Tasting: March 18, 2016
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 13.7%
Beer #: 900
(c) 2013 popsonhops
Bourbon County Brand Stout Cherry Rye
I toyed with the idea of popping open this bottle on the occasion of my eight-hundredth beer. Then I toyed with the notion that I could have a Cherry Rye, Backyard Rye and Vanilla Rye glutton-fest with friends. Then I said what the hell am I saving this for?
I purchased this bottle on its release in 2012 and have aged it in a cool dark place since that day. In my book, stouts with high alcohol by volume (ABV) of say 10% plus can be aged up to five years. There are some exceptions as stouts brewed with coffee or other additives tend to see their “highlight” ingredients drop out within the first year. I was concerned about the fruit in Backyard Rye – 97 points dropping out after two years but the fruit was absolutely bright and amazing. I suspect the same here.
Surprised to get some robust coconut out of the gate and a vivid fudge. I also get some candy sweetness. The cherries are not as bright as the berries in Backyard Rye but they cut in stronger as as the four-year-old stout warms in my snifter. Mouthfeel has that signature BCBS thickness that coats the entire mouth and clings to the inside of my glass.The barrel influence may have subsided a bit but I do get some vanilla undertone. I’d put the 2012 Cherry Rye at 96 points.
This is beer number 900 and as I’ve done before
Want to read my other milestone beers…
Beer # 800 DeStruise Black Albert
Beer # 700 Three Floyds Dark Lord
Beer # 600 Alesmith Speedway Stout
Beer # 500 Fifty-Fifty Elijiah Craig Esclipse
Beer #400 Founders Bolt Cutter
Beer # 300 Mother Earth Trippel Overhead
Beer # 100 Sierra Nevada Beer Camp # 37
Beer # 1 Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
March 18, 2016 is beer # 900 and 172 days since # 800
September 29, 2015 is beer # 800 and 228 days since # 700
February 14, 2015 is beer # 700 and 163 days since # 600
September 5, 2014 beer # 600 and 300 days since # 500
November 9, 2013 was beer #500 and 340 days since # 400
December 4, 2012 was beer # 400 and 182 days since # 300
June 5, 2012 was beer # 300 and 195 days since # 200
November 23, 2011 was beer # 200 and 134 days since # 100
July 12, 2011 was beer # 100 and 244 days since # 1
November 10 2010, was beer # 1
