Bourbon County 2018

Wheatwine was really fun to try. It put me at a loss for descriptors...really lively (equivalent: think wine with great acidity) on the front palate, but didn’t have lots of density or caramel chewiness that I appreciate in barleywines or even Devil’s Heart of Gold. “More candied than caramel” I have as a note.

Will be very interested to try this one again in a controlled environment.

 

For those of you who want a descriptor for BCBWW here it is: Caramel covered Grilled Pineapple. You're welcome.

 

Jeez, way to kill my enthusiasm...

 

More for me.

 

Pretty sure that's not going to be an issue, unless they made very un-ABInBev-like quantities of it.

 

Coffee Barleywine was really good, and I'm hoping to find some on Black Friday. Regular is solid as ever. Midnight Orange was interesting, and I want to pick up a bottle to try again with a clean palate. Same with Wheatwine; I thought it was boozy at Fobab, but would like to try it again. Vanilla was too sweet and tasted like the smell of vanilla extract. If that's your thing you'll love it, but there was no subtlety or balance to it.

 

Midnight Orange is definitely the one I want to try a larger pour of again. I didn't love it when I had it, but I think it has potential.

 

If I were to purchase variants it would be Coffee Barleywine. The coffee really pops and complements that boozy, sweet barleywine. Do not cellar these. I'd also purchase reserve if GI just admitted that Reserve is just normal BCBS made in the manner of BCBS pre-2015 (2015 infected BCBS was like New Coke, a bridge to cheapen the product without anyone knowing- tin foil hat off).

 

I thought I was the only person who drinks BA beers fresh.

 

I drink almost everything I buy fresh. The only "cellar" I have is a little corner of my liquor locker where I keep beers. I generally have no more than 5-10 beers down there.

 

Add another one.

 

I’m annoyed that that article writer guy is vindicated by his prediction that “not all variants will appeal to one person.”

I really thought our collective blind thirst was better than this.

 

I didn’t sleep on it, just wasn’t going to wait 30+ minutes in the GI line again after trying Prop, Orange and Vanilla. Will definitely try this and the others I missed on draft.

It was long ago
And it was far away
Coffee was so much better than it is today.....

 

The new ABV Chicago had lots of interesting details about the BCBS variants. One that jumped out was how they made vanilla BCBS (namely that it doesn’t use an extract).

The most interesting part to me though is that Goose is acknowledging the green pepper notes in recent coffee vintages. They also aren’t claiming to know for sure how to avoid those right now. So those of us who were assuming Coffee will be back in 19 may need to be prepared for a longer wait.

 

Where are you seeing the newest ABV Chicago segment?

 

Though it's cold and lonely in the GI line, I could see Paradise by the Proprietor's sign.

 

It never felt so good
It never felt so right
Bourbon and banana rolling off the edge of a knife

 

Yes!! Finally, vindication! Last two years I flat out disliked coffee, and especially in '17, because it tasted like someone crammed green peppers into a bottle. I never, and still don't, get that from coffee '12, '13 or '14. I'm glad they are taking a step back to figure this out.

 

It’s on Patreon now but comes out Wednesday

 

There's literally tens of us!

At least we get to drink beers at their greatest potential.