Nice, Jim. I had the opportunity to pick some bottles up today but I decided not to since I've already tried it at various festivals. To be honest, I prefer the original; the Vanilla's just a little too rich and sweet for my taste. I hope you enjoyed it!

I was able to pick up a couple bottles from the Gold Coast Whole Foods (30 W. Huron, 312.932.9600). They weren't on the shelves yet, but the beer manager was happy to grab a couple of bottles from the back. I look forward to opening one up as soon as my dang headcold goes away! I just read via Binny's Twitter feed that the Clark St. location just recieved 10 cases.

The real trick will be tracking down the Rare. I'll be out of town for Thanksgiving so the 'Black Friday' release event at the Lincoln Park Binny's won't be an option. Kyle from Drinks Over Dearborn told me the yield is about 30 cases, with a lot of that headed to Binnys for their release event. He went on say that the remaining allotments would ship the following Monday -- given how many bottles of BCV were reserved at various stores (seemingly before they even left the Fulton loading dock), I doubt I'll be seeing any for myself. Oh well!

That same Monday will also see shipments of Juliet, Madame Rose and Lolita if a message from Greg Hall on the beeradvocate forums is (still) correct. He estimated there would be about 500 cases of each.

Mickey's malt liquor, shots of Beam, and Cuervo Plata, just felt like one of those nights to tie one on....

Last night's lineup:



Left to right: the Vanilla, the Coffee, Night Stalker, the '10, the '09 and the '08.

jimswside wrote: just felt like one of those nights to tie one on....

indeed

JimTheBeerGuy wrote:Last night's lineup:



Left to right: the Vanilla, the Coffee, Night Stalker, the '10, the '09 and the '08.

jimswside wrote: just felt like one of those nights to tie one on....

indeed

How is Night Stalker holding up? Any hops left? I haven't had one in quite a while.

Most of the hop bite has died down, it's still hoppier than the other beers there but it's more like a BCS minus the BC than anything at this point

My impression of the BCVS, in real-time:

chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, coffee, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, coffee, chocolate, chocolate, beer.

He'Brew's Jewbelation 14. It's not bad, but it's kind of a hot mess. I don't think the gimmick works--14 kinds of malt and 14 kinds of hops don't guarantee harmony, or even quality. Still, it's more than palatable.

2010 La Folie Sour Brown Ale from New Belgium's Lips of Faith series. Nice bracing tartness up front, with muted, slightly coffee-ish brown ale flavor in the background. I was a fan, and will have to grab a few more bottles soon.

danimalarkey wrote:The real trick will be tracking down the Rare. I'll be out of town for Thanksgiving so the 'Black Friday' release event at the Lincoln Park Binny's won't be an option. Kyle from Drinks Over Dearborn told me the yield is about 30 cases, with a lot of that headed to Binnys for their release event. He went on say that the remaining allotments would ship the following Monday -- given how many bottles of BCV were reserved at various stores (seemingly before they even left the Fulton loading dock), I doubt I'll be seeing any for myself. Oh well!

In case anyone else is going all "Captain Ahab" over the BCR like I am (I need a new hobby), the Stew ran a story today about its release. In particular:

[Binny's and the Clybourn brewpub] are the only two places you’ll find it through the weekend; next Monday, it will be on liquor store shelves throughout the city... Most observers expect all 940 cases – more than 11,000 bottles that will be sent to Goose’s 18-state distribution network – to be sold within a couple of weeks.

Seems Kyle got some bad information. Still, I wonder how much the price point will deter people from buying it. I know the Bruery's Black Tuesday releases are in the $30 range, but they sell out, right?

danimalarkey wrote:Still, I wonder how much the price point will deter people from buying it. I know the Bruery's Black Tuesday releases are in the $30 range, but they sell out, right?

I know its apples to oranges, but I think I would prefer to pay $5 more for a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 15 year. I love beer, but $45 is just too much for me. Of course, if you look at the price in terms of volume, alcohol content, rarity, and cellaring potential, this compares favorably with certain mid-range wines. But I am probably a victim of having a certain mindset when it comes to acceptable pricing for beer, and perhaps it is a failure of imagination to reflexively think of value in terms of a fairly narrow range of the "right" price for beer.

