Bramble Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout - Goose Island Beer Co.

4amepiphany

Illinois

4.99/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I love BCS. I love dark fruits. This was my first BCS variant that I tried, and damn, this was good.

A: Typical BCS. Dark. Thin, thin head which disappears with the quicks. Love giving it a swirl or three.

S: Dark berries. BCS.

T: The berries and BCS begin to have a playdate on my palate. I let it soak into my tongue and the berries stay on it the whole way. A wonderful blend!

M: Sticky, chewy, like BCS should be.

Only Cherry Rye tops this for me, but I love cherries.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 04:55:07 | More by 4amepiphany

BeerMeFitz

Illinois

4.93/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - Pitch black look with a fading dark head but with a thinner body.

S - Big raspberry smell forward with slight BCBS notes. Oak, vanilla, chocolate, and coffee. Really smells like raspberry jam.

T - Strong raspberries all the way through the finish. There are notes of cocoa, coffee, vanilla, and whiskey. Mouth feel is a nice but still viscous and coating. No Alcohol burn

O - Awesome stout! The bourbon and fruit mix perfectly and I can only imagine how amazing this will taste next year!

Serving type: bottle

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 06:55:47 | More by BeerMeFitz

dbc5

Ohio

4.91/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Don't have time for full review, but this one is simply too good to rate as a 4.75 "had." The complexity of raspberry and rye whiskey slowly integrates with a dark chocolate and vanilla making for one of the best stout drinking experiences I have ever had. Amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 03:12:34 | More by dbc5

Damian

Massachusetts

4.83/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Drank from a 650 ml - 1 pint 6 fl oz bottle purchased at Cambridge Wine & Spirits, Cambridge, MA
Bottled on: 12/10/11
Served in a snifter

The liquid poured onyx black with dark brown highlights. Shiny and viscous like motor oil. A one-finger head of bubbly, cocoa colored froth topped the liquid. Upon closer examination, there was a slight crimson hue to the head. Within seconds, the fluffy mass faded to a thin ring.

The aroma was simply astounding. Quite similar to the standard Bourbon County Brand Stout, but with added raspberry notes. Super rich, boozy and bourbon-y. Lots of brown sugar and molasses-like sweetness. Strong raisin notes. Big roasted malt presence. French roast coffee came through as well.

The taste was similar to the nose. Strong roasted malt notes on the front end. Tons of bourbon flavor. Compared to the other Bourbon County Brand beers, however, the alcohol was surprisingly subdued. Rich, brown sugar notes. Some raisins and dark fruits. Good amount of raspberry flavor. The berries turned the beer slightly acidic and tart. Espresso notes appeared on the back end. The finish was rich, roasty and slightly bitter. Moderately boozy. The sweet/tart berry notes made a final appearance that lingered on my palate.

The mouthfeel was heavier bodied for the style, yet slightly thinner than other Bourbon County Brand variants. Dense and creamy on the palate. Silky smooth and slick with a fine, mild effervescence.

Overall, this is a fantastic beer. Although not as mind-blowingly delicious as the Rare and the Coffee Bourbon County Brand offerings, it is still an outstanding addition to the Bourbon County Brand lineup. While many reviewers noted that this beer was cloyingly sweet and far too berry forward when fresh, it seemed that the nine months of age I put on my bottle did wonders for it. With its pleasant berry flavor, slight acidity and surprisingly subdued alcohol presence, this is drinking perfectly right now.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 01:17:07 | More by Damian

ChugginOil

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Super stoked to pop a fresh bottle of this brew.

Bottled on 12/10/11

Pours a viscous, evil, depth-filled black that chug-a-lugs out the bottle. A bit of tan head sits at first and quickly disappears, leaving oily lacing.

The nose is extremely boozy, moreso than the other variants. Underneath the heat lies some oak, tannin, some vanilla and a bit of tart berry.

