Kaleidoscope Cuvée
Goose Island Beer Co.

This has a year + in the cellar on it. Poured opaque black from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. I have this held up to the sun and no light is passing through, only a hint of mahogany at the stem. Some nice lacing on the glass, with a thin fizzy cream colored head around the perimeter. Nose is rum soaked raisin, fig, molasses, cherry cola, caramel, vanilla and booze. Taste is well influenced by the nose, adding some nice oaky barrel characteristics. The maple comes through a bit, but overall a dry finish and not cloying at all. Fantastic cuvée from Goose Island, I will save one for another year.

 

 

1/26/25 - (Bottle - Home) (Chicago, IL) Bottle Notes: Obtained via in person exchange with @danmullins on July 19, 2024. Refrigerated at home until opening this morning. 12 oz., 14.0% ABV. Assuming this was bottled February 27, 204 based on the drink by February 27, 2029 @ 7:38 PM date. Barrel aged Cuvee Ale. Brewed, barrel-aged and bottled by Goose Island Barrel House, Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, IL.

Appearance: Poured full glass into a Goose Island BCBS Snifter, yielding a near black base, a generous bubbly head that lasts a few minutes before leaving a creamy thin cover over the base and more build up around the rim. Very nice. 4.5

Aroma: Let this one sit for 20 minutes yielding a rum lead, nicer than my mixed historical rum experiences, followed by a smooth bourbon, red wine. Light base of bakers chocolate, with raisins, plums and a touch of maple syrup. Mild to medium in strength, solid in enjoyment. Really like the breadth featured in this cuvee. 4.25

Taste: Twenty minutes from pouring yields a deep pull of rich flavors, starting with a fresh chocolate fudge batter base, followed by rum, perhaps because I can be sensitive to that flavor profile. It's quite good. Then the backing raisins, plums and figs. can feel and taste the maple syrup as well. Everything blends quite excellently, nearly halfway through quickly. 4.5

Mouthfeel: Sticky medium plus body, drinks at the strong 14% ABV. Lightly sweet overall, though the bakers chocolate and barrel treatment keep things near balanced, more balanced than expected with the rich sweet flavors bursting through. Barrel a bit mellow in terms of strength, but enjoying the flavors I develop. Well done, with a chocolate fudge and light rum whiskey finish. 4.25

Overall: This cuvee is better than the sum of its parts. Rich base, nice fig and dark fruits, subtle blend of whiskey and rum, light wine notes, maple syrup with a soft touch. All come together in a great overall selection. I really enjoyed my Dapper Rye yesterday, but this one topped it. Thank you Dan for your generosity. I will be looking for future cuvee and releases from the barrelhouse which meet and like this one exceed the more hyped and more pricey BCBS releases. 4.5

 

Cellared a year. Opaque dark brown body, mushroom colored ring. Smells of big molasses, raisin, barley, brown sugar, malt, rye, dessert wine, and maple in that order of intensity. Taste has various booziness: rum, bourbon, port, rye whiskey, in the order, with accenting tones of caramel, raisin, date, earth, barley, toast, and general booze. Feel is boozy and thinner with discernible dark graininess and earthiness, and frankly more defined barrel character with a body to match would have raised all boats. Still, a very nice strong ale, perfect for the chill of autumn. The wife loved it

 

12 ounce bottle into a snifter. Best by 2/27/29, had 5/29/24.

Pours an opaque dark brown, with a quarter inch foamy head and light foamy lacing. Aromas of bourbon, caramel, malt, fig, raisin, some rum, some brown sugar and chocolate, light oak, a little port and tobacco. The flavors vary a little: bourbon, rum, fig, vanilla, malt, some brown sugar and chocolate, light cognac, light maple, a little port. It’s a little bit sweet, more than would have guessed. Smooth, a solid fuller body, appropriately carbonated.

A solid blend that (for me) leans heavily towards a Barleywine. The barrel presence is strong and fairly proportionate to the order listed- though mostly bourbon in the aroma. Lots of great aromas and flavors overall. Definitely sweet, but really good.

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle, the body is jet black. Neither head nor lacing.

Aroma is sweet bourbon barrel with chocolate and figs.

Taste follows nose and adds notes of oak, dried dark fruit (figs, raisins). A substantial malty base balances the barrel sweetness to a substantial degree. The effect is a wall of flavor with a foundation of bourbon. I did not perceive rye in the aroma or flavor.

Mouthfeel is good: heavy but not cloying. Just enough carbonation to provide a tingle.

Tasty cuvée that pulls together various flavors to produce a luxurious sipper.

BB date 27FEB29. Poured at 56°. Black with thin ruby edges; quick light tan head that tried to vanish before I could take the pic; no cap retention, ring nor lace; thin legs at best on swirl. Bourbon nose; sweet port; boozy retro nasal. Entry is bourbon and chocolate; some rum and red wine flavors mingle; sweet dried plums and raisins; brown sugar; some distilled spirits seep through on backend. Smooth silky feel; medium plus body; not adjuncty; face flushing mouth warmth from 14.7% abv; light carbonation. Overall, a great balance of base and multiple barrels; a pleasure to drink.

 

 

Lot of flavor, kind of mapley and syrupy notes. A bit thick, pretty boozy. It may round out as it warms, but I may not let it sit that long. Enjoyable, but not memorable.

 

 

 

Brief Review:

O: Was a little surprised to see this hit my area with little fanfare. No big announcement and somewhat readily available. I know GI has experimented with off-season BCBS-style beers and blends mostly in the Chicago market. They don't really don't any other BA releases other than BCBS because it's such a large endeavor year in and year out. But they seem to be branching out a bit now and Michigan is getting its first taste of a non-BCBS BA release from GI in what might be forever. This is a blend of I think 4 different base beers in up to 5 different barrels. Not sure what the motivation or inspiration was, but I hope they just didn't mix the leftover, right? Anyway, this beer is still decently good. It's rich and full and right from the first sip, you know you're drinking a BCBS product. It's that that distinct aroma and feel. You can tell something is "off" as it's quite a bit sweeter. I can really get that barleywine in there, and the rum barrels too. Even some port barrels. Could you serve it to me blind and tell me it's the latest variant of BCBS? Absolutely. Problem is, I couldn't tell you what the variant is, as it's so indistinct and muddled. But you know you're getting a cuveé when you buy it and sign up for it, so you can't complain.

Recommendation: If it were a standalone variant, I'd say it's not worth getting. But if you're in the mood for an actual cuveé cobbled together from the history of BCBS beers past, then this actually really hits the nail on the head.

 

 

Released 3/22/24; drank 4/1/24 @ the Yarchives.

Black/brown appearance.

An even pour yielded a noisy, minimal tan head which quickly dissipated; no lacing remained.

Marshmallow, chocolate, wood & strong booze heat notes in the nose.

Thick, sticky mouthfeel.

Wood, marshmallow & dark chocolate syrup flavors up front; booze heat notes on the finish. As this warmed, some dark cherry notes emerged.

Too sticky & syrupy for me; it's not bad, but it's not awful I'd seek out again.