Wood Burner (Bourbon Barrel-Aged)
Jackie O's Brewpub

 

 

 

 

A - Pitch black body, opaque, with a light tan head that pours short and fades to a cast and ring. Lacing is minimal.

S - Pungent wood and booze, the long stay in the barrel bringing strong vanilla, and a pungent chocolate core.

T - The flavor delivers a huge brownie and dark chocolate blast, with vanilla and bourbon through the middle, and a slightly acidic bite in the close.

M - The warmth of the alcohol is present, but the weight is moderate, and the finish is surprisingly clean.

O - With age on this one, any smoke has receded, and the result is a lush, surprisingly delicious big, barrel stout.

Thanks, Jim!

Shiny, cola-like body. Black with dark brown hues around the edges. One and a half finger beige cap.
Aromas of deep toasted malts, espresso, black licorice, bourbon and oak.
The taste follows the nose quite spectacularly. Roasted malts but with a molasses sweetness. Lots of oak and smoke with a bite of alcohol in the finish.
Heavy body, medium-low carbonation.

 

 

 

12.7 FL Oz bottle
Served in a Jackie O's snifter
2014

This beer pours black and is topped with a film of deep mocha head that leaves no lacing.

The smell is dark chocolate and anise. There is also caramel and vanilla and subtle hints of smoke.

The taste is chocolate and anise just like the aroma, but the chocolate is more prevalent. The bourbon sweetness comes through. There is a little smoke in the finish.

Full mouthfeel. Thick, syrupy mouthfeel

This is a beer that I am glad that I cellared for 4 years. Really smooth and everything melded together nicely.

12.7oz bottle, 2018 bottling, served in a snifter glass.

Appearance: Pitch black with an initial dark tan head that died back to a thin ring at the edge of the glass. Some islands and strands of lacing noted.

Smell: Bourbon, some underlying caramel, some woody notes, and just a hint of smoke.

Taste: Bourbon, caramel (with a bit of buttery taste to it), bittersweet chocolate, then some savory/meaty notes. A bit of a metallic finish with more bittersweet chocolate and some light smokiness.

Mouthfeel: Nicely thick and very smooth and creamy. Very light carbonation with a bit of warming from the higher alcohol. Some bourbon bite, but muted.

Overall / Drinkability: A good slow sipping beer with full flavor, and nice in that the bourbon barrel is a flavor accent and not something that dominates the entire stout. The smoky flavors are subtle for me, but maybe that's the point - they are there for an accent to the main imperial stout, and not something that smacks you over the head. I feel this is a delicately balanced bourbon barrel aged imperial stout - almost like they titrated in the flavors. Quite good, but I think a little to subtle for my palate.

L - pitch black, one finger gray head

S - amazing bourbon, coconut, vanilla, banana, cocoa, no booze

T - Hints of smoke, banana, cocoa, spiciness. Just what you want of residual sugar

M - low carbonation, dense but not syrupy

O - a great bourbon barrel aged imperial stout

No bottling date

Pours a deep black with almost no trace of head save for the thin light beige layer of foam presenting on the surface before almost immediately fading to a slight ring around the edges; thin veils of lacing appear and fade quickly, leaving little to no lacing consistently present.

Aroma brings detailed notes of dried, toasted wood to go along with vanilla, dried figs, dark chocolate, and dark cherries; a subtle, balanced smoke permeates deftly through all of the aforementioned notes, presenting more in a background role than at the forefront.

Taste shines further detail on the smoke’s influence on the base and barrel character; the malt profile takes on an inward smokiness, giving it a heavier, earthen presence while emanating plenty of toasted, lightly charred oak; I’m also getting hints of plum skins, overripe dried fruits, a dusting of baker’s chocolate, mild caramel, spent coffee beans, and dark cherries; the flavor profile maintains a dry sort of smokiness, while the fruitier characteristics tend to burst through a bit more.

Mouthfeel is balanced and maintains an excellent medium-light body, slick and with a slightly malty heft; carbonation is integrated in a near-perfect fashion; finishes semi-dry and with a delayed stickiness on the palate that works extremely well.

I’m really liking how the smoke is used here, as though it’s infused the malts and not the beer itself and allowing for plenty of subtleties and details in the flavor palate to shine through. Things do falter a bit as the flavors occasionally feel as though they’re ‘drying out’ and thinning (maybe this would have been less apparent had I drank it soon after getting it), but this is overall a well-made BA stout that puts out a nicely structured profile and an easy experience with a smoked beer.

 

Pours black with a thin head that dissipates to a khaki colored ring around the glass.
Smell is boozy with hints of caramel.
Taste is also boozy with mild hints of Chocolate and coffee.
Feel is full bodied but not syrupy. Definitely has an alcohol burn on the back end.
Overall this is a solid BBA stout.

375ml from 101 Bottles for $12+ split with Lisa in Kent.

Liked it, didn't love it. Slight medicinal notes and some heat. Worth trying but wouldn't get another at that price.