58Relux International Compass $54.1 million

59Barbara O’Connor Group Dream Town $53.8 million

60Kate Waddell Compass $53.5 million

61Danny Glick Group @Properties $52.4 million

62Monarque Group John Greene $52.3 million

63Olive Well Compass $51.1 million

64Judy Jisa @Properties $50.9 million

65The Thomas Team @Properties $50.6 million

66The Julie Sutton Group Compass $49.9 million

67The Brian Grossman Group @Properties $48.7 million

68LIV Partners Compass $48.3 million

69Wardlow Group Keller Williams $47.9 million

70Lake Group Compass $47.4 million

71Hering Homes Team @Properties $47.3 million

72The Hausman Team Compass $47.3 million

73The Melissa Garcia Team RE/Max $47.1 million

74C Starr Team @Properties $46.8 million

75Kalamaras Group @Properties $46.2 million

76Capitanini Team Coldwell Banker $45.1 million

77Dean Tubekis Team Coldwell Banker $44.9 million

78Dowell Group BHHS Chicago $44.7 million

79The Lori Mattice Team RE/Max $44.6 million

80ChicagoHome Brokerage Network @Properties $44.5 million

81Ted Pickus Team @Properties $44.3 million

82Jill Silverstein Compass $43.5 million

83ATM Team BHHS Chicago $43.5 million

84The Robert Wisdom Team RE/Max $42.9 million

85The Jeff Proctor Group @Properties $42.4 million

86Sohail Group @Properties $42.4 million

87The Goldstein Group @Properties $42.0 million

88The Alex Rullo Team RE/Max $41.9 million

89The Becker Group RE/Max $41.9 million

90The Corteam RE/Max $41.5 million

91Mandile Lorimer Group Compass $41.4 million

92Flora Blahnik @Properties $41.3 million

93Hebson-Murphy Group Dream Town $41.3 million

94The Kasper Group Compass $41.3 million

95Steve Genyk Group Dream Town $41.0 million

96The Lisa Sanders Group @Properties $40.9 million

97The Dorger McCarthy Group Keller Williams $40.9 million

98Foley Group John Greene $40.7 million

99DWK Realty Team @Properties $40.7 million

100Lothamer Group @Properties $40.6 million

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Chicago Bulls: Patrick Williams shows off new and improved offense by Anish Puligilla

Going into summer league, no player was going to have more eyes (of Chicago Bulls fans) on him than Marko Simonovic. He is a 6’11 center/power forward from Montenegro and second-round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls in 2020.

The Chicago Bulls have an urgent need in their frontcourt to bolster depth behind Nikola Vucevic – especially with Lauri Markkanen on his way out. While they did sign Tony Bradley earlier this summer, Simonovic is still poised to have a significant role on the team this season within their frontcourt rotation. Marko Simonovic’s performance in his Summer League debut for the Chicago Bulls is cause for optimism despite the team’s loss.

In his 15 minutes, Simonovic posted a stat line of 13 points and five rebounds to go along with one steal. At his height of 6’11, it was good to see Simonovic establish an interior presence. His predecessor on the Bulls, Lauri Markkanen, struggled to find an interior game and often planted himself at the three-point line.

As a result, while the Chicago Bulls were able to say they had a seven-footer in the frontcourt, the team’s play on the court never demonstrated it – this does not seem to be the case with Simonovic.

The Chicago Bulls are encouraged after Marko Sumonovic’s summer league game.

The main things that stood out to me about Simonovic were his willingness to absorb contact, play inside, and his overall effort. These were abilities that fans always wanted to see emerge in Lauri, but never saw come to fruition.

Additionally, Simonovic shot 35 percent from three in the Adriatic League last season which means he still has the ability to be an outside threat but what I enjoy about his game is that he uses it as a weapon rather than centering his entire game around it.

As a result, my way too early assessment of Marko Simonovic is that his game and impact on the Bulls roster could match that of Daniel Theis more than Lauri Markkanen. This could be excellent for the team because I believe the loss of Theis is more significant than many realize given his defensive effort and presence in the frontcourt.

