Founders CBS - Final 2018 Barrel Aged Series release.

If you had fresh 2018 CBS, no wonder you were underwhelmed. CBS really needs at least six months age before it turns incredible. Comes down to the coffee. If you age a coffee beer, the coffee will typically fade in flavor before anything else. If you like the flavors hiding behind the coffee (such as maple and chocolate), when the coffee fades a bit, you'll like it better. On the other hand, BA Fidy boldness comes largely from the coffee, and when the coffee fades it loses it's boldness. This is all subjective, but a lot of folks seem to agree that beers like CBS should be aged while BA Fidy should be drunk fresh.

 

I am just now drinking a Bourbon/Maple Barrel imperial porter that is tied with (aged) CBS as my third favorite beer, only behind BCBS Vanilla and BCBS Midnight Orange out of 630 reviews. Woodgrain Bourbon/Maple Barrel-aged Yuge is a local. Doesn't compare directly with CBS since it is a non-coffee porter, but still an incredible Bourbon/Maple BA beer. If they canned it and distributed out of state, this could put them on the map.

 

There is no coffee in BA Ten Fidy.. Unless you were lucky enough to score their coffee variant specifically.. Which is an extremely hard to get beer..

Peace...

 

Had it on draft last week, first time trying it. While certainly great, I think I prefer the Better Half to CBS. What it really comes down to is that as much as I like coffee on its own, I've always rather it not be added to beer. There's no middle ground with it; it either overpowers the other flavors or it's too subtle. The coffee in CBS overpowers the rest.

 

You are right of course, and I should have remembered that. BA Fidy flavor does fall off notably within 6 months and is more bold when fresh, though obviously not coffee flavor that falls off.

 

Was lucky enough to get this on draft last night at Cambride in Philly and thought it was a perfect beer, no complaints at all with any of the flavors. KBS, while delicious, actually comes off a bit heavy on the coffee flavor to me but the maple in this balances out the bitterness of that flavor profile really well. I'm sitting on a bottle of it as well for a year or so and can't wait to taste how it ages.

 

Complaints about the format aside....opened a 2018 tonight and WOW! Did not disappoint!

 

I have a stash of Pt5/Expedition/FIS, and Bigfoot/Old Stock, that I keep in the depths of my mom's basement (very dark + very cool), there's about 8 cases there, and I usually replenish with 2-3 assorted fresh cases, and then pull out the same amount as I brought when I'm there (holidays or Easter).

In my experience, the stouts are absolutely sublime 24-36 months after bottling. There's still a little malt sweetness, the hops have done their job and protected the beer- not bitter but still provide fruit, and you are not yet into soy sauce or cardboard territory. When you get closer to 5 years, the soy sauce starts to takeover. The pale beers, can go much longer, IME.

So yes, I'd definitely try one now, and see how it's doing for your liking. I am personally pretty much done experimenting with aging, especially barrel aged (the brewery has done it for you!) but these 5 classics are not expensive and very rewarding. Just keep buying, at least some every time they are released... once you find your sweet spot you'll wish you had more in the pipeline!

 

I think you'd be in the minority in that one, by a mile.

 

Happy New Year

 

Personally, while I might agree on the 2017 CBS batch, the thought of aging the 2018 wouldn't be good for my palate and preferences. I found the 2018 to be far more maple heavy fresh, with limited coffee presence. Aging this beer would not do anything favorably for my preferences (avoiding sweet things). I greatly enjoyed both fresh and aged 2017 CBS, but I suspect that would not be the case for 2018 and thus no bottle purchases for me. TETO

Never got the chance at packaged Java BA Ten Fidy, but on draft that beer was outstanding for my tastes.