Found a couple of bottles of Destihl's Dosvendanya, one bourbon barrel aged, the other rye. Did really well at FOBAB and have heard good things.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 5 December 2015 18:46 (eight years ago) link
had the w00tsout 3.0 from stone the other night on tap. 13% abv iirc? really great.
also had the goose island bourbon county barleywine on tap, which was incredible imo.
― nomar, Saturday, 5 December 2015 18:51 (eight years ago) link
http://www.foodandwine.com/slideshows/50-amazing-nanobreweries-50-states
― pratt truss it (dan m), Sunday, 6 December 2015 03:07 (eight years ago) link
Having the BCBS right now on tap at Whole Foods in north Evanston (Green Bay Road). Last week a guy at Plum Market in Old Town offered me $50 to stand in line at Plum Market to help him get double the per-person limit. (Of course would have, and of course was sitting in their cafe working on a last-minute deadline.) So I figured I should try it. Amateur notes: Coming from this as more of a wine nerd and casual beer drinker, it reminds me a lot of wines where the oak is the primary component. So it's like an odd stout/whiskey/wine-oak combo. Glad to have the experience, but don't see myself switching over to barrel-aged beer.
― my harp and me (Eazy), Monday, 7 December 2015 23:11 (eight years ago) link
It's pretty much the opposite of a casual beer, that much is true.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 7 December 2015 23:12 (eight years ago) link
Also was served it in a water glass, so that cuts down on any nose. My one other time trying it was at a card game where the host had been given a set as a gift, and I had just a splash, but was able to just keep my nose in it for a good long while before even taking a sip.
― my harp and me (Eazy), Monday, 7 December 2015 23:15 (eight years ago) link
I ended up finding Rare at Whole Foods, just sitting on the shelf.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Monday, 7 December 2015 23:34 (eight years ago) link
! Recently? Where at?
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 8 December 2015 00:34 (eight years ago) link
Oskar Blues' Death By Coconut porter is surprisingly wonderful
― El Tomboto, Saturday, 12 December 2015 18:30 (eight years ago) link
BCBS is at my local but it's $14.99 and only one per person.Should I?
― El Tomboto, Saturday, 12 December 2015 18:31 (eight years ago) link
I would.
― Jeff, Saturday, 12 December 2015 18:32 (eight years ago) link
sure.
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 12 December 2015 19:58 (eight years ago) link
+1
― pratt truss it (dan m), Saturday, 12 December 2015 21:29 (eight years ago) link
That's kinda pricy, my neighborhood Costco still had BCBS for $7.99 each, limit 4 per membership.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Sunday, 13 December 2015 00:29 (eight years ago) link
have to admit I am baffled by the attention bcbs gets, there are a lot of good barrel aged stouts nowadays and the chatter around goose island seems way out of proportion
― marcos, Sunday, 13 December 2015 00:33 (eight years ago) link
as well as the price tbh
― marcos, Sunday, 13 December 2015 00:35 (eight years ago) link
xp increasingly agree w/ you on that
― pratt truss it (dan m), Sunday, 13 December 2015 00:54 (eight years ago) link
What are these easily acquired barrel aged stouts that are on par with Bourbon County? Always felt like this was one of those instances where the hype is warranted.
― circa1916, Sunday, 13 December 2015 02:11 (eight years ago) link
I cracked open a two year old BCBS the other day and it was legitimately one of the tastiest beers I've ever had.
― circa1916, Sunday, 13 December 2015 02:12 (eight years ago) link
I'm drinking a local now, barrel aged imperial pajamas by begyle and it's pretty good. Just doesn't quite nail the mouthfeel that BCBS does.
― Jeff, Sunday, 13 December 2015 02:21 (eight years ago) link
i don't think there are shelf ba stouts as good as bcbs even though i was disappointed with this year's unflavored.
― call all destroyer, Sunday, 13 December 2015 03:06 (eight years ago) link
cracked my first 2015 bcbs rn, really not impressed -- whiskey dominating everything, no balance
big bad baptist is a real easy find in my neck of the woods, can get a 22oz for about the same price as these new 17oz bcbs bottles
― franklin, Sunday, 13 December 2015 08:47 (eight years ago) link
I wish more people shared your opinion, would make it easier for me to get.
― Jeff, Sunday, 13 December 2015 15:50 (eight years ago) link
Ha, they ran out overnight.
― El Tomboto, Sunday, 13 December 2015 18:02 (eight years ago) link
There are indeed tons of barrel aged options out there right now, but imo very few reach the level of craft and complexity of BCBS. I see a lot of dismissals followed by the usual "there are a million BA beers better than this," but rarely any specific follow-up. (For the record, I think one that comes close is Parabola, but it's just as hard to get; some regular imperial stouts that get it right include Bell's Expedition, Narwal and Dark Horse Plead the 5th). And as a whiskey drinker I am once again puzzled by any reaction to it that cites overwhelming whiskey. I mean, it's there! That's part of the point. But I see reviews that exclaim "like drinking straight bourbon" or "it's too hot to drink," and I'm like, huh? The ABV of BCBS is about that of wine.
Anyway, speaking of options, might crack open a bottle of Neckbeard Nectar that a local shop helped produce with Transient.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 13 December 2015 20:16 (eight years ago) link
Trying to think of shelf BA Stouts that are decent, at least ones available in wide distribution:
New Holland Dragon's MilkHoppin' Frog Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S.AV Wild Turkey BBA StoutUnita LabyrinthAll those Eclipse variants that sit on shelves forever $$$
All have their drawbacks, but I'm usually not sad drinking most of them. There are a bunch of local breweries that do them as well that range from mediocre to outstanding. However those are not readily available outside the Chicago market.