The taste brings less heat to the table than the nose. Strong dark fruits, cocoa, vanilla, bourbon smack, and just enough sweet and tart berries. Once again, as with all of the Bourbon County variations, this has balance. Not one flavor supercedes the next. The berries are used so nicely here to complement those BCBS flavors we all love.

The mouthfeel is thick, viscous, and thicker than the drool that forms when thinking about this brew. Love the low carbonation levels that work so well for these beers.

Overall, great variation here. The addition of berries adds just enough sweetness with a tad of tartness. The balance of the BCBS brews also impresses me, time and time again. Love it. Hunt it down!

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 21:55:28 | More by ChugginOil

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.78/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Thanks to bpk59 for sharing.

A - Poured into a standard pint glass a dark chocolate with garnet edges. There was a light purplish mocha head that faded to leave a light halo.

S - Wow. Just wow. Huge bourbon notes with chocolate with maybe some coconut and wood. Huge raspberry notes chocolate covered raspberries oh my.

T - Sweet zombie Jesus I want this in my body. Big raspberry notes and chocolate. Great smooth bourbon. Woody earth notes bright raspberry juice. Delicious.

M - Nice and thick and boozy. Very tasty and each flavorful sip makes me want more.

O - Overall I really really love this beer. Like...why can't I have this yearly?! Want to savour this but I can't its just too enjoyable. Buy this beer whenever you can!!

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 02:45:13 | More by rudzud

YouSkeete

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Jet black with a ruby hue. Very short mocha colored head with weak retention. Aroma of thick molasses, blackberries, fresh raspberries, rich coffee and milk chocolate. Lots of robust brown sugar and fruits. First sip is an extra sour berry-bite with smooth, rich undertones of molasses, brown sugared citrus flavors and milk chocolate. Mild tones of cherries, vanilla, smoked wood and bourbon. Creamy, rich, complex mouthfeel with light carbonation. Smooth, sour berry, boozy finish. Unbelievable brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 01:29:26 | More by YouSkeete

ngeunit1

California

4.75/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a dark black color with a thin finger of frothy chocolate colored head. The head fades away fairly quickly leaving behind some light lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of vanilla, oak, Bourbon, rye, roasted chocolate malts, berries, dark fruits, molasses, black licorice, booze.

T - Starts off with a mix of blackberries and raspberries, roasted dark chocolate malts, vanilla, some dark fruits, and a bit of black licorice. Through the middle, the oak, Bourbon, and rye come through with some molasses, and some more sweet berries. The finish is a mix of berries, oak, vanilla, rye, Bourbon, chocolate malts, molasses, and some booze.

M - Full bodied with mild carbonation. Feels smooth with a sweet and warming finish.

D - Very drinkable. Big bold barrel character, but it is balanced very nicely by the body and the berries. Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 04:39:04 | More by ngeunit1

samie85

Illinois

4.73/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Pours a pitch black with two fingers of dark brown head.

Smells of raspberries and blackberries with some light bourbon and vanilla notes.

This is crazy... I love how pronounced the raspberry and blackberry is, yet its balanced by the bourbon and roasted notes.

Thick and low carbonation with a mouth-coating feel and light finish.

The fruit part of this beer kind of lightens the body a little but I really enjoy the balance between the fruit and bourbon on this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 00:54:44 | More by samie85

sweemzander

Illinois

4.71/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22oz. bottle poured into a snifter. Big thanks to Matt for sharing the bottle!

(A)- Pours a thick pitch black color. Some surprising dark brown froth formed despite the ABV.

(S)- A rich profile. The same classic bourbon county aroma but actually almost heavier in the oak department. Almost port-like with alot more fruits poking through the bourbon.

(T)- Very unique from the norm of what Bourbon County is. The rich backbone is there, but the oaky chocolate covered raspberry/blackberry jam-like body takes the driver seat in this version. Again, one of the most port-like beers I have ever experienced. Just an ever so mild spice in the far background of this that just might be the rye trying to say hello.

