Bourbon Barrel-Aged Skipping Stone
Jackie O's Brewpub

 

 

 

 

12.7 Fl Oz bottle, vintage 2019, poured into a tulip glass at 55 degrees F:
L - dark caramel with a hazelnut head that disappeared quickly
S - bourbon, caramel
T - wonderful blend of bourbon and caramel
F - thick and silky
O - great beer, flavors blend so well!

 

A treat at a dear price (and, hence, not one I need to repeat); but, a treat all the same.
My copy's label proclaims 14.2 ABV; but I would have preferred the 13% rendition so that I could finish in one sitting.

While I've had 48+ quads, I'm less familiar with quads that go through the American process of bottling it out of the barrel. So a lot of Skipping Stone's tastes (vanilla, chocolate, caramel) remind me of imperial stouts. (And stouts are how Jackie O's prospers.) But the Belgian abbey strongs remind me of a medley of dark dried fruits amped-up by brewers sugar. And I get just enough of that to say that this is a quad. But there is something that lingers here (besides the 14.2 ABV.) It's licorice-like. And it's neither good, nor bad; just interesting.

As for the accomplished Jackie O's in a college town, right near the university... I'm wondering how many towns with major universities have brewers as good as Jackie O's. How many of those towns have breweries that are in the top 3% of the state. I'm betting: quite a few towns. (But that is a very qualitative study.) My point is that Jackie O's is a treasure and Ohio should be appreciate such excellence... in all things non-beer, also.) End of sermon.

 

 

 

Deep, dark mahogany body, nearly black in the light; thin but lasting and respectable head for a high ABV beer; fine, thin sheet of khaki colored foam sticks to the glass. Big roasted grain aroma with elements of dark, pitted fruits, and charred whiskey barrel oak. The taste reinforces a lot of what the smell provides and expands the sensation with fuller, richer aspects of dried figs and dates; noticeable booziness but nicely tempered with the dark fruit sweetness; bourbon; hints of licorice and star anise. Heavy body; thick and almost sludgy in feel; nice alcohol warmth.

A barrel-aged quad that looks good and tastes and feels great. The high ABV is present yet tamed with a quadrupel ale taste profile. Bold and tasty...

 

375 ml bottle into a goblet. 2019 release, had 3/27/20.

Pours a ruby brown color, semi opaque, with a short head and some foamy cling. Aromas of bourbon, caramel, plums, malt, tobacco, oak, raisins, figs, light dates, some grapes. Mostly similar flavors- bourbon, caramel, malt, oak, figs, raisins, some tobacco, some plums and grapes, light chocolate. Smooth, a very good medium body, appropriately carbonated.

This is excellent, really solid from top to bottom. Terrific barrels that take charge, a great base, a few different notes from the barrels that give this a nice twist on a classic quad. Will buy this anytime I see it.

Skipping Stone is a nice change of pace from the imperial stouts I obsess over at Jackie O's. This beer is a classic dark gold quad with primary flavors of dark fruit, caramel, spice, and oak.

The beer is murky. I really like how the raisin and yeast take over this beer because it gives the quad it's full body. The beer is quite strong but the bourbon barrel doesn't come through much on this one, as others have mentioned.

@firesidewithphil

 

 

 

12.7oz bottle, 2018 vintage, poured into a goblet
A: Very dark brown, thin head
S: Roasted malts, caramel, cherry, bourbon, vanilla
T: Matches the nose. Tastes pleasantly aged, I’m not sure it would have been too much when younger but it certainly is pleasant now
M: Full bodied but balanced
O: The bourbon definitely takes a background note compared to what the quad elements bring but this is quite nice overall

 

 

 

 

 

L - pours a muddy, sandy medium dark brown. Lemon-hued white head that doesn't last long.

