Thoughts on Goose Island's 2022 Bourbon County (BCBS) Lineup?

What?!?! It’s the only of this years variants that I’ve had so far and I thought it was absolutely stellar as always.

 

I'm digging mine right now. Impossible to justify the cost but it's undeniably world class.

 

Just putting my data point on the pile - had a 9/5 coffee and it had very little coffee taste and was mediocre overall.

 

I’m thinking we need to re-explore the bottling date theory for the coffee. I rated my bottle of Coffee at 4.75 because I just couldn’t really find any faults. Sure, maybe it was on the thinner end, but I’m not a thicccc boy stout drinker. I prefer them to be drinkable and not syrupy.

there’s got to be variation, because mine had a ton of coffee going on in both taste and smell. My bottle date was 9/6 and I have a 9/8 left. Spreadsheet incoming

 

My coffee was dated Sept 8th. I like coffee stouts but this was too overpowering for me. I also like thin stouts so that wasn't an issue.

 

Mine was 9/8, plenty of coffee but not overpowering. Closer to room temp the coffee at the exhale really shined through. Body a touch thinner than BCBS, but didn't diminish my enjoyment. Kick-Ass stout.

 

My review: fudge booze bomb. BCBS seems more fudgy than most stouts with an actual chocolate adjunct. I like it.

 

Darwin was not a big fan of this year’s regular BCBS beer. He stated it doesn’t taste right.



Cheers!

 

I am, in fact, the Biggest fan of BCBS beer, including this year's regular.

 

prolly sucks cuz he used a stupid ass teku

 

I wonder if he got one of the specific barrel bottles rather than the blend?

 

Sounds like someone on here who gave a similar review on a WT 4pack.

Darwin lost credibility when he gave a beer he was going to drain-pour a rating in either the low 80s or high 70s. I mean by that logic, bud light should be in the 90s.

 

I had to get one of those 4 packs and that was a 1 only at our TW in Tucson and 2 each of the coffee, Biscotti, and one Lord Isaac. I also bought more Hopslam and another case of Celebration. I should be good for a while I hope, think. The Isaac was good but would probably just have the OG for the difference but I liked the Biscotti and Coffee tho I thought it was better before but it has been a while. It was maybe a little more roasty and more prominent where it seemed smoother in the past. Sure miss those 4 packs for the same price.

 

I haven’t popped any variants yet but just drank the OG 2022 and loved it as usual. I was doing a bunch of stuff while drinking it and had it over 60, maybe even 90 minutes and it was great as it warmed and opened up. Becoming appreciably more creamy and full in body as time passed. I appreciate the intensely concentrated flavor and spirit forward aspect of this beer when it’s fresh. yes it ages (very) well but in recent years I’ve really loved both base beers and all variants as fresh as possible.

 

I just watched the Darwin review posted here. My bottle was a 16.9oz not a 12oz and I wonder about the variation there. When I first opened mine I was struck by the concentrated intensity of the aroma and then the initial sip but did notice a bit more lively carbonation than anticipated. Subsequent sips seemed to thin out but as the beer warmed it really bloomed and settled in as far as the feel was concerned (allaying any fears). Super enjoyable.

 

You can visit the Darwin YouTube channel and read (and post) comments.

In the comment area Darwin replied: “I had HH. Heaven Hill. At least for this bottle.”

Cheers!

@Beer_Economicus @VodkaPong87

 

There has to be variation. Too many flavor variables in a barrel aging process and too many batches for this to be like making a consistent Budweiser.

 

Just having fun, since we share the same name.

 

Anyone know if this one willett, or the blend?

 

Should be willett

 

For science, we should start tabulating/reviewing the specific blends... Mine is GI/all blend, and I liked it (4pack)

 

Just to double check, on the back of the bottle it just lists "GI"?

Cheers!

 

Yup, that's it. Nothing else to indicate willet or heaven hill or the other

 

They had 17 different bcbs’s on draft at a place near me the other day… various flavors and vintages. I had a half pour of the 2018 Reggie and it was phenomenal.


I was driving so I couldn’t try them all R.I.P.

 

Haven't had this year's yet but 2018 has so far remained my favorite since 2015.

 

so ...

what the F does "develops in bottle for 5 years " really mean.

in my opinion it means deteriorates. most stouts ive had 5+ years later all taste like butt

and some of yall really be on here drinking them 10 years later acting like ya struck gold by hoarding an old beer

is bcbs the exception?