(M)- A smooth carbonation level. Very rich with a much much bigger fruit character to it than usual(duh). The fruits really do take on a very unique feel to the classic bourbon county base; almost sweeter with that extremely subtle spice combined with the port-like fruits really makes this different, but in a good way.

(D)- Quite the twist on a classic beer. Very fruit forward with a good oak accent behind it. I am very curious to see what time will do to this; if the fruits will balance out more with the rich chocolatey bourbon base or not, but the way it is now it is very fruit forward. Despite is uniqueness, I quite like it. Far superior to the sample taste I had at FOBAB recently.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 19:01:26 | More by sweemzander

jegross2

Illinois

4.71/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Reviewing the Bramble Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout from Goose Island Brewing Company.

Score: 97

Bottled 12/10/11. Served in a Dogfish Head snifter and enjoyed on 03/02/12. Re-reviewed 04/20/13.

Appearance: Pours a deep brown color with a faint reddish hue. A super thin layer of creamy chocolate brown head at pour is just enough to cap off the top of the beer, and quickly settles into a ring around the glass. Virtually no lacing. 4/5

Smell: Vanilla, maple, milk chocolate, fig, smooth bourbon, sweet red grape and alcohol esters. Sweet and jammy raspberries and blackberries in the nose. The berry elements adds a nice complement to the sweet barrel notes of regular Bourbon County Brand Stout. The aroma is a little boozier than the 2011 Bourbon County Brand Stout. 4.75/5

Taste: A nice blend of sweet, juicy raspberry/blackberry jam mixed with milk chocolate upfront and throughout. The berry flavors are sweet and jammy, and just a touch tart. This beer hits the right contrast balance between the rich, thick and bitterness of the chocolate and the juicy, sweet and acidic flavors of the raspberries/blackberries -- this tastes like an excellently crafted chocolate cake dessert with berry filling. Maple, brown sugar, booze and vanilla on the midpalate rounds out the flavor profile. A very light amount of dry prune/fig on the midpalate too. This is a very sweet beer and a sipper, and it's a little hotter than the 2011 vintage of the regular Bourbon County, but it's still pretty darn tasty. 4.75/5

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, light carbonation. Syrupy mouthfeel. Dry and sweet finish. 4.75/5

Overall: Although this beer was the weakest of the Bourbon County Brand Stout variants out of the gate, the jammy berry element has release developed nicely over time and put this one on par, quality wise, with the coffee variant. The berry adds a nice twist to the bourbon-molasses of the standard brew. My big regret with this beer is that I gave up on it too soon and traded too many away without giving them the proper chance to develop in the bottle into something special. This is not a mistake I will repeat with the Cherry Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout variant.

Recommendation: Seek this beer out!

Pairings: Dark chocolate cake.

Cost: $15.99 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 07:54:04 | More by jegross2

gigaknight

Illinois

4.7/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Drunkenly reviewed on 3-27-12, notes loosely translated from the chicken scratch I left on a hotel room notepad.

A- Pours black and viscous with an oily 1/2 finger of dark khaki head which settles into a healthy ring and film rather quickly. Legs already forming.

S- Gives off a luscious nose of dark raisin, plums, oaky vanilla, and brown sugar. Whiffs of alcohol are more reminiscent of sweet rum than whiskey.

T- A rush chocolate-covered blueberry character greets the palate, followed by some juicy raspberry, caraway seed, rye, and some light bourbon musk rounding out the finish. The density and sweetness of the composite flavors are not unlike black forest cake (according to my half-brained scribblings).

M- Medium to full-bodied for the style, with good chew and oiliness. A bit of alcohol dances on the tongue, and the finish lingers just like a big bourbon stout ought to.

