Does anybody know if it’s out yet this year?
I’m hearing in the Midwest it’ll be out Black Friday. That’s what I’ll be shopping for ! Badass stuff.
It’s a nationwide release on Black Friday.
Cool! One of my favorite winter sittin’ by the fire beers.
It drops for the first time in Texas on Friday. I’m excited to see it finally arrive but I also know I’m not sitting in line at 6am in front of a bottle shop to try to get it, so I probably won’t get any this year.
I hear ya! First time arriving in the Denver area, but I’m not standing out in the cold for hours to grab one. The two stores I talked w/ said they are getting limited amounts and only one bottle per person. My goal is to get one from each store so that I can have one now and age the other till next year.
I bought a 4 pack of the 2013 last week. One of my favorites every year. I’m gonna have another before I form a solid opinion (then cellar the other two), but this year’s seems definitely a little less bourbon-forward than last year’s, but really good nonetheless. Anybody try this year’s yet ? I’m curious to see how people think it compares.
I was in Chicago for the release. My step-son and I went and bought some. I got a bottle each of the barleywine, coffee stout, and Backyard Rye. He got a bottle of the barleywine, coffee stout, and a four pack of the stout. Should have heard the moan in the line when the guy announced I got the last bottle of the rye.
This is my first experience with Goose Island stout and bourbon barrel series so I can’t compare to previous years. I can say that this is an amazing beer. I brought 5 back with me (2 barleywine, 2 coffee stouts, and the Backyard Rye) packed very safely in my suitcase and will save them for later years.
I got a 4 pack of the bourbon stout and a split 4 pack of the coffee stout and barley wine.
It was the first time trying it, so I don’t have any way to compare to past years. So far I’ve just opened one of the bourbon stouts and it is fantastic! A lot less bourbon taste than other bourbon stouts I’ve had recently, but I thought it was a very balanced beer. My wife isn’t a fan of bourbon beers but she really liked this one!
Yeah, it is usually among the most, if not the single most, bourbon forward stouts around and it is less so this year. Still a great beer absolutely !
I’m going to pick up a few bottles when I see it. I’ll try to remember to post here if I do see it. Awesome beer for sure.
Bourbon barrel aged perfection, IMO. Its what I will always strive towards when making BA RIS.
I went to the Black Friday release in Indy. It was like a massive bottle share. Hung out with fellow beer geeks, tried all kinds of crazy stuff, then got to try all the BCS brands before I made my purchase. I hope GI does this every year!
It’s been years since I’ve had it, but I found it to be too bourbon forward for my preferences. And I like me some bourbon. For my money, it’s also over-priced. I’d rather have some Dragon’s Milk.
I did have one of their BC Rye beers at a AHA event at the brewery a few years back and it was outstanding. I think they were pouring a number of BC beers, but the rye is the only one that I recall clearly some years later.
I’ve got a meeting near a Binny’s later today so maybe I’ll pop in and see if there’s any available. Doesn’t hurt to refresh the taste buds.
My daughter used to live in Chicago, too bad she still doesn’t. 
Picked up two bottles on the way home. Will drink one and save one for my planned but yet to happen stout party. I already have some oak aged Old Rasputin awaiting that day…
There wasn’t any organization to the release here in Texas. Even some of the AB InBev reps were telling their accounts bad information about when and here it was being released. Very few places were advertising that they had it on Friday. I managed to get a four pack at a place that was selling a two bottle limit per customer. I brought my wife.
We’re still waiting on label approval in the state for the variants. I’d like to get the rye, coffee and barleywine.
So I drank a bottle last night and have to agree that it is not as bourbon-forward as I recall. It was quite good, though I still think it’s over-priced. My wife called it outstanding, so you know the bourbon does not slap you in the face.
Last time I had this was after the Giants won the Superbowl in 2007 and my recollection was that it was boozy and bourbon forward. I also think I paid a lot less back then. I recall the four packs sitting out on display… This bottle was much more complex.
It seems less bourbon forward than I remember also, but then again I’m thinking my palate has changed somewhat since I first had it…anybody done a vertical of it lately?
I don’t know if I agree about price though, it seems ok compared with other barrel stuff in the area…whether or not that is a fair price I dunno but Fifty Fifty goes for $30, I’ve seen Hoppin Frog for $20+, we won’t even talk about Three Floyds…but I’m embarrassed to say I’ve paid $50 for one of the BA Dark Lords. So $22 for a 4 pack or a Variant bomber seems competitive. How much is it out yonder?
I paid $9.99 for a 12 oz. bottle. Well, actually $19.98 for two.
$22 for a 4-pack I can see as reasonable. Not sure it’s actually “reasonable” but it fits more into the pricing of similar beers. 4-pack of Dragon’s Milk is $16.99.
Yeah, I have some of last year’s left and compared the two. Last year’s was much more bourbon forward, in a good way IMO. But this year’s is still a great beer, pretty complex.