Goose Island's Bourbon County Stouts for 2017

It will 100% be more than $25, Id be shocked if its less than $40. My guess would be around $45-50

 

The revolution beers are a guaranteed infection waiting to happen

 

KBS 2017 was allocated on overall Founders sales last year. One local store earned the largest KBS allocation in the state by selling a truckload of overstock FBS at $20/case last summer, combined with their other Founders sales. The allocation of 2015 BCBS was based on the sales of Sofie, but at least around here the retailers were not told until after the fact. Never heard whether that carried for 2016 because our distributor - largest in the state - got a grand total of 10 cases of 2016 BCBS.

 

I'm looking forward to the Bananas Foster BCBS, but doubt we'll see any variants here unless they really pump up production.

 

Prop is always CHI only, so you'll have to trade. And if recent history repeats, it will only cost you all your best beers, your first born, and 2 bottles of pappy on the FT::ISO boards. Best of luck!

 

...or a trip to Chicago...

 

Wait, you mean to tell me GI was WRONG when they said their buyout would lead to bcbs being more available nationwide?

 

I am trying to find any bourbon county stout. Would love to try it. What the best way to find this beer? Online store? trade? And when does it become available? I have not seen any store in my area that offer this beer.

 

Goose releases in Illinois through Binny's on Black Friday with distribution to the Independents shortly after. If you do not get any distro in your surrounding area then trading is your best option because the secondary market will be big $$$$.

 

@Ridgewalker_1999 regular BCBS isn't actually all that much on secondary, you just might not find it because not a lot of people are selling it due to low profit margin.

Regarding trading, once you factor in shipping, and the beers you might have to trade to get BCBS, the cost levels out with secondary market, if not goes over. If you don't get any bites with anything you have on hand trade-wise, it really isn't worth the effort. Just purchase it online somewhere.

The other option is going to Chicago which entails commuting expense, probably lodging, and the hassle and angst of the waiting, weather, potential shitlords, and the hunt (or learning about the hunt if unfamiliar). All of these things add up to a far greater expense, if you are just wanting to try one bottle.

 

Our hometown story was that BCBS was going to be available year-round. I guess we got played as well. GI has not made an adjunct beer that I care to drink other than coffee since 2014 and the coffee isn't all that either these daysc( my opinion). This is the kind of stuff you get when you sell out to one of (if not) the largest brewers in the world and Inbev will ride the wave until they choke the life out of the Golden Goose.

 

Goose Island releases its Bourbon County lineup each year on the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday). Many stores/bars/etc have events around the release. Some store releases will be on Black Friday, some the following week, some later. It will be too early to know details for this year but you can ask around your local stores on what they did for last year to get a general idea. Some stores do lotteries, some sign up sheets, some first come first served. some secret handshakes. The beer sells quickly so you will not see it on store shelves this time of year in almost all cases. Keep in mind that only the regular BCBS really sees any significant (relatively speaking) distribution but it's a great beer imo. Good luck.

 

That gave me a legitimately good laugh. Thank you for that.

 

Why do I have the feeling that if a reasonably priced variant mysteriously appeared on a shelf in Vermont, the "InBev BS" wouldn't matter as much in that moment?

 

Oh, you're damn right it wouldn't.. I can't tell you how many people on IG bash Ab InBev and then turnaround and post a picture of them drinking Bourbon County.. They're hypocrites, but they think it's the cool, hip thing to do these days, to be a non-conformist, or whatever you want to call it. It's just a trend, really... For the people who are truly against ABI, Heineken, etc. and actually follow through, I applaud you for your beliefs.

 

Join national and/or local trade groups on Facebook. These are traded daily in most forums.
Or, go to Craigslist and buy them for secondary prices. You can get a regular 2016 Bourbon County typically in the $20-$30 range. Sucks, but if you want to try that bad... I paid $50/bottle for a mini 3-year Dark Lord vertical years ago before I ever tried it. I never pay secondary prices anymore and trade only or go to group tastings/shares, but it's an option.

 

But if GI didn't use whole blueberries, I'm going to assume TTB wouldn't allow them to just say "blueberries" on the label.

 

Cases have been sitting around every Whole Foods here in NYC for months at $9.99 a bottle. Don't pay those prices.

 

I think I'll enjoy some of the 2012-2014 bottles I have in basement next fall/winter and leave the chasing of now more expensive BCBS to others

 

First of all, we barely get any BCBS in Vermont at all. I've only ever seen standard BCBS and in quantities low enough where it's single bottle limits. No variants ever. So I wouldnt know about variants just showing up. Second, I ran around northern Vermont in 2015 and managed to get 6 bottles of BCBS all of which turned out to be infected. After all that effort...to have the beer be bunk sucks. Third, the InBev shit actually does bother me and I have access to breweries I can actively choose to support.