bigblue_dl
Armed
And, GO!
I like drinking.
Edit: I suppose I should contribute something more significant than that. I was shopping for beer to bring to a friend's place for dinner and football-watching a few weeks ago at this awesome beer store in my neighborhood. Wound up picking out a large-format Ommegang Three Philosophers and a couple of six-packs of more "normal" beers (I think it was Brooklyn Winter Ale and Shiner Bock) and on the way to the register I passed by the display in front where they had four-packs of various Goose Island Bourbon County offerings, which I've read some good stuff about, along with a sign saying there was a limit of two four-packs per customer. I grabbed a four-pack of the barleywine, which is a style I enjoy. Imagine my surprise when my impulse buy rang up at $34 for a four-pack! Wound up (selfishly, I admit) not bringing it to the party. Shared two of the four bottles with my wife so far, and it's AMAZING. I don't know that I'd buy it again since there are lots of other beers out there and money is finite, but I'd definitely recommend it if you have the chance.
The local place that I go to just sells them as single bottles at $6.99/each for the Goose Island BC... Not a cheap choice and why I've put off sampling it...
****. I was just out in search of Darkness. I found a local store that supposedly had it, got there and they sold their last one 2 hours before I got there. I stopped at another store on the way home, just to check, and they were out too. I got the business card of the owner at the first store, so I could email him what I'm interested in, and he can keep me in the loop, and I got put on the mailing list for the other, which they use to announce when they get different brews, along with tastings and such.That is about right for a bottle. The KBS is the same way. There's one store that has a list, but they don't get much. My local store doesn't have a list, but if I want something, they have saved it for me and then some (example: I got the GI BCS, and they set aside a bottle of the Abyss on a hunch that I wanted one; I did).They know I want ALL the KBS I can get, so hopefully I'll get more than one or two bottles.
Found a stash of Darkness tonight (Big Top Liquor by Ridgedale for the locals). Bought 3 bottles (one for the woman, one for dx since he hasn't found any, and a backup bottle for me since I already have one).
All these bourbon beers/stouts, are they aged in bourbon barrels?
Yes. I think the standard for the really good ones is a year aging. What's interesting about the Dark Island Reserve, as far as I can tell, after bottling, they still let it sit a year or so before it hits the shelves. I had never heard of the beer before bbdl bought a bottle (it's about $40 for a bomber). Hand-bottled, and I think this "edition" of the brew only has 3100 bottles, IIRC. Also has the date of the bottling on the label. Hence, the month/date I mentioned in the previous posts.
Yeah, I think the Dark Island Reserve is pretty special. It is really one of the best beers I've ever tasted, and it is pretty rare worldwide, from what I can tell. For what its worth, the Dark Island Reserve, a few of the bourbon barrel aged beers, and the barrel aged irish red from Hammerheart are my favorite beers that I've ever tried. I still think the Hammerheart Barrel Aged Peated Irish Red is my all-time favorite.
Tried a Sierra Nevada Narwhal (2013) tonight, which I got as part of a build-your-own 6er. Excellent beer. Highly recommended if you like a good Imperial Stout.
This will be my first sober night in a week.
I need the break. Tired.
Speaking of aging beer... I have 4 bottles of Bell's Expedition Stout left over... They claim that you can age this... Thinking about giving that a shot... Is that something you do at room temp? Fridge? In between? This was bottled in late Sept. 2013, so what kind of time frame am I talking before I see a difference?
1. Same question as above, under what conditions do you age a beer?
2. What does aging do to a beer?
3. Is there a curve that aging follows? After six months there's no change, 12 months you've hit the peak of aging, 18 months and you've ruined it?