S - oof. I gave this a good swirl and some beer leapt out of the glass into my sniffing nostril. So now I know what beer smel-- tastes like through the nose. Mostly bourbon, but instead of that sharp, boozy aroma, it's thicker, fully, sludgier, and... slower. Belgian body and spices meld heavily with the bourbs to give it some serious backbone. Raisins and plums, along with caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar.

T - more of the aroma with increased concentration in the oaky caramel arena. Bourbon isn't as up front and center as other JO BA beers, but it plays a nice supporting role, providing heft and foundation to other flavors of figs, pomegranate, and molasses. Coffee cake sweetness, along with bittersweet chocolate and mild acetone booziness. FInish is relatively tame with subtle sugariness.

F - full-bodied, something big JO beers sometimes lack, but the carbonation is a little inconsistent and fizzy.

O - feels a lot like a BA JO stout, but the belgian twist adds more robustness and complements the flavors better. Nice bourbon presence without being overwhelming like drinking bourbon without the burn.

Clear caramel brown, clean pour. Smell is super boozy with bourbon, some wood and vanilla, big dark fruit and caramel hit hard too. Taste saw the caramel and some candi sugar take on a toasted complexion amongst the bourbon, booze, brown sugar, plum and date esters, vanilla, with a touch of coconut. Feel is pretty warm verging on hot with the booze, sticky, languid, and very smooth. The wife liked it.

 

12.7oz bottle purchased at Binney’s near Lake Zurich IL. 2019 vintage. Poured into a tulip glass.

Pour: deep reddish-brown, very little head, no ring or lacing to speak of.

Nose: slightly boozy caramel/molasses, sweet malt. Really nice.

Taste: burnt caramel, dark chocolate, sweet bourbon and malt. Not overly boozy but a bit of an alcohol burn on the sides of the tongue. Really delicious and balanced.

Mouthfeel: moderate carbonation that accentuates the booze on the tongue. Slightly viscous, but not cloying.

Overall: I really like this. Can’t go wrong with caramel, some chocolate hints and sweet malt/bourbon. Very well balanced, lots going on I can’t identify. Would absolutely buy again if I saw it.

 

 

2019 version 375 ml 12.8% @ 55 degree cellar fridge poured into a DFH tulip. Rich dark brown body with almost no head and what little head it had dissipated quickly. Very rich smell of booze, barrel, dark fruit and the trademark, at least for me, kind of licorice quad notes. First sip produced a major hot alc coughing jag from which I adjusted quickly and subsequently it was a smooth sipper, particularly as it warmed up. Mouthfeel was perfect for the style.

Barrel aging a traditional style like a quad turns it into something different and I acknowledge it while not letting it bother me like it does others. Imo this is what craft beer should do as far as pushing the limits. So count me in as a fan while stating that this is something different than a straight quad.

Released 5/10/19; drank 7/11/19 @ the Yarchives.

Opaque brown/purple appearance.

An even pour yielded a minimal tan head; no lace.

Bourbon, caramel, mild oak & faint milk chocolate notes in the nose.

Thick, sticky mouthfeel.

Bourbon heat & caramel flavors up front; oak & acorn notes on the finish.

This was crazy boozy up front, but became a bit more palatable once it warmed. Still over the top, and not one I'll seek out again.

 

12.7 ounce bottle, 2018 vintage, 13% ABV. Served in a Jackie O's snifter, the beer pours a murky dark brown color with about a half inch tan head that fizzled away quickly. Not much lacing either. I like the aroma, the brew smells like bourbon, vanilla, dark fruit (raisins, plum, fig), caramel, and dark bread. Taste is similar to the aroma, but there's also the addition of some sweet spice, clove, oak and toffee flavors. Was expecting this to be boozy but the alcohol is well-hidden. Mouthfeel/body is medium/full, it's slick and smooth with a moderate amount of carbonation. Easy enough to drink considering the ABV. I thought this was a pretty good barrel aged quad, I know I'd like to buy this again! $11.99 a bottle.

 

 

 

 

Beautiful beer with subtle texture and bountiful flavors.