BCBCS: not what it was?

Agreed. I’m drinking a Java Cask right now and in my opinion is 10x better just dosent have the hype.

 

Goose Island BCBCS is cold brewed coffee added to BCBS after it is taken out of barrels.

On July 17th of this year GI posted a LIVE Facebook video showing them brewing Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso coffee. 2017 BCBCS has a bottling date of July 26th, just 9 days later.

Some other interesting notes from my obsession over BCBCS

"400 lbs of coffee to 395 gallons of water" - Source GI video July 2017

"With this beer we definitely encourage you to drink it fresh. That's how we brewed it, to be fresh and to have the truest expression of both the coffee and the beer. It does change and it does evolve over time but the more the beer itself changes the coffee does sort of die out." -Brewers Tom Korder and John Laffler from GI video 2011

Source Quinn and Brook from the GI lab video, Nov 21 2017:
"Its the original Bourbon County that we add cold brewed Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso to, to kinda balance the...we go through a crazy coffee selection process. We test a bunch of roasts from Intelligentsia. The black cat espresso was what really stood out to us as really complementing how BCS was tasting coming out of the barrel." -Brooke

"..and speaking of aging these beers, drinking coffee fresh to me is one of the most enjoyable bourbon county experiences you can have because those blends that we do in house, are meant to be that bright coffee character. And it sticks around year over year, but it changes slightly so its nice to get that kind of fresh espresso coffee as soon as you get the bottle." -Quinn

I love home making BCBCS too!

 

Had 2017. Thought it was damn good.

I will say that one year (2012 or 2013 I think) the coffee was mega intense. I loved it. But I remember a thread/comments on here that it was too much for some people.

While I too am highly skeptical of Total Palate Recall, I do think BCBCS is a beer that can be open to year on year discussion, at least as much as any beer can be.

 

I've had all of the "normal" BC stouts going back 10-11 years. Some are better than others, but I think they've generally stayed consistent. At least other than infected ones from 2015.
The one this year is as good as any I can recall.

 

It's the best beer ever. You should buy more of it. That way, there's more of the regular BCBS for me.

 

Quaid...

Start... the fermenter.