Barrel Aged Jolly Rodger
Drake's Brewing Co.

Barrel Aged Jolly RodgerBarrel Aged Jolly Rodger
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From:
Drake's Brewing Co.
 
California, United States
Style:
Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy
ABV:
11%
Score:
83
Avg:
3.6 | pDev: 17.5%
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
28
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 15, 2016
Added:
Dec 11, 2005
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  1
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by CheapBeerBuzz:
Photo of CheapBeerBuzz
Rated by CheapBeerBuzz from California

3/5  rDev -16.7%

Nov 25, 2013
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.4 by aaronyoung01 from New Mexico

Sep 15, 2016
 
Rated: 4.25 by PA-Michigander from Pennsylvania

Mar 30, 2016
 
Rated: 4.75 by HaveUSeenMyCellar from California

Nov 01, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by zestar from California

Aug 06, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by largadeer from California

Nov 25, 2013
 
Rated: 3.5 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Nov 25, 2013
Photo of rye726
Reviewed by rye726 from Colorado

4.31/5  rDev +19.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a viscous, woody brown with hints of maple. Very nice color, but not much of a head.

Exquisite nose has brandy, oak, vanilla, dark pitted fruits, candy malts, port wine and whiskey.

Taste does not hold the same complexity. Some tart cherries, plums, caramel, toffee, wood, vanilla, wine grapes and cognac.

Medium body is lightly carbonated. Past prime for sure, but still an interesting beer.
Apr 17, 2010
Photo of Sammy
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)

2.88/5  rDev -20%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
A small bottle of soy sauce, thanks for the extra Captain Cougar. Pours oily yellow.A tad of scotch and booy aroma. Muddled taste with some scotch and this salty soy. Drinkable with lunch, barely.There was some bulk in mouthfeel. A bit of wood and a drop of vanilla from he barrel, was expecting more.
May 17, 2009
Photo of tmoneyba
Reviewed by tmoneyba from Ohio

4.07/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Small bottle with foil cover from Freakin Frog, Las Vegas.

Poured dark brown color with mimimal head that was mostly diminished with minimal lacing. Heavy woody, peat and scotch alcohol aroma. Medium body with a sticky texture. Medium to heavy bittersweet flavor with a medium to heavy bittersweet woody scotch finish of moderate to long duration.

Good brew.
Feb 21, 2009
Photo of hopdog
Reviewed by hopdog from Pennsylvania

4.09/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Nip sized bottle shared courtesy of egajdzis (thanks!).

Poured a darker brown color with almost no head. Aromas of vanilla, whisky, some wood, and caramel. Tastes of stronger bourbon/whisky, dark cherries, and caramel. Had a medium alcohol finish. It also finished lightly tart.

Notes from and tasted on 3/31/06
Nov 05, 2008
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Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire

3.85/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 2 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
No vintage date on the nip-sized bottle.

The cap gets cracked without even the slightest whisp, and the beer pours perfectly flat. Dark mahogany and clear body, with amber hues when held to the light.

Aromatics lead off with a blast of bourbon, cherries, port, and malt. Hints of oaky tannins, vanilla, smoke, toffee, and leather follow through.

Medium bodied, with a slick, syrupy mouthfeel.

Plump malt, cherry pulp, bourbon, and drying oak start the palate. A tart fruitiness steps forward along with leathery overtones and an earthy dryness.

Finishes with lingering tart fruit, warming booze, and Sherry.

Too bad the beer was totally flat, because I really enjoyed the level of boozyness and tart overtones. Very complex, but with no carbonation it falls way short of greatness.

Big ups to BA urwatuh8 for a great bonus beer!
Nov 03, 2008
Photo of t0rin0
Reviewed by t0rin0 from California

4.22/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Found this on the shelf at Hollingshead a couple weeks back. Dissapointing that its only a 6 oz bottle (especially for $8).

Pours a dark brown with some red showing through. No head and therefor no lace or retention. Moderately clear for a barrel aged beer.

Smell is of oak and whiskey. There is some scotch ale dark malt smell there too but its mostly of the liquor and the barrel it came from. There is also a noticeable alcohol aroma.

Taste is beautiful. Scotch flavor mixed with scotch ale flavor. Not that these two are similar but they blend wonderfully. I think this beer wouldn't be as good if it was highly carbonated. Alcohol taste is noticeable but not distracting.

Heavy body, low carbonation, kinda oily. It would be nice if this came in 12 oz bottles.
Apr 11, 2008
Photo of grub
Reviewed by grub from Canada (ON)

3.57/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
got this one from fartingdog as part of BC2. you definitely want this dog to leave a package on your lawn. thanks dave!

6oz bottle topped with gold foil wrapper. bottle lists 11.1%abv. dave has written '2005-2006 release' on it.

the bottle opens without a trace of carbonation. pours clear deep red, not quite brown, with no sign of head or even a single bubble of carbonation despite an aggressive pour.

aroma is crazy. smells like a fine mead. honey sweetness. alcohol. vanilla and a bit of bourbon. huge caramel nose. lots of fruit too - cherry, strawberry, date, raisin. i find myself comparing this to port, sherry, and mead more than beer.

taste is nice. right away i think of mead and port, but thinner and not as strong. there's a bit of alcohol and a nice honey sweetness. light caramel. a nice fruity blend similar to what i got in the aroma - cherry, date, raisin, grape. light vanilla. raw oak. low bitterness level. bit of bready malt.

mouthfeel is ok. zero carbonation really hurts this one. the body feels a bit thin too. this would be nice with at least a little carbonation, which would probably help with the thinness of the body.

drinkability is ok. sips like a port or a mead, but doesn't stand on its own as well. the alcohol is fairly well hidden, but this just doesn't drink like a beer - let alone a scotch ale/wee heavy.
Jan 17, 2008
Photo of rallison
Reviewed by rallison from California

3.1/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
A: Dark reddish black with basically no head, just a touch of lacing.

