BBA Expedition

Random note: I've recently become somewhat averse to the notes that lactose adds to stouts. Which has lessened Black Note's appeal to me. So yeah, let's get some fresh BA Expo out into the market!

 

Doesn't look a 2018 label has turned up yet on any of the sites that stalk beer label filings. I hope it comes back as BA Expo is an all time favorite of mine.

 

Seeing this thread get bumped got me all excited since I assumed that meant that it was out again and I just happen to be driving to Kzoo tomorrow.....now I'm sad.

 

Given the lack of much advance notice of many Bell's releases, you might be the great discoverer. Let us know if you find it.

 

I had no idea BN had lactose added. Very interesting

I cannot be excited enough for BA expo. I just hope that if it drops again this year, there's more of it. Last year it was like fighting tooth and nail. It's worth it (IMO), but it shouldn't take as much as what it did to pull it. There was just such a limited amount. 2-4packs pp and it sold out in like...7 hours? As I recall, it did not even make it 2 days? Or was it a day and a half?

Either way, if the gods like us, will they please deliver to us once again the greater nectar that was BA expo 2017.

 

Threads like this seem to get resurrected right before an actual release. It’s uncanny.

 

*hopes this is true for BA expo. Hopes this is true. Hopes this is true. If I hope any harder I'll get a diamond*

 

I don't believe Black Note has lactose. To my understanding, it's a blend of BA Expedition and BA Double Cream Stout, and the body from Double Cream stout is malt-derived. It's more of a clever name than a reference to added lactose. Or so a Bells rep told me a few years back.

I could be wrong though

 

On their website FAQ, they mention all their beers which are packaged for distribution are not only vegetarian but vegan as well, with the following exceptions. So yes, it does confirm that Black Note (or Double Cream Stout) does not have lactose in it. Only Arabicadabra has lactose it seems.

 

BA Expedition is one of my top beers of 2017. It would be great to have an annual drop of this that was slightly bigger than last year, or one that included really limited distro like Black Note. We usually see a few cases of BN here when it drops. Is that too much to ask?

 

BA Expo 2017 was a top 5 for me last year. So solid, but I do prefer my BA stouts Neat to flavored

 

I still have a ton leftover from last year. I'd be fine with them skipping a year, keep that value up

 

I had a ton, but found myself drinking one here and there when I couldn't decide what i wanted.

 

ISO BA Expo 17. .

 

I drank 15/16 of mine. I remember doing a side by side when 17 came out and it was far better than 16 so I saw no benefit in letting them sit. The trade game is so diluted now with compulsive gamblers and profitiers that I don't see any reason to care about the 'value' of any beer anymore.

 

I'm not sure that the value would go up of the 17s if BA Expo is not released this year. That said, last year some of the trades were ridiculous. 4 Pack 3/4 of a VR or some such nonsense in some cases. Just a super high value.

(This is an aside, and I'm sorry to those that might take this as saying that the beer isn't worth it. That's not what I mean. Rather, much like my railings in the SP thread, I can't stand when people trade something and say "limit was X pp", and they know that they got multiple allotments due to double dips (disguises/clothes changes), muling, friends of the brewery, etc. )

 

I did the same side by side and was amazed how much smoother and dialed in the fresh 17 was than the year old 16 which was still a bit boozey. Not sure what they did different with the 17, but I hope they do it from here on out. Also did a side by side between fresh BA Expo 17 and Black Note and the latter wasn't even close to being in the same league as the BA Expo.

 

The limit thing people tried with BA Expo because it was true at first....then it got distributed and in a strange way. I remember being able to get a 4 pack at my local bottle shop. He got a case and saved me a 4 pack. Others on my local social media page were posting hauls of a case from a random small town gas stations, etc. that received some of it and had not idea what it was. Strangest distribution I've seen for something so valuable, locally.

Edit: This in addition to the Michigan version of Grand-mule, where the original sale was a 2-4pack/pp limit but people were posting haul pictures of a 1-2 cases.

 

All this talk has me thinking I need to revisit one of my remaining 2 bottles. My previous 2 bottles left me a bit underwhelmed.

 

The distro on it was odd for sure. I just kept finding it, so I kept buying it. Now I need to drink it, or my friends keep on saying to trade some. I just never know what I am looking for.