-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Barrel Aged Jolly Rodger (2015)
Drake's Brewing Co.
- From:
- Drake's Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- American Porter
- ABV:
- 10.2%
- Score:
- 92
- Avg:
- 4.2 | pDev: 5%
- Reviews:
- 10
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- May 26, 2020
- Added:
- Nov 01, 2015
- Wants:
- 5
- Gots:
- 11
Our Jolly Rodger aged in rye and bourbon barrels from Highwest Distillery
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by drew42e:
Reviewed by drew42e from California
4.55/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.55/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Barrel aged version of Drake's Imperial Porter has less coffee upfront in aroma but still present. Pours near black with tan head. Aroma complex with coffee, vanilla, barrel. Taste is wonderful, have had this a few times and gotten coffee, chocolate, caramel, vanilla, oakiness, but needs to be warmed for full experience. One of my top porters with Victory at Sea.
Mar 06, 2016More User Ratings:
Reviewed by rodbeermunch from Nevada
4.09/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.09/5 rDev -2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Consumed January 19, 2016.
Pours black with 3/4" brown head in impressive fashion. The bourbon barrel notes were relatively mild here, same with the coffee. Not a bad thing, they found harmony and balance with each other.
Taste really put a lot of nuance into balance. Chocolate notes, caramel notes, nuttiness, vanilla, coffee, wood, bourbon. Its enjoyable to drink unlike a lot of double digit alcohol imperial stouts. The body isn't super sludged up or rife with massivity. Its drinkable in good proportions. The alcohol doesn't sting, it melds with the rest of the diverse amount of characteristics. For having coffee, it had a pretty good cream effect that didn't succumb to a scorched earth amount of roasting. Just the lightest touch of sweetness that pushes it all along quite nicely.
It sounds all huge, but its got a great semblance of everything, you know this would go nice with a cigar.
May 26, 2020Pours black with 3/4" brown head in impressive fashion. The bourbon barrel notes were relatively mild here, same with the coffee. Not a bad thing, they found harmony and balance with each other.
Taste really put a lot of nuance into balance. Chocolate notes, caramel notes, nuttiness, vanilla, coffee, wood, bourbon. Its enjoyable to drink unlike a lot of double digit alcohol imperial stouts. The body isn't super sludged up or rife with massivity. Its drinkable in good proportions. The alcohol doesn't sting, it melds with the rest of the diverse amount of characteristics. For having coffee, it had a pretty good cream effect that didn't succumb to a scorched earth amount of roasting. Just the lightest touch of sweetness that pushes it all along quite nicely.
It sounds all huge, but its got a great semblance of everything, you know this would go nice with a cigar.
Rated by DoctorZombies from Florida
4.31/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.31/5 rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Chocolate with a little bourbon and lite roast malt.
May 30, 2016Reviewed by rudzud from Massachusetts
4.34/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.34/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Shared with JLindros.
A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip nice dark brown almost black hue with a nice half a finger mocha head that fades to leave a nice blanket.
S - Aromas of nice fudgy chocolate, rich coffee, nice nutty notes. Light bourbon, good soft barrel notes.
T - Taste is similar to the nose, nice fudgy chocolate and solid lightly bitter coffee. Light roast nuttiness, really really light barrel and whiskey notes.
M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated, smooth, creamy, with good nice hidden alcohol.
O - Overall this is a really nice stout with really good coffee notes. Quite nice.
Serving Type: bottle
Apr 16, 2016A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip nice dark brown almost black hue with a nice half a finger mocha head that fades to leave a nice blanket.
S - Aromas of nice fudgy chocolate, rich coffee, nice nutty notes. Light bourbon, good soft barrel notes.
T - Taste is similar to the nose, nice fudgy chocolate and solid lightly bitter coffee. Light roast nuttiness, really really light barrel and whiskey notes.
M - Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated, smooth, creamy, with good nice hidden alcohol.
O - Overall this is a really nice stout with really good coffee notes. Quite nice.
Serving Type: bottle
Reviewed by jlindros from Massachusetts
4.35/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.35/5 rDev +3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Thanks to rudzud for sharing
Pours a big fluffy creamy thick mocha colored head, nice lacing, pitch black think beer long legs.
Nose brings loads of fresh coffee mocha and tons of fudgey cocoa dark choc, great dark chocolate covered nuts, creamy vanilla iced coffee, cocoa, nice vanilla oak but very little whisky.
Taste brings big thick cocoa, dark chocolate, some fresh roasted coffee, fudgey sight nutty cocoa coffee into mocha blend, little creamy, with fair bitterness, bakers choc turns bitter, raw cocoa nibs, earthy coffee and a bit fruity. Mild vanilla barrel, very little whisky, little touch colorcookie dough. Finish dry sticky lingering dark choc cocoa and bitter coffee.
Mouth is thicker fudgey cocoa, nice carb, no booze.
Overall very good beer but missing the barrel or it would have been a lot better.
Apr 16, 2016Pours a big fluffy creamy thick mocha colored head, nice lacing, pitch black think beer long legs.