Another quarter over, and opening a bottle of something special ....



SSDD

being a regular guy, more of the same... High Life and Beam for lunch.

Mickey's and Buffalo Trace for supper.



was saving the Buffalo Trace for guests tomorrow, but had to have a nip or 3.

Love the Rittenhouse 23 and the Buffalo Trace...both on my regular rotation.

I'm having an Old Fashioned with Smith & Cross rum instead of bourbon (first served to me by Paul at the Whistler). It's got a strong, decidedly butterscotch-y note but it's not sweet -- and the high proof really stands up in the cocktail.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Love the Rittenhouse 23 and the Buffalo Trace...both on my regular rotation.

I'm having an Old Fashioned with Smith & Cross rum instead of bourbon (first served to me by Paul at the Whistler). It's got a strong, decidedly butterscotch-y note but it's not sweet -- and the high proof really stands up in the cocktail.

=R=

nice sounding drink ronnie.

I was debating between Reble Yell, some corn whiskey and the Buffalo Trace. Figured Id keep it safe(for my guests. )

ronnie_suburban wrote:Love the Rittenhouse 23 and the Buffalo Trace...both on my regular rotation.

I'm having an Old Fashioned with Smith & Cross rum instead of bourbon (first served to me by Paul at the Whistler). It's got a strong, decidedly butterscotch-y note but it's not sweet -- and the high proof really stands up in the cocktail.

=R=

The 23 is in your regular rotation? Obviously we live in different tax brackets!

I very rarely drink Old Fashioneds with Bourbon, much prefer Rye, but Rum and Tequila work well too. I'll have to make one with the S&C I have sitting on the shelf...

SSDD

Too much homebrew, that's what I'm drinking. Happy Leftovers Day, everybody.

Pappy Van Winkle 15. Yum.

bjackson wrote:Pappy Van Winkle 15. Yum.

I had the 10 at Big Star after lunch, it was pretty damn good. I actually went specifically to see if they had the 23, but no such luck. I wanted to try the Bourbon which came from the barrels that the BCSR was aged in.

SSDD

Had some apple cider go hard on me....
All I did was to burp the jug every once and a while for a few weeks
and then decanted the cider off the gunk and started drinking!

Grand Teton 2010 Trout Hop Black IPA: bold hops and roasted forest flavors without the syruppy body of many beers this dark. Very food friendly. Highly recommended.

finished off a bottle of Buffalo Trace.

Moved on to a restaurant thats been open since 1914 out in Spring Valley, il.. $5.50 rounds of Miller Lite Pints, and Jim Beam shots.

Just a couple of night caps tonight:

Sauza Tres Generaciones Tequila Anejo to start, no too bad, but not mind blowing by any means. I think I actually prefer the younger tequilas in most cases, they are just more interesting.

El Dorado 15 Year, I actually liked this much more than I did the last time I had it, just the right way to end the night.

SSDD

last night Eagle Rare 10 year, single barrel bourbon....

tonight, more of the same, probably mix in some Mickey's to really do some damage..

Last night was a switch; went with wine instead of beer or spirits. Tried my first Beaujolais Nouveau. Don't recall which one at the moment though.

Tonight is shaping up to start with a Martini or a Manhattan followed by who knows what.

first we take Manhattan

mhill95149 wrote:first we take Manhattan

I am troubled by the lack of a cherry. Not that I ever eat the damn things (well, sometimes), but I feel this drink seems otherwise unnecessarily austere.

David Hammond wrote:

mhill95149 wrote:first we take Manhattan

I am troubled by the lack of a cherry. Not that I ever eat the damn things (well, sometimes), but I feel this drink seems otherwise unnecessarily austere.

I'll posit that the drink is low enough in the glass that a stemmed cherry could have reasonably been removed, but if you asked me what a cherry stem was doing in such a fine drink I'd have not a clue.

no cherries in house...
FWIW, this shot was lit with my iPad
Plus, I changed the shot to one I like better

uhm... 4loko... yes, i'm a hype and should be banned

needless to say i don't think we need any pics of the 4loke