Bourbon Barrel Oro Negro
Jackie O's Taproom & Brewery

Poured from a 12.7 ounce bottle, the body is a dark cola brown. Small initial head that quickly dissipated and no lacing of consequence.

Aroma is a complex mix of bourbon, cinnamon, vanilla, and chile. The habanero aroma is muted but present.

Taste follows nose though the barrel is a tad sweeter than the nose. You'll need to be patient to pick up the notes of walnut and oak rising from the stout upon which this beer was made (Oil of Aphrodite). The habanero is felt in the swallow, but it's a light heat. In fairness, I love habs and you might perceive more heat. The cinnamon and cacao nibs balance the pepper and the barrel holds everything together in an unlikely tasty stout. A bit more malty char would be welcome, but that's a personal preference and not a complaint.

Mouthfeel is good but not great. I'd love a bit more body in this stout. More carbonation would be welcome.

Overall an outstanding stout that I interestingly found a bit better when colder than I usually drink stouts. The mix seemed more flavorful when first poured.

 

i think 2022 vintage, i think some abv variance from year to year on this, absolutely next level beer, even a half step better than the non barrel aged edition, which i also loved when i had it. the barrel doesnt take over this, but it does add some lovely richness and smoothness to it, accentuates notes of vanilla and roast, and wraps it all in a warm boozy hug, but the base beer is so fire, walnuts, habanero, cinnamon, vanilla, cacao nibs, crazy rich and warm in the nose with dark chocolate, sweet wood, and the spices, cinnamon and pretty hot chili both evident, molasses, caramel, coffee bitterness, but its somewhat understated compared to the flavor, which is intense and amazing, habanero recognizable as such all the way through it, finishing off with some linger halfway down the throat, really about the max of reasonable i would say, love that its so true to the pepper varietal, and its warm for sure, not for everyone, but definitely for me, and its so nice with the richness of the base beer, decadent malt depth, bourbon and vanilla bean, and of course with the cinnamon, which is vibrant and fresh in this, so compatible with the pepper, wow. walnut is way cool in here, subtle but its there, and i think it adds to the sturdy texture as well, a neat wrinkle, great with all the other added flavors too, fits right in, so distinctive, earthy, grounding, enriching. chocolate is awesome with the spices and spiciness too, and its not too much vanilla, which plagues a lot of these. the base stout is so good too, just insane body and smoothness, massive and palate coating but not overly sweet really, and it can easily support all these extra flavors. the whiskey part is subtle compared to the oak, its just right. very complex beer that warms up super well, and the flavors work so well together but also each have their moment, very impressive overall, slick and huge and something to savor, a treat to share, more walnut as it warms, more cinnamon too, absurd beer, among the very best in this style space...

Canned 5.8.24

poured at above fridge temp into a teku glass

dark black oily pour with a wood brown head that faded pretty quick. 4.25

lovely bourbon and vanilla nose, only the slightest hint of pepper and spice. 4.25

Taste follows with the addition of heavy habanero spice, cinnamon and loads of heat. Not apparent at first but it hit hard on the way down. 4

Mild alcohol warmth, lots of warmth from the pepper addition and good viscosity and mid mouth coating. 4

overall a delight of a treat! 4.25

 

On tap at the brewery's gastropub in Athens, Ohio.

This is, I believe, one of the sweetest American Imperial Stouts I've ever had. Perhaps too sweet for my taste, and understandably boozy. Nonetheless, it's still excellent and has considerable complexity.

 

Picked up a 2022 bottle from the brewery on 5-24-23 for $11.99. Consumed 7-6-24.

Beer poured black with little to no head.

Nose is very nice with notes of cinnamon, vanilla, and bourbon.

Taste is a large mildly roasted malt base that takes on all the adjuncts very well with the most prominent being habanero and cinnamon. In the background is a touch of chocolate and bourbon. Finishes nicely balanced courtesy of the barrel.

Mouthfeel is medium to large bodied and very smooth.

Overall buyer beware: if you are adverse to spicy peppers then don't waste your money as the habanero is prominent but not overwhelming. Personally, i totally dig this style of stout!

 

 

 

 

Purchaed at the Athens, OH brewery in June 2023. Poured at 56°. Thin layer of rocky tan bubbles which vanished quickly, leaving no cap retention, ring nor lace; no legs; black with ruby edges. Spicy nose, followed by chocolate and a bit of bourbon; hot spicy/boozy (13.7%) retro nasal. Spicy hot green chilies sauce entry; black pepper; chocolate (Oreo cookies come to mind); bourbon; cinnamon as beer warms; minimal vanilla; no walnuts from the the base beer. Hot mouth warmth from habaneros, spices and alcohol; thin watery body; light carbonation. Overall, unbalanced; my mouth is on fire; it’s so hot the beer burns all the way down my gullet; not enjoyable; I like spicy Mexican cake style stouts, but this beer is extreme; glad I only bought one.

2023-07-03
375ml bottle served in a little snulip. Vintage 2022. Got it from @ozzylizard in NBS BIF #17.

Pours black with no head, looks still. Smell is bourbon and vanilla, burnt toffee and near-burnt nuts, sweet molasses, hint of something like cinnamon or nutmeg.

Taste is (for me) dominated by cinnamon. Nuts are still there, and something comes across as milk chocolate. Molasses sweetness. I was feeling a little bit of spice on my lips and thinking it was a bit odd for cinnamon to have that much power but not be totally overwhelming for me, and then I read on the label that it contains habaneros, and that's clearly evident now that I saw it. As it's warming up, the cinnamon is becoming even more powerful.

Mouthfeel is nicely thick and chewy. Overall...it appears to be a pretty good stout with a nice level of pepper, but too much cinnamon for me.

 

 

I fell in love with this beer from the beauty on the label to the deep dark color to smooth finish. I used to drive all the way to Danvers to purchase it at Total Wine. Then Covid hit. Are you going to brew up a new batch? I would buy an extra large Tee shirt of the lovely lady and walk around as free advertising too.

Bourbon Barrel Oro Negro from Jackie O’s, 12.7 oz bottle. Received from brewery 05/04/23. Reviewed 10/04/23 (Review 3070). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Printed on the label “2022”. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 54.6 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 59.0 degrees F.
Appearance – 3.75.
First pour – Ruby Brown (SRM 24), almost opaque.
Body – Deep Brown (SRM 30), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear lite, shows a translucent olive at the top edge and ruby at the bottom.
Head – None. While pouring, a five mm crescent of large bubbles appears on about a third of the circumference but quickly evaporates.
Lacing – None.
Aroma – 4.25 – Bourbon and barrel are the predominant aromas, no malt, no yeast, no hops, no chocolate. Oddly, no habaneros. No ethanol (13.7 % ABV as marked on the label) aroma.
Flavor – 4.5 – The habaneros set up a nice oral burn, not too hot and lacking any vegetal flavor. Cinnamon rides in on the aftertaste. Initially no hops, malt, or yeast; light chocolate and ghostly vanilla. Slight gastric warming, but that could be from capsaicin as well as ethanol. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl.
Palate – 4 – Medium; creamy; soft carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 Lacking both head and lacing, the appearance loses a few points. Both the flavor and aroma are quite good, with distinct hits of habaneros, cinnamon, cocoa, and even detectable vanilla, all supported by the bourbon and barrel. Very good and well worth grabbing if you run across a bottle or six. Extra points for having a lizard on the label.