― Jeff, Monday, 14 December 2015 14:40 (eight years ago) link
I've never much been bothered by how "hot" fresh BCBS is, but it should be noted that aging it cools it down significantly. That two year old one I had the other day was remarkably smooth and drinkable.
― circa1916, Monday, 14 December 2015 15:02 (eight years ago) link
And as a whiskey drinker I am once again puzzled by any reaction to it that cites overwhelming whiskey. I mean, it's there! That's part of the point. But I see reviews that exclaim "like drinking straight bourbon" or "it's too hot to drink," and I'm like, huh? The ABV of BCBS is about that of wine.
yea agreed, though if you're not a whiskey drinker it can feel that way, i do remember describing a lot of barrel-aged or even just high ABV beers are "too boozy" or "too hot" before i started drinking whiskey. now even 100 proof whiskey starts to taste like maple syrup to me after a glass or two
― marcos, Monday, 14 December 2015 15:09 (eight years ago) link
how does maple syrup taste after a glass or two?
― conrad, Monday, 14 December 2015 15:12 (eight years ago) link
Good haul today! Prop, reg BCBS, Big Hugs. Heard from a friend there's a shop at Damen/Addison selling 2014 BCBS for $7 a bottle, but couldn't find time to check it out.
― pratt truss it (dan m), Wednesday, 16 December 2015 23:12 (eight years ago) link
My local has been dropping bottles of 2014 BCBS in the cooler at random points in December. I've gotten one each time, even though I still have plenty at home. Just an excuse to open it up and drink right there.
― Jeff, Wednesday, 16 December 2015 23:18 (eight years ago) link
My cellar is stuffed, so I have been successfully keeping to a promise to hold off a bit on new bottles.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 16 December 2015 23:36 (eight years ago) link
Maybe I just got a bad batch, but I've found an Otter Creek beer that I don't particularly care for: the Backseat Berner IPA. It seems a bit too alcohol-y and it has an unpleasant bitter aftertaste.
― o. nate, Saturday, 19 December 2015 00:41 (eight years ago) link
i love that beer but a lot of ppl don't
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 19 December 2015 01:45 (eight years ago) link
FWIW, Chicago locals, it looks like they just dumped a ton more BCBS all over Chicagoland, at Binny's, Whole Foods, Jewel, etc.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 19 December 2015 19:15 (eight years ago) link
Which I'm sure is all gone by now.
I picked up two more bottles of reg, which should be enough for me. See you in 2016.
― Jeff, Saturday, 19 December 2015 21:47 (eight years ago) link
At least all gone in the northside establishments, it may linger in the burbs.
http://rukkus.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/billy-joel.jpg"A bottle of reg ... "
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 19 December 2015 21:57 (eight years ago) link
Found an '08 BCBS at a cellar sale:
http://i.imgur.com/gie1jEp.jpg
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Sunday, 20 December 2015 23:50 (eight years ago) link
Probably right in the cusp of drinkable, if even.
― Jeff, Sunday, 20 December 2015 23:51 (eight years ago) link
On the cusp.
― Jeff, Sunday, 20 December 2015 23:52 (eight years ago) link
had 12-13-14-15 BCS tonight plus 2015 prop and night stalker, my tongue was pretty much dead after the first 3, but it was fun
― pratt truss it (dan m), Monday, 21 December 2015 02:19 (eight years ago) link
that 1349 black ale in the pic is good
― pratt truss it (dan m), Monday, 21 December 2015 02:20 (eight years ago) link
pretty sure '08 bcbs is dead now
― call all destroyer, Monday, 21 December 2015 03:43 (eight years ago) link
I have bottles back to '09. Need to find a reason to drink them soon.
― Jeff, Monday, 21 December 2015 12:09 (eight years ago) link
Dead how? I know they say "up to 5 years," but there are several stouts that basically tout they can be stored indefinitely. Like Bell's Expedition, which some (and more importantly, Bell's) say can be stored more or less indefinitely. What's the dif. between storing one high ABV stout and another? Is Goose Island just covering their butts with the "up the 5 years" instruction?
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 21 December 2015 14:58 (eight years ago) link
All depends on how the oxidation has affected it. Bad oxidation and you start to get something that taste like Bourbon Country Cardboard. I did a 10 year vertical last year from '05 to '14. '07 was the worst of that bunch, '12 was the best. '05/'06 were slightly better than '07, but paled in comparison to '12 to '14. It's all subjective, of course. Some beers move towards a sherry flavor from oxidation.
Also it could have been how those older ones have been stored, that's a huge wild card. If a beer is 10 years old, unless you've had it in your possession for that entire time, you never know how many times it's been exposed to light/heat.
I think the "up to 5 years" is a better safe than sorry recommendation. It can be good after that, but the chances that it has fallen off are higher.
― Jeff, Monday, 21 December 2015 15:21 (eight years ago) link
agree w/all that. i did a similar vert two years ago and if '08 goes the same way '05 and '06 did back then it's definitely in the danger zone. i didn't find that anything i would call "good" was happening to bourbon county after about the 3-4 year range.
― call all destroyer, Monday, 21 December 2015 15:41 (eight years ago) link
At the same time, isn't there some variation in the formula from year to year? I can't imagine the '08, fresh, tasted the same as the '15, fresh. Or maybe it did!
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 21 December 2015 16:37 (eight years ago) link
i don't think the base bcbs recipe has changed ever
― call all destroyer, Monday, 21 December 2015 17:26 (eight years ago) link