2016 BCBS Chicago Release (Black Friday & Beyond)

To be fair, she's technically the fiance. I just hate that word.

I would bet GI doesn't want their beers being price-gouged, but AB-InBev may not care ("we finally have a beer that's hyped!!!!!"). The GI dudes and dudettes seem pretty clear in their desire to just make good beer, but they're incorporated now.

I don't know much about how distribution works; I assume there's a reason AB doesn't just distribute direct (or do they)?

 

Amateur!

I think that's against the law in some states, including IL.

 

Yeah, I know that's small potatoes for most people when it comes to BCS. I don't like to hoard it.

Yeah, I figured there was probably a size issue or something (you can't self-distribute over a certain yearly barrel-yield or something?).

 

I popped into Rayan's on Clark looking for High-Westified (strikeout) and on my way out I noticed that they had Regal, Rare '15, multiple vintages from previous years, etc all on the top shelf behind the counter. My experience there has told me that they probably want $300 for a 12oz bottle so I just kept walking rather than deal with that noise but figured I would toss it out there to anyone who might want to call and ask or who is willing to pay a premium to get a bottle.

 

It's available at the brewery if you want to make a drive.

 

Congrats !

 

FYI I'd check your nearest binnys....just sayin'

 

Thank you, kindly. Wouldn't have thought to check Walgreens, but decided to stop at the one near State & Lake on my way to the 'L' and scored a Reg & a BW. Looked like they had a couple left in the case behind the counter. Saves me from queuing up at WF tomorrow morning.

 

In IL, to self-distribute you need a craft brewer's license, which carries a barrels-per-year production limit way way under what Goose produces. Pipeworks, for instance, does this, though.

 

Thanks for the tip as well. Just grabbed a BW from there.

 

and Mikerphone

 

still about a half a case of each behind the counter at State/Lake walgreens

 

Thanks for the state and lake recommendation! I got a reg and a bw 15 mins ago.

Does anyone prefer the <14% or >14% bottling of reg?

I have several at 13.8% at home but the one at state and lake was 14.5%.

I knew of the abv variations but idk the difference in taste.

 

Lots of High Westified at the brewery if you're still looking.

 

Indeed, but it's $16.99. And limit 1 6-pack.

 

Wait so HiWest is more expensive at the brewery? Does that mean it was imported from Petaluma? Does Chicago have a Barrel program?

 

I don't know if it was imported from Petaluma, but Chicago does have a barrel program. I went on their tour about 6 months ago and they had a good amount of barrels visible from the chicago brewery taproom

 

The Chicago brewery just released a BA stout aged in Willett barrels (draft only). So they definitely have a barrel program.

 

some are in the wrong thread methinks ?