S: Boozy, sweet and caramel-y.

T: Different, but not in entirely good ways. Lots of booze - whiskey like - is apparent. Raisins and whiskey soaked dark fruits. Just a touch of sour grape flavor (barely, barely noticeable).

M: Carbonation is too low in my opinion. Makes this beer a bit flat.

D: 6oz is just about as much as I want of this beer.

Overall, not recommended, especially considering the price.
May 16, 2007
Photo of hoppymeal
Reviewed by hoppymeal from Michigan

3.72/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Small 6oz bottle pours a slightly cloudy chocolate brown with red hues, no head to speak of. Aroma is very port like, rich and sweet dessert wine but also with some fruity dry red wine aroma. A malty sweetness in the background is sugary and figgy. A slight cognac booziness in the aroma as well. Taste is very like a semi dry red wine, slightly fruity and tannic like from the drying oak aging. A hint of oak is in the taste and a perfumy berry flavor in the aftertaste. Mouthfeel is somewhat thin due to the lack of carbonation, but nice and dry in the finish. A very unique beer for sure, the barrel aging adds some nice qualities, but I honestly felt at times that I was drinking wine rather than beer.
Apr 14, 2007
Photo of blitheringidiot
Reviewed by blitheringidiot from Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From 6.0 oz bottle...yes 6.0 oz bottle, Jolly Rodger slips into a wine glass with a dark opaque hue of deep rust russet hues topped with a scant skim razor thin collar of khaki ring. Swirls do nada towards rising a froth.

Oak barrel scents greet the nose along the lines of whiskey barrel and some peat moss. Reminders of Samuel Adams Triple Bock. Lots of wood nse, final nose is a Twizzlers red sugar.

First swigs: Cherry lolipop malt front followed through with a boozy rum. Wood saw dust creeps into the flavor. Some red grape and orange peel citrus zest. Hazy scotch and smoky peat. A tad cherry juice finish.

Feel is rich and full bodied. Boozy nature detracts from the appeal.

Last swigs: These 6.0 oz bottles must be a gimmick. Get real. Is the beer this rare? c'mon. $8? I gave it a shot. This either should be more affordable or in a bigger bottle for the same price. Overall, a bomb of cherry booze and scotch wood barrel.

Beer is good unless it's a ripoff. Happy beering.
Mar 09, 2007
Photo of IntriqKen
Reviewed by IntriqKen from California

3.35/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I don't know what I was expecting, but this wasn't quite it.
Poured a muddy tea color with a very faint head that disappeared immediately.
Aroma is oak, light fruits, and alcohol.
Taste was a surprise. There is the hint of a Wee Heavy, but it has totally changed in this brew. Somehow the smokey flavors become masked by the oak aging, I think. Smokey is still there, but you really have to look for it.
Sweet amber malts are assaulted immediately by sour fruit flavors...sour cherry and sour grape mostly.
Becomes VERY drying afterwards due to the sour fruits. Lots of oak follows as the sourness slowly fades.
Interesting, but not to be sought out again.
For the price, I'll invest in the other beers in this series that Drake does so well.
Mar 04, 2007
Photo of ppoitras
Reviewed by ppoitras from Massachusetts

2.4/5  rDev -33.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2
6oz bottle acquired in trade with Jetsbeer. Thanks for the opportunity. Gold foiled cap.

Poured in a Rapscallion glass, poured a totally still almost opaque root beer brown brew. Aroma is boozy scotch, with oaky notes. Almost scared to take a sip, maybe I'm not worthy, but here goes... Taste is of leathery malts upfront, but quickly shouted down by tart dark fruitiness, and closes with a return to the leather albeit with some warming from the alcohol. Mouthfeel is way thin, and I just couldn't see trying this one again. It's like the smokey malt flavors that I love in a scotch ale were taken out, and replaced by these other flavors that don't really belong. Not sure this is the barrel effect, or what, but not impressed.
Feb 21, 2007
Photo of CharlesDarwin
Reviewed by CharlesDarwin from Rhode Island

2.76/5  rDev -23.3%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5
Originally reviewed on April 26, 2006. 6 Oz Bottle. Pour of almost no head, with a soapy body of extremely murky milky brown, almost sickly in appearance. Decent, but somewhat light aroma of figs, rich warm port, heavy vinous grape notes, pie cherries, and a fluvial run of sherried malt notes. Congruous, but not exciting. Flat. Absolutely no carbonation. Flavor is a watery sherried out vinous failure. It tastes very much like an even mix of water, cheap fortified wine, and a weak scotch ale, with no carbonation of course. Alcohol is peculiar. It’s nonexistant at first, but then warms the back of the mouth. There are some dry cherry and oak notes, hidden among the deluge of sour grapes. Poor use of a barrel, I would say. A little tartness. Finish is grape skin dry. Smack of fresh apples.
Dec 09, 2006
Barrel Aged Jolly Rodger from Drake's Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 83 out of 100 with 28 ratings