 

Well...just a couple of hours ago I drank a Brooklyn Chocolate Stout from Winter 2016 (so 6 years old now) and it taste wonderfully for my palate. Lots of complexity added from the years of cellaring.

Would this beer "taste like butt" to you?

Permit me to suggest that if so, it might be the most 'complex' butt you have ever munched on. Or maybe not? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cheers!

 

I tried a little "cellaring" about 10-12 years ago. For my taste, most stouts stated tasting like cardboard after 6-12 months. The exceptions were Founders Imperial Stout and BCBS.

GI started pasteurizing BCBS a few years back, and that's when I stopped hanging onto them. Too bad. My boyz and I used to have tons of fun with annual verticals.

 

Just had a 9/5 coffee and if it didn't say coffee on it I would have never known it had any in it. Thin and disappointing. Got 2 more on the way so hopefully those are different dates and better than this one.

Reminds me of a 2013 I let sit around for 6 years before drinking.

 

I have both bottle sizes....maybe a side by side is in order.

 

I feel like the pasteurization would help the beer hold on for longer, no? I don't think it would change too much after that. The one thing I do notice with BCBS after age, is it tends to lose the burnt sugar/toffee notes and transitions into a "leather" and more chocolate heavy flavor. I had a 2016 last year and thought it was pretty good. Never had any of the vintages prior to that, so I can't speak to how they aged pre-pasturizing

 

The purpose of pasteurization was (is) to kill unwanted microorganisms which could cause spoilage. Lots of folks associate pasteurization with milk but Louis Pasteur was 'employed' by the alcohol industry:

"There's a fine line between wine and vinegar. That's what Louis Pasteur discovered in 1856 when an alcohol manufacturer commissioned him to determine what was causing beet root alcohol to sour."

Pasteurization has no effect on the effect of oxidation (e.g., beer staling) and it could be argued that the elevated temperatures involved in the pasteurization process actually accelerates oxidation (beer staling).

One of the types of beers often associated with beer cellaring are Trappist/Abbey style beers (e.g., Quad, Dubbel, Orval,...) which are bottle conditioned. The presence of live yeast within these bottles have multiple effects:

• Live yeast operate like an antioxidant so it aids in mitigating beer staling.
• Over time the yeast will mature the beer, a sort of continuing secondary fermentation effect.
• etc.

Goose Island made a business decision to pasteurize BCBS after their infection problems of 2015 and there were plenty of folks registering their concerns this would negatively impact the cellaring ability of this beer. Whether an aged 2014 BCBS is 'better' than an aged 2016 (or later) BCBS is a subjective exercise.

Cheers!

 

Came across a store today selling a BCBS pack that included 30th anniversary, Blantons bcbs, coffee and the regular. I believe it was 6-8 beers total for $193.

 

After reading a number of posts in this thread (like the one above) maybe Goose Island should change the branding to BBBS from BCBS?

Cheers!

P.S. BBBS = Big Bucks Brand Stout.

 

lmao just saw that Darwin basically did not like the 2022 BCS and said it was the worst vintage ever, and STILL gave it a 93, which in a real world scenario, would still make it better than 95-99% of all products being produced. This is what I'm talking about with his strange rating system. Under a 95 is a terrible rating in his world

 

How are people liking the regular this year? If I can find it for around 12$ I may grab some. Definitely appreciate the fudgy character some vintages have had

 

There seems to be variation with all the BCBS this year. I found the regular to be a little thin, over carb'd, and no where near the chocolatey/toffee flavors I expect. Others have said it's the best vintage since 2015 and is inanely chocolatey/fudgey with a good mouth feel.... *shrugs* I have two more bottles to try and will probably buy more

 

It’s fantastic. Heavy barrel, fudge and burnt sugar. I think it’s the best vintage since ‘15.

 

Not an OG drinker of this nectar (only since distro around here ~6 years?), but as great as it ever was to me. You might consider the 4 pack because it's "cheaper", or perhaps moar.

 

“How are people liking the regular this year?”

An important consideration is that this year there are several “regular” BCBS beers:

· The GI ‘blend’ (which I think are the big bottles and some of the 12 ounce bottles)

· For the 12 ounce bottles there are several versions: the GI ‘blend’, Willet barrels, Heaven Hills barrels,…

And of course, there is the suggestion of batch (i.e. when the beer was bottled) variation.

Perhaps some sage advice from Dirty Harry:



Cheers!