O- Another very well balanced entry into the Bourbon County series. I thought I would like this the least of the Vanilla, Coffee, BCBS, and Bramble, but it has turned out to be my second favorite behind the Coffee. The berry notes weren't as bright as I expected them to be, and they played a much more useful supporting role to the bourbon flavors than I would have imagined. Seek this one out if you can, but if you had to choose, I would still give Coffee the highest recommendation.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 23:50:35 | More by gigaknight

tectactoe

Michigan

4.7/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Thanks to Preismj for this huge want that I can now cross off the list. I love raspberry stouts that are done properly, and based on past experiences, I trust that Goose Island knows what they're doing. Pours mostly black with some slight ruby tones crowding the edges. The tan head forms slowly during the pour and fades pretty quickly to a ring around the top. A quick swirl of the glass easily conjures up quite a bit of foam, however.

Wow, after one whiff, I'm already in love with this beer. Such a dense berry aroma, complete with raspberries, blackberries, and maybe even a little bit of blueberry and black cherry. Perhaps those last two fruits are just springing from my imagination, but the "fruity" essence of this beer already seems more layered and complex than just raspberry and blackberry. Lots of roasted malts lay softly behind the portrait of berries with a solid stroke of bourbon and oak that slashes through it all. The barrel qualities are much lighter in this beer as compared to many of the other BCS variants, but it works as a perfect addition to the fruit - complementing without drowning out.

Bramble Rye has a magnificent berry flavor right out of the gate - mounds of raspberry jam and raspberry puree engulf your palate immediately upon taking your first sip. It provides a mild tartness without ever becoming sour or seeming "out of place" despite it being in a bourbon barrel aged stout. The bourbon and oak flavors are definitely there - signature BCS style, although the tartness from the raspberry up front really cuts through and mellows out the already mellow barrel-aging contributions. They took something great and made it even better... How is that possible to this degree?

The initial tartness from the berry onslaught eventually ceases and turns into a savory sweetness that lasts well into the aftertaste. Halfway through, as the raspberries settle down, the barrel aging flavors become more pronounced; bourbon that is as smooth as ever, wet oak, and a reasonable dose of vanilla. Somewhere in the middle, I'm also picking up a light cola flavor that works ties the sweetness of the fruit and the robustness of the alcohol together really well. The body is smooth, creamy, and chewy; full-bodied with a slick mouth feel. It leaves the palate very sticky - even a bit more than other, heavy BCS-type beers. Lower end of the carbonation spectrum.

When all was said and done, the raspberry and blackberry dominate the flavor profile more so than the bourbon and oak flavors, but shockingly enough, that's what I love about this beer. It seems like a perfect addition of berry sweetness into a stout, with the bourbon and oak sitting just behind it, beefing it up just a bit without stealing the show. This is definitely a nice change of pace from the other BCS variants, as I believe it's the most drastically different one. But again, that very fact might partially explain my affinity to it. That, and the fact that I'm a raspberry whore. Is it wrong to say that I like this more than Rare? Because I do. And if you love raspberries like I do - you might, too.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 11:54:25 | More by tectactoe

Grohnke

Illinois

4.68/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

(BA / BJCP)

Pours black in an oil-like consistency. Impenetrable to light. Dark caramel color head hangs around just enough to show its beauty.
(5 / 3)

Heavy berry aroma is up front, with supporting moderate caramel, bittersweet bakers chocolate, and roast, all of which are in near perfect harmony. Light oakiness. Light estery fruit. Traces of alcohol. No hop.
(5 / 12)

Sweet berry flavor is in balance with the heavy bakers chocolate and roast flavors. Moderate high molasses sweetness. Bourbon and barrel characteristics are present, but are in much less supporting roles. Spicy alcohol makes its only appearance on the sweet finish. Moderate hop bitterness prevents the beer from becoming cloyingly sweet. Aftertaste is dominated by berries and bakers chocolate.
(4.5 / 19)

Full, thick, chewy body. Medium light carbonation breaks it up well and prevents it from feeling syrupy. Light alcohol warmth. No astringency. High residual sticky malt on my lips.
(5 / 5)

