Off The Beaten Path 3
Jackie O's Taproom & Brewery

 

Found this sitting on a shelf, inexplicably, in Towson, Maryland. I hope this means we'll see more of Jackie O's in the area, because everything I've had of theirs has been exquisite.

It's billed as a fancily spiced saison. The pour is a dark, misty yellow with a wisp of a white head and medium effervescence. Quite pretty.

The aroma is tart and chewy, saison yeast and lactic acid white a wonderful, pronounced pepperiness.

The flavor is likewise excellently balanced. Lactic acid and citrus up front, moving into a spicy and lightly sour middle, finishing on more potent spice nodes with some chewy yeast lingering on the finish. Very much within the traditional stylistic bounds for a saison and yet still innovative and artistically composed.

 

 

 

My second bottled offering from Jackie O's after Black Maple appears as a very different beer... a saison brewed with chamomile, grapefruit peel, and white peppercorn before being aged in oak wine barrels. Yum. The label tells me to expect a "balanced blend of bitter citrus pith, the soft sweetness of chamomile, and an earthy spice from white peppercorns." It does also mention a "tannic and lactic edge" which I assume has to do with some bacteria picked up during the wine barrel aging process. Can't wait!

Pours a light orange color with considerable haze bordering on straight-up opacity. Some yeast/spice sediment is present at the bottom of the glass, sunken and mostly obscured from view by the cloudy beer itself. A tiny bit of carbonation activity is present, clandestinely buoying a rather-retentive bone-white head with spectacular legs. This is quite a stately barrel-aged saison pour, if I do say so myself. Nice!

The nose comes off a touch metallic at first, with some floral elements and bright spiciness. The metallicness fades out quickly to reveal an almost earthy, rye-like edge to the proceedings, with definite tannic and black tea notes. Lemon zest, grapefruit peel/rind and orange peel. Maybe semi-phenolic as well. Lots going on here. The wine barrel seems toasty and neutral... probably Sauvignon Blanc if I had to guess, but who knows? Slightly bready and doughy with more tart floral character coming through as it warms. Awesome!

Yup, this is definitely a tart floral saison... reminds me of some Jolly Pumpkin stuff, for sure. Warming spice from the peppercorn marries well with the zesty citrus peel and hearty grains of the base beer. I don't know, but I would guess some rye is used in this one, as it has a spectacular earthy depth to it that I associate with that type of grain. Nice palate-numbing tannic structure with defined sour/lactic aspects that don't overcrowd the palate. Doesn't mean it's not sour, however, as each sip definitely kicks hard in that sense, but it's super well-balanced. Apple and other orchard fruit as it warms... almost has an apple pie-note with the crisp grainy quality. Soft and supple feel with massaging carbonation and a dry-leaning finish that nevertheless presents as full-bodied and open enough to give off all of the stuff it's trying to present. I love it. An amazing beer.