Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S. Bottle Date?

A new release of BA BORIS just hit shelves around here recently. I don't recall the cap color, but it's possible that they're using gold caps again this year. If I get by a store that has it in stock, I'll come back here and let you know.

 

Yeah, I picked up one a few weeks ago(the last bottle on the shelves) and mine has a gold cap as well. The store where I bought it certainly has some vintage stuff, so it's possible it's from 2009, but I had the same question.

 

I'm gonna bump this one just to see if anyone who didn't see it has some insight.

 

there was just a thread on this, i just bought one from the new batch and it has a green cap. my doris has the gold.

 

Didn't see that thread, but thanks for the info. If it really is a 2009, I'm quite happy then. Cheers!

 

Just to add to the discussion, the use of caps to identify vintage can be a bit misleading, particularly with some of the more recent vintages. On a stop at Hoppin Frog last year, I found BA Boris with both green and red caps. I asked about it since I was under the impression that one could identify the year by the cap color. I was told they had not used specific cap colors for vintages in recent years.

 

Maybe they're doing this on purpose...to confuse us all and to make fun of us for caring about age? Who knows. I'm just happy I got the last one on the shelf, since that was my first opportunity to get one of my own. Tasty beer is tasty.

 

yeah, its ok you started another thread, im not flaming you for that but there is another thread about 2 pages long with a lot of info on this not too far back. maybe a week or so.

 

Yeah I found it after you said that, and this isn't my thread, just had the same question as OP. Regardless, I'm sticking with "tasty beer is tasty" on this one and it shall be done.

 

I emailed them about this recently, as I too just recently picked up a BA B.O.R.I.S. with gold cap.

Here is their reply:

 

BA Boris won a gold medal at GABF in 2009, so Batch 1 (4/09) and Batch 2 (7/09) both have gold caps. Batch 3 (10/09) green. Batch 4 (2010) black. Batch 5 (2011) red.

 

Bumping this thread after searching- did anyone ever figure this out?

I just picked up two bottles of BA BORIS and they both have white caps. I'm guessing they're from this year or last year, but at another shop (selling it for twice as much as the original one I got my bottles from) their BA BORIS bottles have black caps. Now I'm confused.

Also what's your local price point for a bottle of BA BORIS?

 

I emailed the brewery about 2 years ago and they said there is no way to identify the bottling date, as they use different color caps on the same batches.

It sells around here for ~$16

 

The colors of Hoppin Frog caps definately signify batches. Had the privilege to shoot the breeze with one of the brewmasters last weekend at a craft fest. Mentioned to him that the BA Frosted Frog was the best Christmas ale I had this year, and his eyes lit up and the first thing he asked me was "what color cap did it have?" I had no idea but he continued on that the red cap was aged an extra 4 or 6 months. Said it was a single batch, but was incredible. I had no idea that the caps had that much significance to be honest. Told him I would be on the hunt now for any left out there. His reply was... You won't find any expect at the brewery now. Long story short, I will definately be paying attention to the Frog cap colors from now on.

 

My guess is that they don't "definately (sic) signify batches" but that the brewmaster knew of a single color that was a one-off batch, considering every other response directly from the brewery -- is that they don't track it, and that they use multiple colors on the same batches, unless the brewmasters have personal logs they don't share with their own employees.

 

I have a friend that told me a difference between cap colors for their BA Naked Evil Barley Wine(I have a Black cap and he said to sit on it for a year where as we had one at a tasting with a white cap and that was already an older batch, not sure how much older)...I usually figure that I am getting the newer batch of BA because the stores are getting them direct from the brewery and selling them right away. I wouldn't think that the brewery would be saving bottles to sell a year from now but I am not sure...

Guess this post is actually not helping anyone...

 

This all sounds confusing. Why don't they just put a date or a code on the bottle?

 

I agree. Just date the bottle. Was at beer store yesterday and made a point to look at caps. Different colors on everything. My only guess could be an older aged bottle could be brewed then bottled first? Idk. The mystery continues....