Ultimately, the player I was most keen on watching as the Chicago Bulls kicked off their summer league season was Marko Simonovic. I was impressed with how he already understands the advantage of his size and how to use it to create plays.

Additionally, I loved that he didn’t settle for a “3 and D” type role even though he can hit threes at an above-average rate. Hopefully, he will continue to develop into this role and the Chicago Bulls might not only have the answer to their frontcourt depth but perhaps a long-term answer at the center position after Nikola Vucevic retires.

Related Story: Markkanen cuts ties to Chicago Bulls on social media

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The Bears still have a miles-long injury report — but at least they’re getting one former Pro Bowl player back.

Safety Eddie Jackson came off the reserve/non-football injury list Tuesday and is set to practice with the team, coach Matt Nagy said. He came to training camp with a hamstring injury and has not played a practice snap this year.

Jackson could appear in the Bears’ preseason game Saturday; Nagy said that starters will play one or two series — or eight-to-10 snaps — at Soldier Field.

“We’re gonna work through volume of reps in practice and then we’ll get together the next couple nights here and start putting together an idea of getting through these next few days — of what it’s going to look like for the preseason game, too … ” Nagy said. “There’s a little juggling that goes on with how we want to do that for that game and then obviously we also gotta get through these next two days with Miami too.”

Jackson has been a constant presence at training camp despite the injury, holding the play cards on the sideline and communicating with coaches and teammates.

“It’s good to have the script out there for Eddie because he gets to see all parts of what they’re doing,” Nagy said. “And, again, he’s been through this before with knowing how the practice goes.”

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A 14-year-old boy was charged in connection with a shooting that left a teenage boy dead and another wounded last month in Englewood.

The teen is charged with felony counts of murder and attempted murder in the July 24 shooting, Chicago police said.

Lugean Turner, 17, and a 16-year-old boy were in a backyard about 1:15 a.m. in the 6800 block of South Peoria Street when someone fired shots at them, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Turner was struck in the chest and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

The 16-year-old was shot in the abdomen and was taken to the same hospital in serious condition at the time. Police originally reported he was 15 years old.

The 14-year-old was allegedly identified as the attacker and was taken into custody Monday, police said.

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It’s as if the world of artists were all faced with the same conundrum at the start of the pandemic. Keanu Reeves’ character in the original Matrix faced a similar one. During COVID—creatives could really go one of two ways. The “red and blue pill” is symbolic of the choice between accepting or rejecting a life-changing truth. The blue represents staying in denial, and the red means accepting the truth. If you can think of a better metaphor, email me. The Backseat Lovers are an example of musicians that definitely took the red pill.

They used extended solitude for inspiration. Instead of focusing on what others are doing wrong, they spent the time focusing on what they could do better. Again, just a metaphor. 

“In terms of new music, it was a very inspiring time.” Josh, the long-haired lead vocalist, and guitarist told me. “We were working on music several times a week…dialed in on a second album that we’ve been writing.”

From Heber City and Sandy, UT—the band started when Josh introduced himself to drummer Juice Welch. Josh later met Jonas in line at an open mic night at the Velour, a music venue in Provo, a place that SPIN Magazine fittingly calls one of the “best-kept secrets in Utah.” 

The band began recording together and added bass guitarists KJ Ward along the way. They also began taking writing retreats during COVID, but they said the shift really took place two years ago when the four of them began living together. 

“I think when we started,” Josh reflected. “It was really natural, and it still is most of the time—but after we were living together and working on songs to the degree that we do, everyone’s more emotionally involved.” Josh isn’t kidding either. He explained the band’s writing chemistry is just that, writing together. 

“Basically every single song we write is a co-write to some degree,” he explained. “I think that has definitely changed the entire sound in a lot of ways.”

During their loud, powerful afternoon set on Saturday—the four youngsters rocked the T-Mobile Stage—introducing hordes of new fans to undeniable tracks like “Just a Boy,” “Kirby Girl,” and “Maple Syrup.” Give them a listen below. It was the type of afternoon show where you could see the high schoolers walking by and whispering, “oh my gosh who’s that?!”

