Concerns about Stouts from a very young beer geek

Personally, the only higher-priced stout worth getting every year (not sure where you're located) is Abyss. I think I bought mine this year for like $18/bottle.

*Edit* also, you should add Founders Breakfast Stout to your lineup as well. If you dig the coffee stouts, this is one of the best.

 

this. also if you havent had it try Peruvian morning from central waters...

 

Personal opinions always vary, and as a stout lover I would be content with only ever drinking Marshal Zhukov, Brooklyn Chocolate Stout, BCBS and Parabola for the rest of my life. Those pretty much cover all bases of what I want in a stout.

 

While the more hyped beers are often "better" than so called shelf beers, they often aren't THAT much better, especially when there is a large price difference. For me, BCBS and Heady deserved the hype and were WELL worth the price and effort I put in to get them. If you can buy you're favorite stouts regularly at goo prices I would keep doing it. You can always splurge on a bottle of other stuff from time to time

 

Yes, you should worry a lot about that, and you shouldn't even THINK about enjoying a really good stout unless it is the BEST stout.

(Can't tell if OP is serious.)

 

have you had FBS or BCBS and its variants. if you have not... well then by all means drop everything and start running in circles frantically. panic!! hah don't worry man good things will come your way

 

I'm not Dark Lord has the reputation of being as must try as you might think. Some of the variants are highly rated though.

As far as the rare ones being worth it, the short answer is: some are and some aren't.

 

Think of it this way: if you had a bottle of Dark Lord you probably would not be drinking it on the couch while watching sports. On the rare occasion that I get an expensive and hard-to-find beer, I tend to open it for a special occasion or with friends at a tasting. In this way, those beers are much like expensive wines - not for everyay consumption.

I routinely buy a selection of more reasonably priced "go-to" beers of various styles which I drink in larger quantities and in more casual settings.

Generally, beers are rated here on BA without the consideration of price. I think that you also should look at beer with a quality-to-price formula. There are quality beers that fit many price points; drinking the best quality for a price you can afford is a big part of enjoying beer.

You'll figure it out. You're way ahead of me. When I was 23, I was just getting into craft beers and thought Guinness was the best beer ever.

 

Dark lord is downright awful.

Darkness, Black Note, and Parabola are all bonkers awesome... but so are the stouts that you mentioned.

 

Try them all and find out what you like best. They are all at least ok. Worst case is that you choke down a beer you don't like.

 

If a stout tastes similar to sex to you then you're doing it wrong.

 

I too love stouts, and have had a few of the big boys in the style, but I always go back to Siberian Night. I like it more than BA Siberian Night, and almost as much as BA Blackout. I didnt think Dark Lord was worth it--too sweet for my tastes--and Expedition takes at least a year but more like 3 to mellow into a good stout. I dont like Sexual Chocolate at all either, so I must be crazy.

You just have to know when youre drinking a walez bro and when youre not. I never compare BA walez to things like Siberian Night, Blackout, or BORIS.

 

These beers are all better than 95% of the limited release stouts out there.

Spend the money, trade or barter at some point, it is worth seeking out some of these highly acclaimed, limited beers if only for the experience. You may hate them, you may love them but you will certainly cement the fact that you can still get world class beers every day with out the fuss.

 

BCBS + variants, worth it all.

 

Try what you can try via purchases, trades, etc. and find which beers you like; but keep drinking beer regardless.

The beers you mentioned are fantastic and aren't that difficult to get. If you want to pleasure your palate on a regular basis with a beer, isn't it a big bonus if you can get that beer relatively easily? Don't keep looking ahead to the whales when you've got great stuff on the shelf.

One suggestion, be sure you get your palate some BCBS to try, ASAP. Your beer advocacy won't be the same after that.

 

Absolutely not.

 

Do yourself a favor, keep yourself a stock of Old Rasputin in your fridge and your cellar. You don't really need any RIS beyond this and Old Rasputin for the money is the best RIS out there