The Bar Towel

seangm wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 10:40 am The decline of the Bastard series has been disappointing. In the mid to late 2010s those were some of the best BA stouts going. Last I had was around 2020/2021 and I noticed a significant drop-off. It was watery, unbalanced. Hopefully it returns to form.

I'd recommend trying Left Field's Blackburne series- they've got a 3-pack of BA variants plus the original for $19 at the LCBO right now. They're perhaps not as good as Goose Island, but like the Wellington series, they are a good value comparatively.

Despite my earlier comment about not bothering to buy BCBS since 2020, I will say I respect that it's a straight up BA RIS which can be harder to find. I find the adjunct on top of adjunct thing is a little much these days, it gets to a point where you obscure any nuance. Less is more, am I right? In fact going further I often most enjoy plain ol' imperial stouts even sans barrel-aging. OG Tempest is one of my favourite Ontario beers.

sofakingdrunk wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2023 12:43 am

seangm wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 10:40 am I’d say far and above the quality of the Welly pack this year. It hasn’t been great the last two years IMO.

The M31 is definitely not as good as the UVB from a few years back. That said, I only get the bourbon can, not the pack with all the adjunct versions, and think the bourbon only is still pretty good.

sofakingdrunk wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2023 12:43 am

seangm wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 10:40 am The decline of the Bastard series has been disappointing. In the mid to late 2010s those were some of the best BA stouts going. Last I had was around 2020/2021 and I noticed a significant drop-off. It was watery, unbalanced. Hopefully it returns to form.

I'd recommend trying Left Field's Blackburne series- they've got a 3-pack of BA variants plus the original for $19 at the LCBO right now. They're perhaps not as good as Goose Island, but like the Wellington series, they are a good value comparatively.

Despite my earlier comment about not bothering to buy BCBS since 2020, I will say I respect that it's a straight up BA RIS which can be harder to find. I find the adjunct on top of adjunct thing is a little much these days, it gets to a point where you obscure any nuance. Less is more, am I right? In fact going further I often most enjoy plain ol' imperial stouts even sans barrel-aging. OG Tempest is one of my favourite Ontario beers.

The Rye barrel Blackburne is pretty god damn spectacular. The bourbon one is no slouch either. As you said, great value. I’d say far and above the quality of the Welly pack this year. It hasn’t been great the last two years IMO.