Bourbon County 2016 age or drink now?

If you only got 1, drink it

 

Now. This year's is said to be pasteurized and so won't change as much or in the same ways with age.

 

Drink it , If I had gotten 1 it would already be empty!

 

That's fine, but if you really want to get the full flavor, be sure to take it OUT of the fridge an hour or more before drinking it.
If it were me, to fully enjoy such a flavor packed brew I wouldn't refrigerate it at all.
But that's just me.

 

Oxidation, which is the reaction most of us are going for when cellaring big stouts, will still happen. I wish this meme would die.

OP, I would cellar your bottle if you think it might show up on tap somewhere.

 

I aged last years until August (9 mo?) and first time aged and I loved it way better than fresh from 2014 which I thought was too hot and boozy flavored. I plan to age my 1 bottle I just got for 6 mo. at least, maybe 1 year if I can wait that long.

 

Of course oxidation will still happen, didn't think I was saying otherwise. As for the rest, I'll be happy to help you kill it off if you can point me to a source that demonstrates that pastuerization has no noticable effect on the chemical reactions taking place during aging and so a pasteurized beer ages in the same way, etc. as a non-pastuerized beer. Thanks in advance.

 

For me it varies a little bit year by year, but for the vast majority of BCBS including variants, 7-10 months is my sweet spot. I feel like the heat rounds out nicely, and the flavors stay pretty intact. Unless I'm doing a vertical of BCBS original, I won't keep too many bottles. Has a lot to do with how you like your flavors in it, though.

 

I'd only let it sit for maybe 15-30 minutes after coming out of the fridge. I think part of the experience is seeing how a beer's flavors change as it warms up. Just don't drink it all in the first 10 minutes, try to make it last a good hour.

 

The oldest I've ever had was 2012 in 2015, and I thought it was great. I've also had 2013 in 2015, they are all good.

 

Find another to age and try it fresh and aged. I think it will age just fine. Abyss has been pastuerized for a few years now and it ages very well, it mellows out very nicely while keeping the nice flavors.