Infected Bourbon County Barleywine 2015

Drinking Oct 28 1422 now. All 6 of my bottles are marked the same purchased from 2 different stores in different cities in SE MI. I drank one in early December and remember it seemed off but not horrible. I just wasn't as wowed by it as I thought I should have been being BC. Only have a single each of '13 and '14 left so don't really want to open them now for comparison. So now I'm drinking my 2nd '15 and definitely get the cherry notes but is that for sure sign of infection? I've had gushers before (Dark Horse), sours that weren't supposed to be (Arcadia BA Loch Down), and vinegar bombs (Griffin Claw '13 BA stout). This BCBBW is drinkable, but does just seem a bit off. But admittedly, it's been many months since I last drank a '14. But I think I'd take a Bell's Saturn over this any day.

 

I already had a bad bottle of coffee, and I juse opened my second Barleywine....straight up sour cherry juice. Two sips, and then down the drain. Gave Goose a call after that, to tell them about my experience with both the coffee and barleywine. They took all my info and asked me a ton of questions, and it sounds like the are trying to nail down what is happening. No mention of possible refund or anything like that though.

 

28Oct 1451. It's slightly off. Stored in the dark in the basement in the 60s since purchase. Acidic fruit is prominent on the nose; in terms of flavor, it isn't as noticeable. Carb was normal. It's drinkable, but something's just not right here.

 

I've visited the GI brewery before and they actually don't have a separate facility for their sours/wilds. As for BCBS Barleywine, for what it's worth, mine was drinking more than A Okay.

 

As the husband of a FORMER Kraft-Heinz employee, I can attest that the QC departments are, indeed, some of the "fat" that 3G (the parent company of AB-InBev and Kraft-Heinz) likes to trim from its subjects...I mean companies.
That said, BCBS is my favorite beer in the universe. And, the '15 BCBCS I had the Sunday after Thanksgiving, while not as good as I've had in the past, was not infected.

 

All 3 of my bottles were bottled on Oct 29th. Were stored in my closet at probably 65 degrees. Just threw one in the fridge to try once I shake this impending cold

fingers crossed...

 

Just opened three bottles trying to find one good one. All three were infected (not gushers but distinct sour cherry juice in all of them) Three different time stamps, but all the same date: 28OCT15 1238, 1649, 1733

 

28OCT15 1543 has been absolutely delicious twice, with the second occasion being my friend's first introduction to BA BW's and on that occasion it did not disappoint me either. No doubt the last two bottles will prove similar. That's unfortunate it hasn't been consistent...

 

29Oct15 0832 infected.

 

29OCT15 1002. I am getting a similar sour quality that I got from Coffee, but much lighter. The infection is definitely coming though. Overall, it is what I thought about this years BW, thin and uninteresting now with a bit of sour.

I also have a 1027, I will check that one in a few weeks.

 

Goose Island has lost it! First they increase price on BCBS, next they quit selling BCBS in 4 packs. What next?!?! I will tell you... Purposefully infecting Bourbon County Coffee and then purposefully infecting Bourbon County Barleywine! I think that In-Bev is sabotaging BCBS to make craft beer fans and beer nerds across the world drink more piss water. Its like being a Rogue secret agent...

 

You should drink another beer....

 

Yes, Prairie bomb might have been a factor to inspire my previous post. Just thought it would be funny to have a sarcastic rant!

 

28 OCT 15 1229 Not infected

Body might be thinner than previous years but no gusher, sour or off flavors.

 

Dude, these people have no idea.

 

29OCT15 1138 - Perfect. Tasted as I would expect it to taste fresh. I've mostly had this aged a bit.

It smelled a bit metallic at first, but not later. I also could taste the faintest hint of cherry at first. I don't dispute anybody's claims of infection, but I wonder how many people are tasting with some of these things in mind already and then tasting things that aren't necessarily there.

 

Also opened one & it was topnotch. Can't wait to try another!

 

I've got one ready to open this weekend (or maybe even tonight). There's also a tapping of BW nearby on Saturday that I may wander over to just to have one on tap and compare to.

 

It has been about 2 years since I have been inside there, but I DO distinctly remember the sisters being aged in a large room inside the facility, with all the BCBS in a humongous non temp controlled warehouse across the street. Maybe this has changed.

 

Possibly, because it's been awhile for me to. Last time I went was before the InBev take-over; I don't know if that has anything to do with it.