How good is RARE?

Absolutely worth trying. Hope you're able to do so!

 

I'm starting to think I need to open one of my last bottles of Rare to try again. I've only had it once but I wasn't all that impressed. I'm just worried that if I open another one and am not that impressed again, I'll be kicking myself for not trading it for 3-4 other BA stouts that I've always wanted to try (and probably wouldn't be able to unless I traded a Rare).

 

Taste is subjective but I could barely finish my glasses of BA plead the 5th and CBS. I don't know what CFH is.

Edit: Churchill's finest, nevermind. Haven't had the '12.

 

Rare is that good.

 

Rare is/was my fav stout. I also really liked PVW Darklod, but that isn't any easier to get.

King Henry, is probably my fav beer eva, and that has rare juice in it.

 

RARE is a phenominal beer, but it comes with a price. As a friend told me. BCBS is just as good as RARE but it comes in 12 ounce bottles and only costs $5 bottle.

 

If someone has a Rare that they are looking to give up, I have a Chocolate Rain for trade....

 

Pretty much agree with everything said here.

 

The bottle of Rare I opened back in Janury of 2011 was fantastic, but I don't think it was that much better than regular BCBS and some other barrel aged stouts I've had to justify what it would take to trade for it at this point.

 

I think regular BCS is just as good as Rare, just different. I also think BT sucks based on the one time I had it sober (I hated it once and loved it once when already drunk) and I imagine CR is pretty similar.

 

doesnt the use of different barrels significantly impact the bourbon flavors though?

 

Not as much as most people think. Even in a blind bourbon taste test the vast majority of beer fans aren't going to tell the difference between a high-end and a middle of the road option - picking apart their barrels would be impossible. What likely made Rare special was less the Pappy barrels and more the time spent in the barrels. (longer than regular BCBS)

I do think Rare was better than regular, but nowhere near worth 5x the cost. Probably not even 2x the cost. Rare was a true beer marketing spectacle, the name, the cost, the packaging... lots of other Pappy beers have been done for half the price (or less)...

 

CR plus BT is pretty steep, but then again you could probably negotiate other bottles into the trade.

 

First of all, Chocolate Rain is one of the most overrated beers I've ever had...we drainpoured 2/3 of the bottle from the most recent release over the weekend. I've never had Black Tuesday but I would anticipate it to be nearly as bad as Chocolate Rain if not worse.

Considering that, a 6er of Hoegaarden would be an improvement over those two Bruery beers. But Rare is really a special beer. I'm honestly not sure that it's as good right now as it was six months ago, but it's still probably the best imperial stout of any kind, anywhere, better than Kaggen, Sloth, better than any barrel aged American bottle I can think of right now. I'm hoping the bottle I had a few days ago was an anomaly and I'm assuming it is.

 

I'm pretty sure that depending on the batch of 2007 you had it's basically the same beer as Rare. I think half of 2007 was aged in PvW barrels. So maybe you just need to wait another 3 years before cracking a Rare for the desired effect.

 

'11 drinks like '09 right now (the bombers at least), making it the best vintage yet!

 

Well THAT was stupid

 

I normally dont agree with a difference of opinion(haha), but come on. You drained a chocolate rain? I'll take this time to piss on a Picasso, because I could finger paint it.

 

Completely agree. It's an excellent beer but I don't think it's THAT much better than regular BCBS.