Big Bad Baptist batches

Just knocked out a #63 last night. It was fantastic and I'll be grabbing more if it's still at the store.

 

I used to be able to find it at the Giant Eagle just outside Clintonville and at the North Market, but it's been years now since I've seen it anywhere. If that changes... I'll be buying SO MUCH OF THIS.

 

Ive found this beer tends to vary alot more based on barrel aging time more so than what coffee was used. If you look on Epics website it will tell you when each batch was brewed and when it was bottled, sometimes that time period is only a couple of months and sometimes its over a year. The batches that aged for a significantly longer time before being bottled are usually amazing and some of the ones with a short amount of time just taste like bitter coffee without any barrel flavor.

 

That's interesting but I'm not sure how true this is. Some of the "best" reported batches are only in the barrel for 3 months.

 

Probably from people that prefer stronger coffee flavors, I like more mellow coffee flavor with more barrel presence. I guess thats the good thing about this beer is the the different batches hit both ends of the spectrum.

 

@Anthony1

Why are there such variations on time in the barrel? Some are a little over two months and some batches are 14 months.

Anyone know if there is any correlation to time in the barrel to which batches are "best". I know a lot of variables there...

 

I wish I could find this stout here in New Jersey!

 

I really loved the howler fill I got here in Dallas. It was batch #55 made with beans roasted here.

I was a bit bummed when they finished that keg off and had no more.

 

Those dates are not super accurate. I use a whole variety of bourbon/whiskey barrels. I blend them to taste using casks that have different uses and different ages. After I blend them, the cellar crew adds the coffee. I don't pick the coffee and I don't filter the beer (which means I don't decide how long it sits on coffee).

We've had a batch of novo come out more bitter than normal because the coffee was roasted about 10 minutes before adding and walked over. Didn't expect that change.

But back on the note of dates. I use a combination of barrels that are up to 12 months old, some that are usually 5 months old, and some that are about 6/8 weeks old. It gives us a complex balance of oak, chocolate, roast, bourbon, vanilla, and coffee notes. My batches change each time depending on what I taste in the barrels.

The date that our team put's on the website is what I would assume was a date based on what I used the more of. I try my best to blend the barrels for how they individually taste. (I also never think twice about dumping a beer if I detect anything off)

I check BA about once a week, so feel free to tag me on posts if you guys ever have questions about epic beers or barrel aged projects.

 

Hey @Anthony1 id love to hear about anything you can provide on differences between 52 and 54! I found 52 52 to be much more boozy and with the raisin and fig taste while 54 has much more coffee and chocolate. I had the 52 yesterday and drinking the 54 right now. I figured they were different but the notes on epic make it look like pretty much the same beer?! Thanks! Any idea on when the vertical tasting will be?

 

This is the only beer I have enjoyed from Epic, great stuff but it sits on shelves here.

 

If you are still looking for some bottles, there was 5 or 6 bottles at the Whole Foods on Lane Ave as of last night.

 

Just picked one up that says #65. Website only goes up to 63. Anyone have info on this batch?

 

#59 seems to be the one that hit Michigan last and it was completely lacking in both the coffee and BBA departments. I usually love that hardcore coffee bomb that I get from BBB (popped a #11 that was still spot on a couple months ago) but #59 was disappointing.

 

Tried this for the first time last Friday. Very, very fine. Just bought 3 bottles of #63.

 

For a moment, I thought the subject line was "Big Bad Baptist, bitches!" I'm kind of sad it isn't.

 

I like it better with age

 

Can you link? I google and not seeing it... Thx!