Love the berry showcase, and perfect marriage of other key flavors. The bourbon and barrel characteristics of the base beer are somewhat muted by the berry addition, but it takes on such a new personality that it really doesnt even matter. This beer is phenomenal, and easily my favorite bcbs variation.
(4.5 / 9)

( 4.68 / 48)

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 00:34:00 | More by Grohnke

pschul4

Illinois

4.65/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 22oz bottle into snifter

A- Dark dark black straight from the bottle. Tiny dark brown head that evaporates quickly leaving no lacing. Motor Oil

S- Sweet fresh raspberries hit you right away followed by vanilla bourbon and the background BCBS scents

T- WOW!! Just like the nose, fresh raspberries smack you in the mouth and leave you begging for more. Then comes the bourbon, oh the bourbon. Dear god please let me swim in this beer if/when I get into heaven.

M- Just like every other BCBS it's thick, coating and amazing.

O- Like those dumb commercials I wish I could get paid in BCBS Bramble. I value this more than I value money and behind CBS this is the best liquid ever to grace my lips. I'm jealous for everyone who will drink this in the future

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 05:38:48 | More by pschul4

minnesotaryan

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Shared with some great BAs at the Happy Gnome.

Pours a deep black, nice head.

Smells of booze, berry notes, coffee, licorice, subtle vanilla and bourbon.

Berries dominate, black berry and raspberry,booze, black licorice, deep cherry, some coffee, smoky qualities, oak, bitter baking chocolate, nice bourbon, as it warms up it gets tart.

Relatively smooth, very easy to drink for the abv, nice carbonation.

Killer! So complex, reminds me of abyss with berries and barrel aged.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 02:42:16 | More by minnesotaryan

illidurit

California

4.65/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared at Woodshop 7 at Beachwood BBQ in Long Beach. I went into this without knowing that there were berries in this beer. Sweet creamy vanilla aroma with strawberry notes. Confectionary chocolate-covered blueberries and blackberries, strawberry ice cream, just freaking ludicrous.

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 07:22:46 | More by illidurit

codysjb

Florida

4.63/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Beer tasting on 10/14/12
Pours motor oil, no head
The original bourbon county with sutle notes of raspberry and blackberry.
Wow. Bourbon county with raspberry and other berry notes amazing
Mouthful is all berries soooo good.
Def worth it sooo good.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2012 22:24:21 | More by codysjb

ShogoKawada

Rhode Island

4.6/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Quick riff review, drank this last night when the site was down.

Pours like the rest of the BCS family- dark dark brown bordering on black with a lovely brown sugar head that is slow to settle.

Aromatics are dynamite- the berries jump out from the second you uncap the beer. The whiskey notes are strong, too.

The beer is sweet and tart. Very jamm-y berry notes. I dig it. A big wave of dark roast comes and sweeps the tartness away, leaving a pleasing light fruity finish. The whiskey is present throughout.

A bit hot, but I knew it would be going in. The BCS series, IMO, thrives on the alcohol heat and flavor.

The tartness and sweetness seems to be throwing some people off, but it was right in my wheelhouse. A very enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2012 17:42:59 | More by ShogoKawada

russwbeck

Virginia

4.6/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Traded for a CBS. Also got a Coffee '11 and BCBS '11

A: Nice active pour with less than a finger of brown head atop a black pour. Pretty viscous overall, the beer looks like on you don't want to mess with. The retention of the head is only ok, with not much more than a thin ring remaining after a few minutes.

S: The aroma is much more assertive than I expected. Blackberries and raspberries are huge, big enough to be noticed over the chocolate, vanilla, and bourbon of BCBS. Still getting a good amount of bourbon here.

T: The taste is a real mixup from what I'm used to with this beer. The fruit, again, is huge. Blackberries mostly, but some raspberries come into play as well. It reminds me a lot of Black and Red by Dogfish Head, but much more delicious. The fruit comes first, followed by the chocolate and bourbon. I will say that the chocolate and roast is really toned down from typical BCBS, but the characteristics are still noted on this beer. The bourbon comes at the end, tied with vanilla, and provides a very nice balance to the fruit. The complexity of this beer is really a force to be reckoned with. Each sip provides a nuance that is difficult to capture.

