Bourbon County 2018

I'm 100% the same way when it comes to fruit character in an IPA (I don't like added fruit; I prefer to get whatever fruity taste is in the beer from the hops themselves), but there's only so much variation you can do with a non-adjunct/pastry/whatever stout. I'm also a huge fan of what Rev has been doing recently with their BA series, but even so, they're basically releasing "barrel-aged stout x" and "even longer-aged BA stout x".

It'd be cool if GI decided to do a whole release of the one-off variants one year (Templeton, Baudonia, etc.), but I'm not sure that would appeal to as large an audience as the current yearly releases do.

 

The wheatwine they have been putting out at the Block Party the last couple years has been meh

 

JMO, but sometimes I wonder what more people want. Ok, if you don't like adjuncts in your BC, then just drink the regular BC? This is the most intriguing lineup since 2014 easily. You can't have every variant be vanilla or cinnamon. Just amazing how difficult it is to please people. Can't imagine being on the brewer's side. Bringing back classic variants in vanilla and bramble, but "Oh, they brought back vanilla but it's in BOURBON instead of Rye!?" Just blows my mind.

 

Would be cool to see Templeton, Baudonia, ect become taproom only releases like Islay.

 

If they were on relatively regularly, that'd be awesome.

 

OG18 is going to be better than VR. You herd it here first folks.

 

Okay, what am I missing here? What does OG stand for? Normally I'd assume you meant Reg BCBS, the "hopefully this sees a bottle release" is throwing me off.

 

I think this is the original vanilla, which used bourbon and not rye

 

He means BCBVS

 

Got it. I guess I was just being too literal in the terminology.

And yeah, I'm looking forward to that too, since I was never blown away by VR (which I know is sometimes looked at as heresy).

 

I look at it this way...GI has been dinged the past few years for not coming out with variants that people really want, and doing things a bit too crazy. They're essentially going pretty much straight down the middle with these (except for the Wheatwine perhaps, which is different) in terms of where BA stouts are at right now. Knowing how well GI does BCBS, these should all be good...if you like the adjunct style.

And, I'll admit that Rev stepped up in their BA game this year, but they are still a good chunk behind BCBS IMO. BCBS is well ahead of Deth's Tar in terms of flavor and body, and BCBCS may not have been very good last year, but the body on it was still much better IMO than Café Deth. Café Deth definitely won over BCBCS in the flavor department, though...which is a pretty significant accomplishment. But, those are just my opinions obviously based on my taste buds, and we all taste things differently.

 

So you want a stout with brewers' nuts?

 

Oh, you may have just opened a whole new realm of debate. This might turn into the new DLD thread!

Don't let your buds bring you down, you can always make new buds.

 

Why did GI jump on the Neopolitan train rather than go on the far superior Spumoni train? Cherry, pistachio and chocolate beat out strawberry, vanilla and chocolate (vanilla and chocolate are polar opposites, it's like putting a positive with a negative to get a neutral charge).....

 

I agree on the Rev comparisons 100%.

 

I must still be drunk from the weekend I actually agree with something HoW said..........BRB heading to the doctor for an exam

 

The word spumoni harshes my buzz. Should be next to the mortadella and capicola...speaking of new variants, though

 

That would be awesome if they had seasonal BCBC draft only variants so you knew say Islay came out every January/Feb, Baudonia was March/April, etc.

 

Yea this would be sick. Would probably spend a lot more time there if I knew they would have solid BCS offerings on for a couple of months at a time. Ive said it before but one of the most disappointing things is how Clybourn and Fulton usually have pretty terrible draft lists. The Fulton will do something cool but the keg kicks at 230 in the afternoon. Either have more beer ready to go or don't announce it.