Bourbon County 2017

Honestly Lizard of Koz gets a bad rap but I still thought it was a super interesting beer. I probably don't need to try it again but I'm glad I did try it. I know blueberry was a main ingredient but I think the sweetness that set people off was more with the vanilla/blueberry combo than anything else. Blueberries and almonds shouldn't be nearly as sweet.

 

Yep, I had better results in my kitchen with homemade bcbcs then last years fruity coffee. Had a cup of the actual coffee used in 16 bcbcs and it was good, so I can see why they chose it though.

 

Some will do that. Whole Foods and Jewel both did/tried to do regular/BW plus coffee or Prop.

I would think Binny's still does full allotments for hype reasons.

 

I've only had the last two year's, and after hearing about how incredible BCCS is supposed to be I was let down. I can't wait to try this new batch

 

My family already knows not to expect a visit, unless they move to Chicago.

 

so I have a question. Whats the best way to pick up everything in the chicago area? What time do I need to line up and what is the best place to go? I am thinking of maybe staying in Chicago for black friday this year. I see people in the haul threads from Chicago with like 3 rares, and half cases of coffee and barleywine. In nebraksa, you have to line up just to maybe score a single coffee. I would rather do it right and be at the source. Plus, chicago is way cooler than Omaha anyway.

 

In general you're not getting half cases of anything (or 3 Rares) by yourself (at one time, I mean). Even the biggest places on Black Friday (Binny's) usually only net you 1 of each variant, and maybe 2 or 3 bottles or Regular. Rare was a special case because initially it was 1 per person, and then a second drop around Jan 1 gave people the chance to purchase up to 2 more.

In terms of the best place to go, it's hard to say. Lincoln Park Binny's is the flagship, so they're guaranteed to have the highest quantities of each variant, but they're also generally by far the place with the largest line, and the other Binny's seem to be inconsistent in terms of what they get and how many people show up.

BCS (the bottled version) in Chicago isn't really a Black Friday event, it just starts then, and continues on for the next month-plus. Places like Whole Foods will sometimes have their launch a week or two after BF, so there's a pretty staggered release on the whole.

 

yeah i thought it might be a cumulative haul, but wasnt sure. thanks for the info

 

So wait, 7 bottled releases? Or 6, plus the draft-only Reserve in Chicago and Kentucky?

 

GI Instagram showed all 7 variants in bottles.

 

HYPE TRAIN ROLLING ALONG... Jared went live on FB to talk about the entire 2017 lineup:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=id%3D10154650334877304%3Btype%3Dvideo

 

Line up at binnys lp, dint hoard from out of state sigh

 

Ugh -- I hated those beans! They work in BCBCS16 for me, but every pot I brewed had a weird cereal-like finish along the lines of wheat or corn flakes.

Cool black mugs, though!

 

Just want to respectfully push back in that 2016 coffee was by far the best thing to come out of 2016 GI BCBS releases. I respect if you liked other year's more, but I don't really see how it wasn't the clear best of 4 this last fall

 

I have to respectifully disagree. It is so fruity and acidic. It was honestly the biggest miss for me. Coffee BCS used to be this big bold dark roast coffee bomb and in recent years they have moved fruiter and fruiter with the coffee. I am jacked they are going back to black cat.

 

Definitely agree that coffee was a huge miss but not sure it was THE biggest miss of all last year. I thought BW was just not even close to what is usually is.

With respect to last year's BC lineup I actually thought plain ol' BCBS was the best of the bunch and honestly I didn't think it was that close.

 

I'm with you on that. I still have hope for Prop after I let it sit a while.

 

Alright. lets keep this one on topic. This is not a place for distro complaints or jokes about infection. Lets keep it on topic.

Varients for 2017 Listed Below and Confirmed by Goose Island.

1. 2017 Regular
2. 2017 Barleywine
3. 2017 Coffee (Return to Black Cat Espresso from 2010)
4. 2017 National Varient - Northwoods Stout - Blueberry and Almond
5. 2017 Prop - Bannanas, Casia Bark, Toasted Almond (aka bannanas foster)
6. 2017 Barleywine Reserve - Aged 20months in the emptied 2015 Rare Barrels
7. 2017 BCS Reserve - Aged Exclusivley in Knob Creek 11 year barrels.

 

I personally will be interested to see where pricing lands on the Barleywine Reserve and BCS Reserve. Especially after they said they were not expecting a huge flavor difference between regular and reserve.