Goose Island Bourbon County - 2024 (Chicagoland)

And alternatives. In 2014 my choices for a decent barrel aged beer were limited to something like lineup for BCBS release, race to Binnys on release hour for a Parabola or Abyss, hope for a winning Dark Lord Day ticket, or lineup in a snowstorm for Barrel Aged Big Hugs(which was shit and no surprise they had to make Benthic as a flagship to have a reputation as phenomenal barrel aged beer program).

 

I'd also add that it seems just about everybody I knew that got into BA beer at the same time now spends most of their time chasing down higher end bourbon now instead.

 

Which has made the bourbon market wretched, so hopefully that'll go the way of the BCBS craze next.

I'll add my anecdotal 2 cents as well, basically what others have said. BCBS is no longer the only big game in town, which means 1) there's no reason to get to Binny's on Thanksgiving night to line up, because there's much, much more beer available and 2) you may not even want to anymore, because so many local places are doing excellent BA stuff, and Chicago happens to get fantastic distro as well. Options (and getting old) really kill the need to spend 5+ hours waiting for beer.

Personally, I also don't have the same drive/loyalty I did when GI still had the brewpub on Clybourn and hadn't totally sold to AB-InBev. I drink local because I value that connection to the people making the beer, and while that's obviously not totally lost (since there are still plenty of Chicago-based GI people), it's a much different feeling nowadays, and corporate in a way that's not appealing to me.

 

When you see people who used to chase hype beer move on to the next hype thing you know it was never really about the beer for them.

 

Oh, $130 for 1 each of the 5 bottles if anyone is curious.

 

No limit on packages. Put 100 in my cart until I thought better of it.

 

Chicago folk: 2018 Wheatwine is on at Beer Temple and tasting excellent.

 

It's ok, I put like 700 VSOJs in my cart a couple weeks back and just looked at the total for a while.

 

Me too.

Then I hit "buy".

 

I mean, I hear what you’re saying, but this is obviously a bit too inclusive. If you discover a whole new world exists, your introduction might be through a really well rated product. I first learned I liked BA stouts through BCBS. I learned I could like IPAs through NE style (and some of the NE big names). I learned Tequila could taste good through some Patron Añejo (which isn’t even “high end” unless you mean always on the shelf). I learned to like rum through FourSquare.

Still, I am always the first to admit that I am not really an advocate, because I don’t like 99% of the beer out there. I think a lot of it is not worth the calories. That’s definitely true for whiskey (broadly), and other spirits as well.

A lot of people may get the idea they should try something really highly rated, because everyone else seems to like it, and even though they didn’t like shelfies, they think it is reasonable (logical) they might like something highly rated. That isn’t chasing hype for hype’s sake, but if you’re posting on social media, I can understand what you mean.

I think a lot of people that followed the pattern above that have switched to whiskey have also figured out that it isn’t really more expensive. If I could buy BTAC bottles for $400-500 consistently, I would drink that a lot more than some of the BA stouts/BWs, and on a per-drink basis, it wouldn’t even be more expensive. But, that is for me, where (since I don’t drink every night) I drink a lot of BC reserves, some Bottle Logic, some of the more expensive JO bottles, some SP brews, the HA beers, and the more expensive Rev beers.

 

This thread is a good benchmark for BCBS hype. Last year it was at least 20 pages long at this point post-lineup announcement. Just not seeing or feeling any anticipation this year.

 

I don’t think you can judge bcbs hype by the length of a thread. All these threads have been getting significantly shorter over the years as craft beer fanaticism dies down.

 

Doesn't the slow death of craft beer fanaticism indicate their will be less hype this year?

 

Yes to this. My BiL still gets super excited for it after I got him started on it back in the late 2010s. He likes craft beer but not to the obsessive levels of debauchery as us.

 

There is a "non-craft beer crowd" that is aware of BCBS? This has not been my experience.
Just yesterday I got quizzical glances from friends with whom I shared a few bottles. And they drink beer.
Of course, they were more excited about an Old Fashioned with chocolate bitters and whistlepig maple syrup. Actually not nearly as sweet as it sounds.

 

To be so lucky.

 

My plan for BCBS this year is the same as last. Sleep in, then drink some coffee. Get the Level 9 access code and take a crap. Then go to the closest Costco around opening, buy a few regular and whatever variant(s) they allow. Probably go back home.

***UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, NO MATTER HOW COOL, WILL YOU BUY MORE GLASSWARE***