Whether or not they’ll be back to Lollapalooza isn’t clear. But if you want to see them live in a city near you—you better act fast. 

The band currently has 21 sold-out stops on their tour (and counting). 

Photo courtesy of Instagram

For UrbanMatter Chicago’s continued Lolla 2021 coverage, check out our other artist spotlight now.

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Get Employed!

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(3) Tips for Finding a Job After 50

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By Terri Lee Ryan,
today at 9:17 am

It never occurred to me that I would not be a sought after candidate for a job. I have had a number of successful careers as a career coach, executive search consultant, and a commercial real estate agent, among with a being an author and having produced a documentary.

I was never one to think about my age as I stopped counting my birthdays at 40. My career advice to others was to keep working and trying to find a profession that supported ones’ unique talents and keeping up with business relationships.

Then COVID hit, a life-changing event that we as a world are still dealing with. Never in my lifetime have I seen businesses forced to shut down. The carnage of this pandemic is still being revealed as workers start looking for employment and the lucky ones who kept their jobs and trying to get back to some sort of “normalcy.”

Many of the business relationships I had prior to the pandemic have changed as some have left the job market completely, as they were in a financial position to do so. But, what about those of us who still need to work to make ends meet? Where is the work for us?

It’s a challenge for those of us to get employed over 50, even though we have the experience and insight to be a valuable asset to a company. And, part of the problem is that often our resume reflects too many experiences, in too many industries that make us less attractive to a recruiter, especially if we are currently unemployed.

Here are (3) tips to help you in your job search if you are over 50:

Update Your Resume: This is a given for most job seekers, but you would be surprised how many of us just re-list the same achievements on our resume that we have had for the past thirty years!  Its time to redo your resume and customize it to the job opening you are applying for. Many of the items on our current resume are not applicable to the new position and appear dated in today’s job market. You need to only list what is important to a position and where your experience can add value to a company. Too many skills and too much experience can confuse a recruiter or hiring manager and detract from your skill set and experience.

Go through your Contact Database: We all have contacts from former coworkers and bosses. When was the last time you reached out to them? These people know your work and may offer you referral or information on your industry that may help you in your job search, even those who may have already retired. Many of us have an abundant list of social media contacts on Linked In and Facebook.  Be smart about how you contact your social media friends. On Facebook, if you don’t have their email or telephone number, reach out on Messenger and ask for their information so you can follow up with them.  When using LinkedIn, only send a private message here and never send out automated messages. I call it “lazy marketing” and it is not effective, especially when you are looking to network for a new job.

Identify exactly what you want to do: This is the first step to organizing your job search. You need to really think hard as to what you really want to do over the next ten years and what you want you day to day life to look like. For many of us, we don’t know what we want to do and how hard we want to work.  Some of us don’t even know where we want to live. So before you start any job search, you need to have this all flushed out before you send out your first resume or make as networking phone call.

Looking for a new position or changing careers is always possible, even after 50. Be clear as to what you want to do and be honest with yourself as to what your want you work life to look like and how much longer you want to work. This is the time in your life to continue growing, learning new skills and doing something you really want to do and get paid for it. It just takes a well thought out and executed strategy!

Happy job hunting!

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career advice, employment advice, employment tips, job search

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  Terri Lee Ryan

  Terri Lee Ryan is the host of the popular radio podcast, Shades of Gender, which is streamed at https://www.kgay1065.com. In its second season, it explores gender identity. She is an author of “Life is One Big To-Do List” and has won awards at the New York Television Festival for her unscripted shows, Tails in the City (2012) and Rori’s Party (2014). Her documentary segment , “I Married a Crossdresser” was aired on SKY TV (FOX) in the UK and on ABC in Australia. A popular radio/television guest, she has appeared on ABC TV, WLS-FM, WGN-AM and numerous national radio stations.

