Inner Source
Jackie O's Brewpub

Coal black with a light brown cap that fades into nothing. Bourbon, dark oak, candi sugar, roasted malt, baker's chocolate, and earth meet in the nose, but never truly meld, separate but equal. Taste however they come together with caramel, smoke, honey, and a hint of black peppercorns, in a satisfying way, interweaving the flavors with one another. Feel has a sweet center core for sure, but the barrel and even more so the roasted malt tame it, making this big heavy and boozy stout work.

 

12.7 ounce bottle, 2020 vintage. Served in a Jackie O's snifter, the beer pours dark brown/black with almost an inch tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. The brew smells like vanilla, bourbon, dark fruit, dark chocolate and some licorice. I think the taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also molasses, candi sugar/syrup, rye, dark bread, clove and oaky flavors noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's coating and easy enough to drink with a moderate amount of carbonation. The 15.4% ABV is hidden well, doesn't seem like it's that boozy. I liked this brew a lot, think there's still some available so pick up a bottle or 2 if you can!

Interesting melange of flavors, still with all of Jackie O's BBA stout hallmarks: oily consistency, modest carbonation, underlying honey sweetness. This one adds some light Belgian esters, clove, cassia bark, vinous tannins, prune. Bursting with rye spice and bourbon booziness once it hits the palate, joined by some cocoa powder on the way to a long finish.

 

 

 

Solidly black with a tan souffle head of moderate height that very slowly settles to an uneven bubbly collar.

Fluffy up front because of the thick persistent head, the slick medium to full body quickly warms all the way on into the gut after the lightly chewy powder dry finish.

Taste is roasty yet acidic--like espresso with notes of baker's cocoa and dates--exhaling hints of wood while lacking notably characteristic expressions of barrel. Touches of sassafras and licorice add an unusual tang relative to Jackie O's typical stouts, contrasted by hints of black pepper and cedar. Over time, its lightly fruitier, quad-like yeast reveals an almost cherry-like quality after it fully warms.