MF: Thick and heavy body, but the carbonation is right there. The booze I expect from this beer is curbed nicely by heavy fruit and the balance makes it very drinkable. However, if I had to drink the whole bottle, the sweetness would absolutely get to me. I split the bottle three ways and it walked the line with being too sweet already.

O: This is a great beer, but I can see how people would think this tastes like fruit juice. The rye isn't really assertive, but the overall barrel treatments are. Really a complex beer that hints towards too fruits at points, but at the least is ridiculously delicious. Glad I got the chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 05:31:59 | More by russwbeck

jlindros

Massachusetts

4.58/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I really wanted to try this beer, glad I got a chance to.

Pours a darker chocolate brown fizzy head that fades pretty quickly, almost as if the beer itself is consuming the head, and after a few seconds there is nothing left of the head except this sentence reminding me that there was one. The beer is a pitch jet black color with no light escaping its grasp, and some legs running down the sides of the glass as I swirl, a nice hypnotizing legging.

Nose... holy shit awesome, if that's a not a real descriptor it should be. It brings some of the normal bourbon county stout, with a big dark malty base, some roasted malts, a decent chocolate kick with baker's, dark, semi sweet, and even a bit of powdered cocoa. Then vanilla smoothness and some malty richness, and slight caramelized aromas. The big difference is the pure awesome raspberry aroma, amazingly awesome raspberry and blackberry aromas, fresh, but mostly chocolate covered, like having one of those dark chocolate fountains at a wedding but using raspberries and blackberries to dip init. The deeper I go and the more it warms some nice barrel aromas waft out, this one brings that woody and bourbon like aromas that really bring me back to sampling bourbon in the rickhouses in KY, and brings a light whisky like aroma, not really bourbon, but more of a whisky, at this point I can't tell it's rye though.

Taste is lush and creammm.... oh man its good, again a nice big Bourbon County Stout flavor with pure awesome berries. Dark chocolate malts, some roast that kicks in with a nice big roasty flavor and hints at wanting to be burnt and acrid but doesn't, it just teases my mind thinking it will get over roasty. How the hell do they do it? The chocolate brings a nice baker's chocolate, some light dark chocolate, and even hot cocoa with milk, and even a bit of caramel and some coffee syrup. It's fairly think and a bit syrupy but that's expected for how big the beer is. The berry comes out nice too, like fresh blended raspberry and blackberry, and pure berry essence, with a nice big juicy fruit flavor. It comes out more than I expected it to cut through the beer considering how big the beer already is. It adds a really nice touch to the stout. There is also the whisky, again can't really pick out the rye, but there is a nice whisky flavor, with a bit more barrel and wooden shelf, and again gives me that sampling whisky in a rickhouse sensation. A bit of warming booze kicks in as well, esp as I swirl it more and more, but nothing near 12.7%. The legs I mentioned originally that swirled around the glass also swirl around my mouth and linger for hours and make a nice bit layer around my mouth that keeps me from tasting anything else for quite a while. This lingers on the finish as expected, with a bit of bitterness from the roast and dark malts, maybe hints of hops but i can't taste them, with plenty of dark malts, chocolate, and vanilla barrel lingering, and more importantly the awesome berry flavor sticks around with all that for quite a while. The booze is long gone as well.

Mouth is big bodied, legs that fill my mouth with thick beer and coat everything, a bit syrup, and just enough warming booze to let you know it's a big beer. The carbonation is surprisingly good as well. As I keep sipping and swirling the tingly booze finally starts to hypnotize my tongue with a light tingly feel, and like it's being absorbed through it and even tickles it.

