The Important Bourbon County Question

Yes. I had never had it, but for some reason, my local grocery store had 3 four packs on Monday. I got the last one. I'm torn as to how long to wait between drinking each bottle. I want to drink the rest of them this weekend, but I'm probably going to savor them more than that!

 

Keep in mind losses to evaporation, soaking into the wood, and the fact that due to the shape of a barrel theres probably a good gallon+ in the bottom you can't get out cleanly. The vanilla additions after blending the barrels would cause some losses as well. Then keep in mind every 1/6 barrel keg is another ~28 bottles subtracted, and I'm willing to bet they kegged quite a bit since even regions that got no variants in bottles got a few kegs of them.

 

That's fair, but if we base evaporation, plus a gallon loss at the bottom on these calculation:

http://www.alcademics.com/2014/01/how-much-pappy-van-winkle-is-left-after-23-years-in-a-barrel-.html

And assume approximately 45 gallons per barrel based on that, we're still at 23,000 bottles worth of Prop and 52,000 bottles of Vanilla. that would mean they kegged about half of all available, which I find unlikely but certainly possible.

 

45 gallons may be an underestimate from the Pappy Van Winkle link above, since I based that on 2 years of aging, while BCBS is supposedly only aged for 150 days, which would put things closer to 50 gallons per barrel (at least that was in an original description of the beer, maybe it's longer now, trying to be conservative).

 

Man ABinbev played this thing perfectly. It's impressive really.

 

The 1992 BCBS was aged for 100 days even, every batch between then and 2008 was aged for around 3 or 4 months. Ever since 2009 Goose has simply said "it's ready when it's ready." Some batches are over a year old now.

 

I like it. I find it hard to drink. If I'm alone, I'd prefer Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Stout, but in a group I enjoy Bourbon County.

 

In terms of comparable beers, try Ola Dubh aged in highland park scotch barrels. All the different barrel vintages are great, but the older the better.

 

BCBS isnt expensive. It isnt even close to being expensive.

 

The Important Bourbon County Question

When will all the Bourbon County posts end?

 

When people don't want to talk about it. And considering what a phenomenal beer it is. Probably later than sooner. But you don't have to talk about it if you don't want.

 

I dont love in Orland Park, but I'll take your word for it. FFF is hype

 

There should be one post. Bourbon county discussions, instead of a a bunch of different little posts.

I love the beer, just not more I can say that hasn't been said 100x over

 

1)Its Damn good beer. 2)It comes out once a year. 3)It is distributed nationally and is not that hard to get, but it is not PBR either. 4)For the price it is not cheap but comparative to other beers of similar quality. Done... (drop the mic) time to drink some BCBS and stop talking.

 

I think its all about the perception in 12 oz bottles. If it came in $14 bombers we'd be talking about it being good value.

 

with a good, high ABV beer, i compare it to good wine. and ounce-for-ounce, BCBS is waaaaaay cheaper. hell, it's cheaper than bad wine. it's also cheaper than a budweiser you get at a ball game or a miller light you get at a bar down town.

i have no problems with the price. i haven't drank any of my 2014 yet (which i paid $9 per bottle on average), but i know that the 2013 BCBS is definitely worth that price.

 

Evaporation of whiskey in KY climate is going to be considerably different than evaporation of beer (much higher % water and sugars) in a CHI climate.

I guess my point, that I did a shitty job trying to make, was we really have no idea what the actual barrel yield is, in my experience it actually fluctuates pretty heavily based on the actual construction / composition of the barrel as well.

 

Is it worth it? It entirely depends on how you like your beers. For example, I prefer BCBS very slightly over Parabola, so to me, both being priced equally, I go with Bourbon County. It also gives me one less bottle to chase each year, which is nice. Proprietor's has been consistently one of the best beers I've ever had (you know, since it's inception...last year), so in that sense, the hype is justified (to me), and the price ($20-27) is fine. Will I pay that for a 4 pack of BCBCS? Probably not; I don't like coffee-forward beers that much.

Everything is relative; some people aren't willing to pay $25 for a bomber of beer, and I get that. But since I'm getting a beer that I consider top of its class, and an experience, if you will, that's superior to the majority of other beers I've had, I'm willing to go through with it. If BCBS isn't in your top 5 beers, though, I'd say that (especially this year), it might not be worth the hassle.

 

New Holland Dragons Milk is cheaper, no lines, available all year, and is solid.

 

I had my first BCBS this year. $23 for a 4 pack.
Wasn't impressed I found it very booze forward personally. Still good, but doesn't live up to the hype for me.

Would I buy a 4 pack again, probably. Will I wait in line for 2 hrs and try to but $200 worth of BCBS, no way.