Bourbon County in the Triangle

Glass Jug is hosting an event on Friday. They're only expecting one case and will raffle off the bottles. '14, '15 and '16 will be on draft though.

https://www.facebook.com/events/578207112364461/

 

I keep hearing the same in regards to low volume...sounds like it'll be a tough find around here this year :-(

 

Yeah, I heard due to infection issues most places will be getting about a case of brand stout and no variants this year.

 

I've heard the same rumors. Just regular BCBS to NC this year, and in very small amounts. I don't ever truck chase for it anyways, as it seems like a beer that's easier to trade for than find in your local store.

 

Yeah, I've heard GI is sending out a pretty reduced load this year. Places that got multiple cases and kegs might only get one case this year. Although I like the beer, I bet it falls into the category of "not worth the trouble" unless you have a hookup this year.

FWIW, I heard some of the higher-volume Lowes Foods stores were getting a case of BCBS, so it might be worth checking out if there's one near you.

 

Both Sam's locations are doing raffles due to low volumes.

 

A note from Tasty Beverage...

"Regarding the release of Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout this year, we won't be buying or selling any. While Goose Island still produces good beer, and they employ some really good people, they are also owned by a company that is a bully in our industry, hurting our friends and neighbors, and in a greater sense, even us.

This year, we are choosing to celebrate the small guys and drink some of the really great beer they have made. So, on Friday starting at 4PM, we'll be featuring Wicked Weed Dark Age, Olde Hickory Event Horizon and Lindley Park, Bond Brothers Long Stride, and more amazing beers. We hope you'll join us! "

 

After hearing that there are less than 40 cases of BCBS coming to the Triangle, this might just be a good way of saying "Guys we aren't getting any and don't want to deal with the bullshit, please buy up our cases of Event Horizon instead."

 

Might be a valid point if they weren't doing the same thing at their location that is not in the triangle (Asheville) and most likely has a different distributor.

 

Asheville is getting even less than the Triangle.

 

Looks like the NC based beer traders as going to be busy trying to acquire their lots of BCBS this year then.

It truly is a sad state of affairs that ABInBev leverages the only beer they have so heavily against the craft beer market.

I don't understand why the production is so limited for this particular beer. With the capital available to ABInBev, this should be able to be produced year round.

The demand is insatiable, so why not increase production?

 

The big rumor is that they had to dump a bunch of this year's BCBS (due to infection or "quality"), plus the Maple Rye "wasn't ready yet" and that one is still in barrels.

 

I'm aware of their issues this year and the infections from last year. My concern was not one year in particular.

This is a beer that could be produced year round. It doesn't have to be so limited.

 

They can't manage to produce it once a year without issues, what makes you think they could do it year round?

 

Capital investment.

They stay with what has worked over time.

This was an issue before last year?

 

I would imagine the margins on BCBS are not as great as other Goose Island beers due to the cost to produce it. Therefor, I doubt AbinBev would want to increase production on a beer that is less profitable than other beers Goose Island sends to market.

 

If that was the barometer for production, why didn't they just cease it after the acquisition?

 

Because of the marketing and brand awareness it brings.

 

False, most people aside from the beer geeks have no idea what BCBS is. They think of the insurance