Bourbon Barrel Dark Apparition
Jackie O's Taproom & Brewery

 

On tap. Pours a very opaque brown, even when held up to the light, with minimal khaki foam. Smell is bold, bourbon, malt with molasses becoming more apparent as it warms. Taste starts with a wall of malt, followed by a restrained dose of bourbon and vanilla. The middle taste has a lot of complexity, adding raisins, licorice and molasses, with slight hops. These flavors carry into the long aftertaste, joined at the end by a bit of heat from the ABV. Feel is very rich, but smooth, with minimal carbonation, but just enough alcohol and hops to avoid being cloying. Overall, this is beer is a paragon of balance. Hugh, complex malty flavor, with just enough barrel aging to provide a counter to the sweetness. Really masterful brewing.

No head ever develops... Rather there s a dark khaki colored collar that is late to develop, audibly fizzy, and disappears in an instant... Still and inky black with no discernible carbonation... Huge sweet malt bomb of a nose... Molasses, caramel, chocolate and roasted malts...Decadent would be an understatement... Equally sweet on the palate but with loads of depth and complexity... There are notes of vanilla, fudge, roasted malt and a hint of nuttiness hidden just beneath the surface... The bourbon notes rise on the finish along with a satisfying spicy heat... Full bodied but not too thick or chewy... Sleek and elegant... Outstanding stuff... Text book dessert beer...

I had one of these been sitting in my aging box for about 15 months. It's time and I need a treat.

It pours a flat looking black with no fizz. The aroma is strong and full of things that came out of the stout - malty warning of the wonderful but strong experience to follow. The taste is somehow balanced and smooth while huge and overwhelming. This seems like a paradox - it is. Where did this get so much flavor? How does it keep it so drinkable? I am in awe of the folks at Jackie O's. Great Job.

Highly recommended. I will pick up more if I see them and reload my aging box.

 

 

Pours an effervescent chestnut/mahogany with a sliver of fast-falling mocha colored head. Not much head retention or lacing, fairly viscous

S: Dark fruit, booze, molasses

T: Super-barrel forward, hints of cinnamon, leafy hops, figs & raisins, some leather notes too up front. Some dried plum notes fight through the Bourbon, some more leafy hops & oaky dryness as this beer warms up, more leather notes & figs too. Finishes with tons of barrel, jammy fruit notes & a little treacle

MF: Super chewy, low carbonation, very warming. Body thins a bit once this beer warms up

Not subtle at all, but some great in your face flavors, you feel this one

Look - Pitch black with a brown head that doesn't last long.

Smell - Bourbon, molasses, and malt. Pretty solid.

Taste - Bourbon, molasses, and malt. Definitely an above average bourbon stout.

Feel - Lightly carbonated, creamy and smooth.

Overall - This is a very solid bourbon stout. I'm impressed.

 

Near ink-black pour, clear, with an opaque look in the glass; no sustained head, just a thin cap of foam that soon recedes to a ring of tan foam inside the glass. Great barrel-aged aroma; rich, dark, roasted malt sweetness cut with a noticeable whiskey quality; cocoa; figs. Outstanding taste; rich sweetness; milk and dark chocolate; cocoa; low-key earthy spiciness; rye; bourbon percolates up near the finish; well-balanced and complex. Heavy, chewy body; thick and velvety on the palate; soft warmth emanates through the beer; mild overall stickiness.

This glorious imperial stout, aged in bourbon barrels, delivers satisfaction with the taste. The beer is engaging on all fronts. Deep, rich, and robust, infused with a gentle and nuanced bourbon barrel character.

ABV: 12.9%; pouring temperature: 49.3 °F; bottling info: 2024
Sourcer: local purchase (Coaltrain Fine Wine, Craft Beer & Spirits)

2024 vintage. Poured from 12.7 oz. bottle into a stout glass at 60.8°. An ink black pour. The medium-mocha-colored head disappeared immediately leaving a tiny ring and very modest lacing. Its nose is earthy and fairly bitter with baker's chocolate, burnt coffee, char, and a strong bourbon presence. The taste is much sweeter than the smell would indicate with fudgy chocolate, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, and toffee balanced by burnt nuts and bitter char. As I slowly sip I can taste some tart black cherry and perhaps raisin in the background. The barrel influence is strong. It adds sweetness but is quite boozy at first. As the Stout breathes it mellows. Drink it slowly; the flavors develop nicely. The mouth feel is excellent: silky, creamy with low carbonation. This batch has an ABV of 12.9% and I can feel it. Overall, This is a fine BBA Russian Imperial Stout. I enjoyed it more than the non barrel-aged original. I'm glad to have tried it and would purchase again. Unfortunately, I haven't seen it locally. I bought this bottle in North Carolina.

I wanted to like this. It wasn’t cheap. Incredibly dark with no carbonation. Alcohol very apparent. Notes of toffee, cherry, chocolate, peanut butter. It just has too much of an alcoholic taste and it’s too harsh. It’s really only drinkable for a few sips. I drank half the glass and decided I was done. It’s also sickeningly sweet.

10/19/24 - (Bottle - Home) (Chicago, IL) Bottle Notes: Obtained via in person trade with Dave @blogjackets on BA on July 19, 2024 in Sheboygan. 12.7 oz bottled in 2023, refrigerated upon returning home until pulling this morning. Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels. Sustainably Crafted with Purpose. 13.2% ABV, Art by Jimmy Kisor. Brewed and bottled by Jackie O's Pub & Brewery, Athens, Ohio.

Appearance: Slow poured into a large snifter. Didn't get much carbonation or action beyond a tan ring forming above and around the rim of near black with dark brown base. Very thin small island of carbonation settling over about 5% of the base. 3.75

Aroma: Let this sit for about 20 minutes before diving in. Getting a sweet bourbon with plum notes both at first take. Once this warms to a proper temperature, get a smoother bourbon, sticky toffee, caramel and bakers chocolate. Whiskey dialed back but still present and a bit strong 20 minutes out of the refrigerator. Let this warm. 4.25

Taste: Consistent with the warm aroma, though deeper and even more enjoyable than anticipated. Gulped a few Warm chocolate fudge, very decadent, leads. Toffee and caramel follow. The bourbon which was strong in the aroma complements, not overwhelms. It's very smooth and silky. Chocolate cake batter. Really enjoying this as a morning pull before my second sleep. Outstanding! 4.75

Mouthfeel: Creamy full body, carbonation very faint and gentle. Drinks perceptively lighter than the ABV at first, but the math doesn't lie about a fifth of the way in through the duration. Bourbon strength and flavor lowered a bit between initial aroma and first 1/3, but emerges stronger in flavor and strength nearing the halfway mark. It settles on equal terms with the base flavors, sweet isolated but complements well with the smooth but potent bourbon, with the finish over the final 1/3 settling on bourbon over base. 4.25

Overall: This is a solid BA selection. Don't recall a King's Island like roller coaster ride between strong bourbon to strong sweet base to a blend / light bourbon tie breaker. Really enjoyed this experience, thank you so much Dave for providing this selection. I look forward to the remaining four you provided from this brewery. Full flavored very enjoyable BA Imperial Stout, Highly recommend. 4.5

On tap at the brewery's gastropub in Athens.

Essentially opaque with dark brown edges and a feeble beige head.

An excellent, bold, BB aged RIS that leans towards the sweet side.