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Two people were killed and at least 15 others were wounded in shootings throughout Chicago Monday.

A man was killed and another man was seriously wounded in a drive-by shooting Monday night in University Village on the Near West Side. The men, 24 and 56, were outside with a large group of people in the 1300 block of West 13th Street when two people in a passing black Hyundai Elantra fired at them about 11:10 p.m., Chicago police said. The 56-year-old man was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene. He has not yet been identified. The younger man was struck in the stomach and arm. He was taken to the UIC Hospital in serious condition. The 24-year-old, a concealed carry license holder, returned fire, but it was unknown if either shooter was struck. The car carrying the shooters crashed into a parked car, and the pair ran off.

A man 35 to 40 years old was found with a gunshot wound to the head about 3:30 p.m. in the 4200 block of West Madison Street, Chicago police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He hasn’t been identified. Another man, 69, was struck in the arm and went to Stroger Hospital in good condition.

Other attacks:

• A 15-year-old boy was wounded in Armour Square on the South Side. The teen was on the sidewalk about 3:50 p.m. in the 200 block of West Pershing Road when a dark-colored car pulled up and someone inside fired shots, police said. He was struck in both legs and taken to Comer Children’s Hospital, where he was stabilized.
• Three teenage boys and a man were shot on the Near North Side. They were on the street about 3:30 p.m. when four people got out of a car with guns and opened fire in the 1300 block of North Hudson Avenue, police said. The gunmen got back into the car and sped off. Two boys, 16, were shot in the leg and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in fair condition. A 14-year-old boy was struck in the foot and transported in good condition to Lurie Children’s Hospital. The man, 63, suffered a gunshot wound to the buttocks and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was stabilized. At the scene, over 20 shell casings were scattered across the street and sidewalk. Crime tape blocked off a portion of Hudson Avenue, with officers concentrated around an entrance to the Marshall Fields Garden apartments.
• A man was seriously wounded in a home in Fernwood on the Far South Side. The man, 24, was shot several times around 4:30 a.m. in the 10100 block of South Yale Avenue, police said. He was hit in the face, back, neck and arms and was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was listed in serious condition.

Seven others were wounded in shootings citywide.

In just 10 hours from Saturday night through early Sunday morning, 41 people were shot and five were killed in Chicago.

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Emmy Award-winner Christina Applegate has announced that she has multiple sclerosis, describing her diagnosis as a “tough road.”

The 49-year-old actor known for her roles in “Married… with Children” and “Dead to Me,” said in a tweet late Monday that she was diagnosed “a few months ago.”

“It’s been a strange journey. But I have been so supported by people that I know who also have this condition,” wrote Applegate. “It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going.” She added in a later post: “Now I ask for privacy. As I go through this thing.”

Multiple sclerosis — also known as MS — affects the nervous system and often results in progressive physical and cognitive decline.

More than 2.3 million people have a diagnosis of MS worldwide, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Nearly 1 million people over the age of 18 live with a diagnosis of MS in the US, the nonprofit organization adds.

Applegate won her Emmy in 2003 for a guest spot on “Friends” and has a Tony Award nomination for the musical “Sweet Charity.” Her films include “The Sweetest Thing,” “Anchorman,” “Hall Pass” and “Bad Moms.”

She has previously discussed her 2008 battle with breast cancer, after which she had a double mastectomy as well as her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed.

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Chicago Bears: 3 players to trade for cornerback C.J. Henderson by Ryan Heckman

In their summer league opener, Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams showed off an improved offensive game that should have left fans very optimistic about his future despite the team losing to New Orleans. Even though they lost, it was clear that Patrick Williams was living in the gym this offseason which bodes well for the Chicago Bulls this upcoming season.

Looking at the box score might not blow you away but don’t get it twisted: Patrick Williams is going to be an absolute stud this season. In his 35 minutes, he put up 15 points with 12 rebounds and added 3 assists. He displayed an aggressiveness that only ever flashed at moments during his rookie year, let alone entire games like it did on Monday versus the Pelicans.