Overall I don't think I even need to say more. The only way they could have improved the BCS was with the berry flavors. This is just soooo delicious, a huge beer that hides the booze well and drinks amazingly smooth all things considered. the berry cuts through quite a bit and really gives you the great chocolate and dark malts syrupy awesome covered berry.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 23:57:45 | More by jlindros

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.58/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 22oz bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 3/5/12
*From notes

-- In honor of Valiene --

A: Dark and rich, this is black as night. A firm, hard pour yields a surprising one finger head that's creamy and rich.

S: Wow. I love BCBS, so you can imagine my delight to find the BCBS nose with a strong emphasis on ripe fruit. It explodes out of the glass with fresh brownies and wicked bourbon. The key difference here is the killer jammy quality that overwhelms my nose with the utmost balance. An unmitigated success.

T: Like the nose, the balance here is near-perfect. It's all I love about BCBS with a fruity twist. The bourbon hits up front, followed by warm, melted dark chocolate. The finish is sweet and a bit tangy, as the raspberries and blueberries unload their juicy bite. Jesus this is good.

M: A slight bit more effervescent then the base beer, or even BCBCS. But in the end, it's still head and shoulders above 99% of the ADIS field. Like liquid motor oil, it coats my mouth and lingers for ages.

O: Goose Island's Bramble Rye is easily the best new beer I've yet to come across in 2012. Everything comes together here in a spectacular and delicious way. I'm quite surprised about the so-so reception for this wonderful brew, and hope that makes this a bit easier to track down on the trading forums.

Two big, fat thumbs up. Here's to many more BCBS one off's.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 20:20:43 | More by Rhettroactive

barnzy78

Illinois

4.55/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

22oz, bottled on 12/10/2011. Picked this one up at Rudy's in LaSalle, IL - got lucky finding it much later than the actual release date.

Poured into a snifter, body is black, maybe a tinge of chestnut at the very edge of the glass when held to the light. Thin bubbly, light brown head fades quickly and leaves no lacing, but that's expected with the mammoth ABV. Aromas are huge bourbon, rich, dark fruit, dark chocolate, bold coffee, boozy as it warms to room temperature. Tastes are amazingly complex: intense dark fruit up-front with cherry, blackberry, raspberry, rich dark chocolate, loads of bourbon notes, coffee, cherry cola, faint peppery notes from the rye try to come through, but the booze on the finish knocks everything off the palate. Gets to be cloyingly sweet towards the end, but still drinks well as a sipper. Mouth-feel is full-bodied, velvety smooth, modest carbonation. Superb treat from a brewery that I have not had anything from for a long time.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 03:21:34 | More by barnzy78

fvernon

Indiana

4.55/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled 12/10/11, poured into a portsmouth snifter at a little cooler than room temp. Pours a thick, dark chocolate brown with maroon tinges and smells like blackberries soaked in chocolate, oak, and rye whiskey.

Lip-smacking blackberry jam, raspberry, rye, and gobs of freshly made dark chocolate. A bit more tart than I was anticipating, but this is really delicious - and odd; it's not like a stout I've had before, even within the BCBS series. Plenty thick, it's dessert in a bottle with wonderful, full, viscous mouthfeel. Perhaps not as popular as some of the other versions out there, but I'm really enjoying this right now.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 23:45:06 | More by fvernon

NorthsideFred

Illinois

4.54/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I'm enjoying bottle #0953 dated 12/10/11. I haven't posted a review in a long time, but this beer pulled me back in.

Let me start by saying I'm biased. I have raspberry and blackberry bushes in my yard.

A: This looks great. It poured pitch-black with a perfect-looking, dark-brown head.

S: Raspberries dominate, some chocolate and vanilla follow. The rye is muted.

T: I really like this. It tastes like a warm, flourless, chocolate cake with a little vanilla ice cream, and of course... raspberry sauce drizzled over it.

M: This is full-bodied creamy goodness.

O: I wish there was more rye, but overall - I really enjoyed this.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 04:36:22 | More by NorthsideFred