How is CBS aging?

Had some on draft last week. The maple syrup and whisky flavors still come in strong, but the coffee has really fallen off. That said it is still one if the tastiest, most decadent stouts available.

 

I was at the same event as Jtc (I assume) and I agree wholeheartedly with his analysis. Personally, I didn't love the strength of the coffee fresh, so I enjoyed it just as much.

 

Drank my last bottle a few days ago, had been meaning to get to it sooner and wish I had. Not a bad beer, the maple sweetness seemed more prominent than the coffee and bourbon flavors at this point. Again, not bad but I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I did when it was fresh. The flavors seemed bolder at first, more melded together behind the sweetness now.

 

I think it has turned into a sweet mess...I had two bottles the first week it hit shelves and I thought it was the best beer I had ever had. The sweetness and flavor of the maple paired with the strong bitterness and taste of the coffee rounded out with a lil bourbon burn was top notch. Fast forward from that 1st week it hit shelves to late march and there is absolutely no coffee taste and most importantly no percieved bitterness. Without that balancing act of the bitter coffee playing off the sweet maple it's just gone completely sweet. There is still some bourbon to it but even that too me as been taken down a bunch cuz of the maple. Thought it may have just been that bottle so I opened another mid april, same thing, sweet mess. Then traded my last 2 bottles. just my take on the current state of CBS.

 

FWIW, I had some on draft this past Wednesday. For the most part, I agree with what's been said. It is very sweet and lost what I thought was an excellent balance. The best way I can describe the sweetness is it was like a sweetened Mexican coffee. The coffee was hardly noticeable, which is expected. I chose Mexican coffee because I picked up some cinnamon. I asked others around me if they were tasting cinnamon, but I got all negative responses. I would accept CBS in a trade as pure currency.

 

Just had my first KBS tonight, big thanks to ^TotallyHosed^ and all I can say is... wow... its exceptional.

So, trade my CBS for more KBS? Im thinking i might enjoy more nights with KBS than one with CBS.

 

Has anyone had one of the original 12oz bottles from the brewery lately. I am going to open one up next month and am curious to as to how its held up if at all.

 

I had a surprise pour of it last night thanks to my local beer store. The coffee has faded, as other say, which I like. The maple is still prominent, and the bourbon/vanilla thing is getting stronger, big caramel goodness. It's change, maybe not for the better, but definitely not for the bad.

 

It tastes like a year old breakfast stout.

 

I'll trade you a bunch of FBS for some CBS.

 

The last bottled batch of FBS is no longer fresh for me and that's the only way I drink it.

 

So you don't drink CBS? Interesting.

 

I opened a bottle (which I think ages differently than kegs) last weekend and it was the 4th bottle I have tried since its release. I think it is better now than when first bottled as the coffee does not dominate the maple syrup as much. Personally, I like a little more sweetness and if I'm going to have a maple brew I want to taste the maple. The bourbon has also smoothed out a little and is a little less abrasive than when fresh. A similar effect happens when KBS ages.

It is sweeter, but it's still subtle. We're not talking Creme Brulee here or anything. Enjoy it when you are ready, it will be quality for a while.

 

I do but only when it's fresh. I consumed all my bottles from the release within 2 weeks to a month at most. That's half a year ago now.

 

So you have friends who recently shared a bottle with you, or you had it at a bar somewhere in the past month or two? Just curious as to how you know CBS tastes like year old FBS if you drank all of your bottles within 2-4 weeks.

 

I have friends with bottles. I've been around a few that have been opened throughout since released. At one tasting I don't think we even finished the bottle that was opened.

There was also 12oz bottles of CBS bottled and those are the ones tasting like old FBS.

 

If that's the shit that doesn't get drank, you and I need to hang out again. Soon.