2023 variant. Mulberries, boysenberries, marionberries.

I’ve never been a BCBS guy. Not at the beginning and not in the years since. What tends to happen is that I never buy any of them around the release, but rather pick up one or two in any given year when I see a markdown or a dusty bottle and the mood hits me. It’s inconsistent, infrequent and without particular interest. When I picked this up in 2023 I read a few early reviews and they pretty much all suggested sitting on it. Here we are, here it is.

Standard pour in terms of color, head etc.

Nose is very light on the bourbon, but also has a promise of the fruit to come. The initial tastes are very fruity – very. Light acidity amongst the dark forest fruits. As the beer warms the bourbon element comes in more, but it is very tempered by the persistent fruit. As usual it’s hard for me to identify specific fruits, but this is very berry forward which is hardly a shock. The aftertaste and back end is still driven by the lightly acidic berries, and that’s a good thing. It keeps all of the big booze in check.

About 6-8 oz is enough for me, and the 12% is definitely present even without the bourbon note. The fruit gives a very light feel to the beer.

I quite enjoyed this, but perhaps paradoxically probably wouldn’t want to ever drink it again. I don’t know if that’s a contradiction or a comment on my general beer philosophy. Either way, pretty nice a couple of years in but that’s enough. Poor value as usual.