Additionally, some fans might look at his field goal percentage and criticize Williams for his 30 percent shooting performance. However, these people are looking at the wrong statistic. What should grab everyone’s attention is that Patrick Williams attempted 20 field goals!

Last season, fans were begging Williams to be more aggressive and carve out a role in the offense that was greater than simply being a spot-up shooter. It appears that Williams got similar advice from the coaching staff and his teammates this offseason as he came into the summer league ready to show off a treasure chest of moves that, if further developed, have him on pace to be a consistent 20 point-per-game player in this league.

Patrick Williams will be a big offensive threat for the Chicago Bulls going forward.

I saw Williams pulling the trigger on threes with more confidence, I saw him drive to the lane with more aggressiveness and I saw him work on more difficult shots from the post. He might not have been efficient but his confidence to unveil this game speaks to his determination to be great and his commitment to becoming a more consistent and dangerous offensive threat.

If Patrick Williams can utilize the summer league to build consistency within his already improved offensive game, the Chicago Bulls starting lineup in 2021-22 will become extremely dangerous. Even in this summer league game, Williams was getting double-teamed in the second half after he nearly posted a double-double in the opening two quarters.

In regular season play, Williams is not going to encounter any double teams. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are both lethal scorers who will attract a majority of double teams and with Williams playing as the fourth scoring option in the starting lineup – there will be ample opportunity to inflict significant damage on their opponents.

The Chicago Bulls already had high expectations for this upcoming season and Patrick Williams seems to be the X-factor that controls the ceiling of this team. So far in the summer league, it appears that he understands his importance to the team and his performance in the summer league opener should give Bulls fans even more reason to be excited about this upcoming season.

Related Story: Kemba Walker signing has no impact on Bulls 2021 outlook

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Goose Island’s 2021 Bourbon County Stouts: More Wood, Less Fruit

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By Mark McDermott,
today at 8:00 am

Goose Island Beer Co. has announced the lineup for its 2021 Bourbon County Stout release. This year, there are 8 BCS variants, one more than the seven released in 2020.

The list of releases shows five variants aged only in different woods, with only three, including the Chicago-only Proprietor’s release, using adjuncts. One of those three will be made with a cola addition for the first time.

The first Bourbon County Stout was released either in 1993 or 1995. Goose Island founder Greg Hall wanted to a special project for his brewpub’s 1,000th batch. A chance encounter between Greg and Jim Beam’s Booker Noe led to Goose Island acquiring the barrels for what was to become the first commercial bourbon barrel-aged beer. 

The 2021 lineup:

● Bourbon County Stout (14% and 14.4% ABV): Imperial Stout blended from a mix of bourbon barrels from distilleries such as Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey and Buffalo Trace, each aged in freshly emptied bourbon barrels for 8-14 months. “Expect flavors of chocolate and vanilla, oak, whiskey, and molasses, followed by caramel, berry fruit, and almond.” Last year’s “original” BCS became subject of a run in retail outlets when it was learned that besides the blended release, several cases featured bottles that had been aged in single barrels, identifiable by two-letter codes on the bottles. Will there be a similar “Easter Egg” for this year? No one is saying.

● Bourbon County Cherry Wood Stout (14.3% ABV): “This year, we took wood complexities to another level by doing something we’ve never done before: we took fully-matured Bourbon County Stout and finished it with toasted fruitwood—specifically, honeycomb-shaped cherry wood chips. The versatility of the cherry wood and honeycomb shape allowed for maximum flavor extraction, revealing complex characteristics like red fruit, ripe cherry, and light toffee, which are not found in the original oak barrel itself.”

● Bourbon County Reserve 150 Stout (15.6% ABV): “Our Bourbon County Reserve 150 Stout is aged for one year in Old Forester’s 150th Anniversary Bourbon Barrels. To celebrate the anniversary, Old Forester’s hand-picked 150 barrels from resting places within the Old Forester barrelhouse, to create three unique batches honoring founder George Garvin Brown and his process of batching from three original distilleries.… Expect barrel-forward flavor with notes of chocolate, vanilla, and coconut, followed with molasses, almond, berry, and oak.”

