Is anyone aware of any bars offering BCBS and variants verticals next week? Last year there were some, and even with rare bottles, but I missed them,
I don't buy as much BCBS as I used to, but that is only because there are just too many really good BA beers throughout the year and BCBS is not in such limited supply that you need to wait in line; variants excepted. That said of course, and as was mentioned on another thread, it is not a reflection of quality. I still believe BCBS is the standard bearer of BA beers and I always pick up a several bottles of the original BCBS because it is my favorite. BCBS never disappoints, but 2017 was a let down. Albeit you need to be in store on Friday to get the variants, otherwise by Monday all gone; there are rare exceptions.
I do, and I drink a lot of them. One of the best local BA stouts you guys haven’t mentioned is the Alpha Acid BA Constrictor, and its variants are usually good. Also if you go south, bottle logic is great but try to find some Horus stouts if you haven’t. That said, I don’t see why I have to stay away from BCBS. A vertical of BCBS is always fun at this time of the year. I just find out that the Willows in SF will have a vertical on Wednesday, but I won’t be able to make it unfortunately. If anyone is aware of a solid vertical (that goes back to 2015 and earlier, and with variants) in the South Bay, please kindly let me know...
Yeah alpha acid makes ok stouts and I do like the smaller 375ml bottles. I only mentioned bottle logic because it gets distributed up in the Bay Area but horus isn’t. I probably should have not mentioned it but the fact that someone can find it year round I just wanted to point it out.
cordial bottle shop in san leandro has this + the variants (not sure if they're still there, it was posted on instagram sometime this past weekend). Santa clara liquors in Santa Clara also has posted that they have stock, but its not on the shelves yet.
That BA Constrictor Stouts and the variants are some of best and most under the radar beers that comes out twice a year. Still though, I only manage to get 2 vanilla bottles, when I want more, that's where the bourbon county vanilla comes in to help me with my vanilla fix I need.
For local high-quality BA stouts, City Beer Store is doing a 'Black Friday' event featuring BCBS, plenty of Bottle Logic, and locals like Sierra Nevada, Temescal, Moonraker, etc. https://www.citybeerstore.com/blogs/events/black-friday-2019
The only BCBS I would ever really seek out is the vanilla, since I'm a vanilla Stout fiend lol. Did get the Bottle Logic vanilla and the BBA Rusty nail this weekend and both were get good. Super expensive though, as expected lol
I go to Portland about once every other month and hit up Modern Times every time. I'm definitely looking forward to the Oakland location opening. I love their non coffee added stouts (hate coffee lol), they are some of the best I've had. Their IPAs are pretty good, although I think they've fallen off a bit after their amazing 2018 run of new IPAs.
Was up in Spokane and got a couple bottles of the Chocolate Vanilla Maple Dark Star. One of my favorite new Stouts this year.
