'16 Bourbon County Lineup

I had '16 BCBS yesterday and I found it more dynamic than '15. Both are excellent beers, but not something that I need more than once a year.

 

I was extremely surprised when I opened a '16 reg yesterday. I almost don't even want to age it! The heat was perfect and the barrel flavors were present and pretty complex.

 

I was able to procure 6 bottles of 2016 in Northern Kentucky.

Last year, the local Kroger got 40+ cases. This year they split the allotment of 12 cases over 3 stores.

I ended up driving to all 3 and getting the second to last pair of bottles at the last store.

Waited in line at 2 different stores, one for 90 minutes, the other for 45.

 

I live in NKY and only saw the regular stout and the barleywine (as usual). Did you happen to come across any of the variants?

 

In TN we only got Coffee. I was able to get 3 reg, 1 coffee with about an hour wait.

There were some people in Nashville though that waited 5 hours for 1 reg and 1 coffee.
I would not have done that. To each their own....

 

Nope, the last two years I've only been able to get the regular, no variants at all. I was 5th in line this year, so I know they didn't have any.

 

I think the state of Kentucky is on the list of undesirables when it comes to distribution these days. Not sure why, but somebody down here ticked off somebody somewhere and we're getting the shaft big-time. Here's hoping that when they sell this stuff in Ohio next year you will have access to more than we do.

 

Most big stores in Madison WI, got hit with 1 case of Coffee, 1 case of 15' regal rye, 3 cases of BW and 8ish cases of regular. I got lucky this year with 4 regular, 3 BW, 2 15' regal and just 1 coffee.

 

My local mom-pop place did the same thing they did last year. They got their allotment in Monday, tweeted "WE HAVE IT," and put it out on the floor right away. All gone by the actual nation-wide release date.

My local bar has had the regular on draft the last two years and that's the only one I'm interested in this year (they ruined barleywine this year), so not all is lost.

 

But there were also barleywine bottles infected last year. If it was barrel-related, how could 2015 barleywine be infected but its previous occupant 2014 regular not be infected? And if it was a recent infection, at what point in the process did it infect the barrels such that multiple variants all got infected barrels?

 

On Black Friday here in Omaha- I was able to procure 5 bottles of regular and snagged one bottle of the coffee variant. One bottle shop had a 3 bottle limit on the regular and 1 bottle of a variant while they lasted (They had coffee and Barleywine). I stood in line for 45 minutes and when it came time to get my supply, I got the last coffee available- lucky for sure.. I cracked one of the 2016 regular BCBS this past Saturday night..

Absolutely fantastic..

I still have 2 bottles of 2015 left. I'm hoping, beyond hope, that neither bottle is infected...

Peace..

 

In northern Wisconsin I made some calls to some of the "bigger" grocery stores. I found two places that were actually willing told hold it for me and called me back when it arrived. They only got in the regular and barley wine, maybe two cases total. The crazy thing is that they asked me how much I wanted. I left from up there with 12 bottles of regular and 3 barleywine with no standing in line. In fact I was called to come get it, while waiting behind a counter with my name in the box haha. Just insane.

 

Been going to the same store for like 3 years, spending at the very least $100 a month. They held a few beers for me and I couldn't be more appreciative.

<a href=""><img src="http://i.imgur.com/Uu4ZvnE.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

 

Why do those all say 2015 on them?

 

It's why he turned all of the flags around!

 

Those look like 2016 to me. Prop box clearly says 2016. Gold labels on the back.

 

I never said they liked me, just that I spent a bunch of money there. They had to give all that infected stuff to somebody, lol.

You did actually scare me for a minute though because I never really did check, can report back that they are all 2016, haha.

 

Money does buy friendship in stores, being a good human gets you the favors
My guy stashed two regulars for me, 1st one gone that night with my son. Bottled 10/24 2016

 

Anyone catching wind of a second drop? I know there was one last year and ive heard from some liquor stores in Illinois there will be a second this year as well. Anybody hearing this from a credible source? (im not one btw....)

 

I heard around WI there are a few places getting some more in. One store in fact today got some, however i think it's all the regular. I did well with the regular, but looking to find the varients.