Bourbon County 2015 Speculation

Yes, I'm sure it varies state to state. Here in North Carolina, where Bourbon County is brand new to distribution, they are focusing on the higher end brands. I would guess that over time it will expand to the whole portfolio.

 

Makes sense - hopefully the stores by you shift a few truckloads and you get a good allocation!

 

There isn't 50k bottles of vanilla rye...prob 10-15k, 20-25k tops

 

Unfortunately, year to date, the allocation is expected to be less than last year for my distribution area. Goose IPA is selling like crazy, but Sofie and Matilda are absurdly slow. Fortunately, I have my stash of BCBS and BCBBW from last year, and I know where to get more, so I'm not too worried about it.

 

For items like this, it would be helpful to site your source. Pretty big discrepancies here.

 

I don't have a source, just beer knowledge....but yeah If I was a betting man I would say 15k...the rest went to draft...Minnesota alone saw 5-10 kegs

 

Like I said, I was just remembering off the top of my head - but 15K bottles would imply they only made ~50 barrels of VR.

I can't find the link, but in the old release thread, the barrels were listed as:
1900 Barrels Regular Bourbon County
600 Barrels Bourbon County Barleywine
230 Barrels Bourbon County Coffee
200 Barrels Bourbon County Vanilla Rye
88 Barrels Bourbon County Proprietors

These are presumably all standard 53 gallon bourbon barrels, hence the calculation to get to 50-60K. If you have better info I would be interested! I can't seem to find the original link

edit - Actually it depends how much they pull off into kegs - forgot about that. assuming half, it is still 30k bottles. Will see if I can find the old article.

 

+1 for sounding like your Avatar

 

If you are counting draft then yes 50-60k bottles worth...but not bottled

 

Yeah, forgot about draft - no idea, but even at half, it is probably still 30K bottles perhaps? Point is, VR isn't actually that rare... It isn't like CBS or anything like that.

 

Its not rare, just really really good...and vanilla rye may never be made again so its not a yearly release...even the 2010 vanilla wasn't rye barrels and vice versa

 

The difference is that.they.will.still.sell.out.instantly. It's a $22+ a 4 pack. That makes it a beer geek beer from the get go. It has trade value because it sells out regardless of the amount that is made. Tweak isn't BCBS. It doesn't have the name recognition or history. And plenty of people do spend about the same on singles of BCBS because of silly mark up and small allocations. They'd have to pay even more if the price is increased.because.it.will.still.sell.out.instantly.

 

Prediction: No matter how the beer is packaged, it will sell out

 

Prediction #2: No matter how much the variants costs, they will sell out

 

True story. The variants could double in price and people would still buy them up (well they'd bitch and moan a little, but still buy them)

 

Saw KBS in NYC this past May for $30 a bottle. I'm not joking.

 

I really don't care about the packaging, I will purchase some. I really don't care about the variants because it is likely I will not get my hands on any. The price is the only thing that I care about. I have passed on BCBS when I saw it at $30/4 pack.

 

The only time I can get my hands on variants is through trades. I can usually score a few 4pks of barleywine and regular. This year I think I am going to head into Philly to score some more.

Any idea when they announced the lineup last year?

 

Unfortunately I'm kind of with you on the variants. I feel like they have existed more in legend than in fact around here the last two years. (It's insane to me when people posted pictures of their "hauls" which included like 4 VRs and multiple 4pks each of everything else - you'd never be able to do that around here.)

That said, I would absolutely pounce on the regular at $30/4pk if I saw it.

 

What's insane is people in Houston lining up Thanksgiving night.