● Bourbon County Double Barrel Toasted Barrel Stout (16% ABV): “Our Double Barrel Toasted Barrel Stout was aged for one year in Elijah Craig’s Small Batch Bourbon Barrels, then another year in Elijah Craig Toasted Bourbon Barrels. These toasted barrels are built to the same specifications as normal bourbon barrels, but are more heavily toasted and very lightly charred. Not only does this stout embody distinctive elements from Elijah Craig’s award-winning Small Batch Bourbon Barrels—like warm spice & vanilla—it also deepened in intensity during its second year of aging. The result? A Bourbon County Stout unlike any before. In addition to the familiar chocolate, caramel, and vanilla comes flavors of toasted marshmallow and a very pronounced fruit and oak finish.… This is only the second time we have packaged a ‘Double Barrel’ Bourbon County Stout.”

● Bourbon County Reserve Blanton’s Stout (15.4% ABV): “We aged our Imperial Stout for 18 months in barrels from one of the world’s most sought-after bourbons—Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon. Taken from the center-cut or middle sections of the famous Warehouse H, Blanton’s Original Single Barrel was once only available for ambassadors, dignitaries, and friends of the Blanton family, but now is available for everyone to enjoy. … Through our partnership we created a truly unique reserve filled with rich dark chocolate and oak notes, finished with warm aromatics of baking spices such as clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.”

● Bourbon County Classic Cola Stout (14.1% ABV): “Pushing the boundaries of barrel-aged stouts is in our DNA, and with that we brought to life our first-ever cola-inspired variant. Brewers Paul Cade and Jason Krasowski bonded over their love for a classic cola while creating the Classic Cola Stout. Combining the refreshing nature of classic cola and picking up the flavor profile from a whisky cola, we added lime and orange juice and zest, plus coriander, cassia bark, nutmeg, brown sugar, and vanilla to bring out the complex characters of the classic drink.”

● Bourbon County Fourteen Stout (TBD ABV; awaiting final bottling details): “For the first time ever, we’re digging into the Proprietor’s (Chicago-only release) vault and bringing back a fan favorite with Bourbon County Fourteen Stout. But this time, it’s with a twist. We’re paying homage to the popular Proprietor’s 2014 recipe, but upping the rye ante by adding rye to the mash bill. Layering cassia bark, cocoa nibs, panela sugar, and coconut water, this stout has an intricate, sweet and spicy flavor profile that will have fans going back sip after sip.”

● Proprietor’s Bourbon County Stout (TBD ABV; awaiting final bottling details): “For the second year in a row, Proprietor’s Bourbon County Stout is inspired by a classic frozen treat and brewed again by the mastermind, Emily Kosmal. Proprietor’s Bourbon County Stout is aged in bourbon barrels and blended with luscious strawberries, vanilla and coconut, reminiscent of a classic strawberry ice cream bar. These elements come together to create the indelible flavors of decadent shortcake, layered with vanilla and topped off with the slight fruitiness of strawberries, similar to the ice cream bar’s strawberry core. Emily—who also created the concept for 2016 Proprietor’s and 2020 Proprietor’s—is our first brewer to have three Proprietor’s concepts picked for release.” Sounds like they want to bring in the taste of a Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake bar, without implying any cooperation.

The situation with the pandemic is still evolving, so details of the traditional Black Friday retail release should be forthcoming later. Whether there may be a Black Wednesday at participating draft houses nay also be learned later.

And it has happened that a planned variant might get pulled from the release schedule if the Goose Island brewers feel it doesn’t reach the profile they expected. It’s happened once, maybe twice, so this lineup should be pretty solid. There has, at times, also been an occasional draft-only release of a variant that didn’t make the cut for commercial production. Of course this is just me speaking from what I remember, and Goose Island has no reason to confirm or deny any of my ideas.

Filed under:
Beer News

Tags:
Bourbon County Stout, Goose Island

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