Mini BCS Vertical

Anybody watch the Superbowl? I cracked open a few beers with some buddies and watched the underdogs take it the colts. I was happy. Anyways, on to the beer.

The other night me and a few buddies decided to do a mini vertical of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. For those of you who don't know what a vertical is, it is simple drinking multiple years of the same beer. For our BCS mini vertical, we had 2008 and 2009 bottles.

My original review of 2008 BCS can be found here. For this post, I will compare the two beers to show that aging a beer can make a big difference.

Appearance: Both beers were very similar in color, a dark black. Also they don't pour a lot of head.

Aroma: The aroma of the 08 seems to be mellowed out a little bit. The 09 has more alcohol/heat showing. The 09 also is sweeter on the nose while the 09 has a more developed flavor.

Taste: The 09 has a thinner body and more heat showing. The 08 has a nice developed bourbon flavor and is very roasted. The 09 lacks flavor that it could have (like the 08) and the 09 is more malty.

Mouthfeel: The 09 has a ton more carbonation and shows a lot of heat in the mouth. The 08 has a fuller bodied and is more creamy. The 09, however, is fairly smooth (besides the heat).

Overall, the 08 wins, but the 09 isn't bad by any means; it just needs more time to develop. Both beers are excellent, but it just goes to show that a year in the cellar can really make a beer more enjoyable.

I have gotten word from one of my friends in California that I will be getting a special treat pretty soon. I am expecting it to land Friday so check in Friday night for a new post.

Thanks for reading!