Bourbon County 2018

Everything is currently available

 

DB Brandy was aged for 4 years?!? What dark wizardry is this?

 

Went by yesterday expecting a total shitshow. Vibe was really chill like it wasn’t announced. Only had time for 2 pours so opted for DB Brandy and Templeton. I agree that the DB Brandy was world class imo. And Templeton was a treat as always. I was surprised they were selling bottles to-go.

 

What bottles were for sale?

 

Honestly, Bissell Maple was great, and DB Brandy is top notch (and will put some hair on your chest). I'm very impressed with what Fulton has going right now.

 

Also, before I leave, anybody here wearing a Reckless Records hoodie?

 

Don’t have a pic to reference. But the only thing that got my attention was regal for $50. I passed due to wallet constraints with other stout season activity. There wasn’t prop 13, 14 or VR. I think there was some vintage regular, coffee and maybe prop 16 or 17. Does anyone else have a pic?

 

In the way too early weather forecast we’re looking at 46* and sunny for next Thursday. Low of 37 so not bad at all. No precipitation.

Should be pretty smooth if that sticks or gets even warmer.

I’m sure this forecast will change 4-5 times.

 

I ended up going right after work but before my work dinner, @SeanBond - wish I’d have thought about the fact you might still be there, but to be honest I didn’t notice any peaceful aliens in the taproom.

I had DB and DB Brandy. The DB was incredible to me, like double everything I love about non-adjunct BCBS.

The Brandy DB was so Brandy forward that I didn’t like it quite as much. I’d agree with the comments above as world class - but if you don’t love brandy (I am lukewarm to slightly positive), it’s got that in droves. This was one of those beers where it really changes as it warms. I really noticed the brandy tone down and the traditional BCBS chocolate come through.

I drank about half of my DB first, then switched to drink the whole DB brandy, then back to the DB. Was cool to drink the DB after my palate had been assaulted by the much fruitier brandy.

 

They have had a few 15/16/17 beers to go for a while. I think it's 17 Reg, 16 Barleywine, Regal, 16 Prop, and Northwoods. 50 for Regal and Prop, and I think 30 for Northwoods, and 20 for the Regular and Barleywine? Not so sure about the last three, but in that ballpark.
EDIT: They don't sell the earlier vintages or VR, 15 Rare, Prop 13/14/17 to go because the know people would flip them. I've also never seen Prop 13 for sale there.

 

I would pay $500 if it meant I could just stroll up at any given time on Friday and buy it. I agree with your guess though. It will be sub $300.

 

I left around 6, the flight + a full pour of Bissell Maple + a full pour of DB Brandy was more than enough liquor before dinner.

I asked one of my friends to meet me there, and I left right after she did, or I'd have been more social here on BA and try to meet people at the taproom.

I liked Brandy more than regular DB just because the brandy hid (to my palate) some of the more alcohol-forward properties of the beer. I thing I'd have liked both even more if I'd had time to properly sit down with them at home, and let them warm up.

 

Give me the DB Brandy out of the Epic Flight selections. That's fire.

 

God damn that vanilla really is legit. Way more complex and delicious than I've found any of my past experiences with VR to have been and I wasn't expecting to come out saying that. I never had the opportunity to try the og nilla but I'd imagine this is a very respectable nod to it.

The coffee bw is a really nice compromising stand in for BCBCS and regular bw, but I did find the earthy mocha-esque coffee a bit dominating, surprisingly. Still delish, but I think I still like 16 and 17 bw the most (and yeah also more than pre '15 bw, but I'm weird).

Bramble...was kinda a nightmare. For me. Smell is all kinds of jam, but the berry is way too fruity in taste and also thins out the beer and drowns out the barrel, even more intensely than occurred with Northwoods. Some people will love it though--blackberry is advertised and you sure as shit get it!

Regular's a classic.

 

I think this V2 is nothing like OG. It's like someone dumped vanilla extract into a stout (though they did use real vanilla beans). OG had the massive BCBS flavor and mouthfeel, big bourbon, and what tasted like pure, unadulterated vanilla bean. This year's version is like vanilla syrup you'd put in a latte.

 

Definitely disagree strongly on some of those descriptors. Got no artificial flavor or cloying notes at all. Have had tons of bad medicinal or weak weird watered down vanilla stouts. This had tons of barrel with some dark fruits and the vanilla was like thick ribbons of bean flavor...pretty luscious.

 

I love watching people wax poetic with their beer profile descriptions. Mine are always like "taste sweet and vanilla-y...GUD!"

 

Haven't ever had Deth's Tar but I stumbled on a 2018 regular a local store to me sold early (good luck seeing an allotment next year) while have a 2017 version pretty recently too. Felt like this year's still had a bit of heat to it that needs some time to age and take the edge off. I get some of the comments about this year's not being up to par with the previous versions and being a bit "fruiter". Preferred the 2017 version but that could just come down to newness versus the age setting in.

At the end of the day, it's minor quibbling to nitpick. As always, it's still a world class barrel aged stout that's tough to beat regardless of what it's being compared against. That being said, I'll buy what I can get my hands on but sit on them for probably another year and hope the magic of cellar aging will run its course.

 

Alright bros: missing out on BF release but will be around for the Whole Foods Friday After line. If you had to choose three of the 7 variants what would they be (flavor not trading value)?

So far, I'm thinking:

Midnight orange
Bramble
Vanlilla

Then if for whatever reason can't pick those up:

Prop
Reserve
Coffee BW

Not sure what Wheatwine adds to the table but if I get a chance to try it on draft I'll def give it a whirl. Sad there's no Coffee and BW. Those are legit fav versions of that beer. (Had 17 of both at Clybourn, and still drinking great!)

I have a couple of 17 prop, so worst case I can use a bottle to trade but that's only a back up. I LOVE 17 and would hate to see that go...