Nose brings loads of fresh coffee mocha and tons of fudgey cocoa dark choc, great dark chocolate covered nuts, creamy vanilla iced coffee, cocoa, nice vanilla oak but very little whisky.
Taste brings big thick cocoa, dark chocolate, some fresh roasted coffee, fudgey sight nutty cocoa coffee into mocha blend, little creamy, with fair bitterness, bakers choc turns bitter, raw cocoa nibs, earthy coffee and a bit fruity. Mild vanilla barrel, very little whisky, little touch colorcookie dough. Finish dry sticky lingering dark choc cocoa and bitter coffee.
Mouth is thicker fudgey cocoa, nice carb, no booze.
Overall very good beer but missing the barrel or it would have been a lot better.
Reviewed by brewaddict from California
4.38/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.38/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
L - Looks oily and black with a thick espresso head. Lots of lace.
S - I get amazing notes of coffee, chocolate, oak, and vanilla.
T - The taste is similar. Coffee, vanilla, chocolate with a nice oak and smoky finish. I don't get a lot of bourbon. The coffee in the base beer was a little over toasted and was a little bitter. This has been tamed out quite a bit.
F - Very rich and creamy. This is thicker than its base beer. Coats the mouth nicely. Good carbonation
O - This really is a great beer. Although the barrel aging is subtle. I can definately pick up the oak and vanilla notes. I really like that the coffee has mellowed at bit.
NOTE: I just found out, at the 2016 Jolly Rodger release party, that the base beer for the 2015 BA Jolly is the 2014 Jolly Rodger Imperial Coffee Stout. So my initial comparison to the base beer is incorrect. The label lead me to believe that the base was the 2015 Porter. So, for clarity, my review is more in line with my notes of the true base beer which wasn't as coffee forward and was really good.
Feb 22, 2016S - I get amazing notes of coffee, chocolate, oak, and vanilla.
T - The taste is similar. Coffee, vanilla, chocolate with a nice oak and smoky finish. I don't get a lot of bourbon. The coffee in the base beer was a little over toasted and was a little bitter. This has been tamed out quite a bit.
F - Very rich and creamy. This is thicker than its base beer. Coats the mouth nicely. Good carbonation
O - This really is a great beer. Although the barrel aging is subtle. I can definately pick up the oak and vanilla notes. I really like that the coffee has mellowed at bit.
NOTE: I just found out, at the 2016 Jolly Rodger release party, that the base beer for the 2015 BA Jolly is the 2014 Jolly Rodger Imperial Coffee Stout. So my initial comparison to the base beer is incorrect. The label lead me to believe that the base was the 2015 Porter. So, for clarity, my review is more in line with my notes of the true base beer which wasn't as coffee forward and was really good.
Reviewed by TheSixthRing from California
4.2/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.2/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Bottling date of 10/21/15
Appearance - Pours black with cola brown edging. The head peaks at a finger's width and is the color of cocoa. Half finger head with fair retention, leaving a mostly barren surface. No lacing, but not expected from a BA brew.
Smell - Mostly a sweet aroma with notes of vanilla, chocolate, oak, caramel and coffee. Boozy bourbon sits beneath.
Taste - Follows the nose. Chocolate and vanilla hits first, then a wave of whiskey warmth and tartness with lesser dark fruit rushes in. That wave subsides, letting in notes of caramel, char and an ever strengthening coffee flavor, finishing with residual notes of coffee roast and some whiskey character.
Mouthfeel - Medium to full in body with moderate carbonation. Smooth and drinkable, with a semi-dry finish. Lacks the 'marginally thin' body that many BA brews suffer from. That's a big plus in my book.
Overall - Well done, Drake's. This brew finds a nice balance between the characteristics of the base brew and the barrel influence, delivering a strong, drinkable brew with unique character. I don't know that this would require aging; it is very smooth and fantastic to drink as is.
Feb 20, 2016Appearance - Pours black with cola brown edging. The head peaks at a finger's width and is the color of cocoa. Half finger head with fair retention, leaving a mostly barren surface. No lacing, but not expected from a BA brew.
Smell - Mostly a sweet aroma with notes of vanilla, chocolate, oak, caramel and coffee. Boozy bourbon sits beneath.
Taste - Follows the nose. Chocolate and vanilla hits first, then a wave of whiskey warmth and tartness with lesser dark fruit rushes in. That wave subsides, letting in notes of caramel, char and an ever strengthening coffee flavor, finishing with residual notes of coffee roast and some whiskey character.
Mouthfeel - Medium to full in body with moderate carbonation. Smooth and drinkable, with a semi-dry finish. Lacks the 'marginally thin' body that many BA brews suffer from. That's a big plus in my book.
Overall - Well done, Drake's. This brew finds a nice balance between the characteristics of the base brew and the barrel influence, delivering a strong, drinkable brew with unique character. I don't know that this would require aging; it is very smooth and fantastic to drink as is.
Barrel Aged Jolly Rodger (2015) from Drake's Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
92 out of
100 with
41 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!