Knot Theory
Jackie O's Taproom & Brewery

Poured at fridge temp. Pours pitch black with zero head. The nose is amazing. Big bourbon and vanilla notes, honey, slight graham cracker, prunes, toffee, and chocolate. I can't stop thinking that this smells like bourbon-soaked prunes.

The taste is insane. Some sherry and bourbon notes come through first. Vanilla, honey, molasses, plums, cherries, black licorice. It's hard to explain, but these flavors are super intense. The almost 15% doesn't hit in an edgy way. It's so damn smooth. Love this so much.

Look - Black and thick wtih nice rimming
Smell and Taste - Rich chocolate bourbon barrel. Smells richer than it taste
Feel - Full body with a very light carb
Overall - pretty great for being a few years old

2020 vintage; consumed on 2/3/22

Pours a glossy, inky black body topped with a slightly forming half-finger of wavy, pale mocha foam fading quickly to a blank cap, large, bubbly froth encircling the surface, and no lacing holding to the walls of the glass.

Aroma finds splintery oak phasing into creamy lactose fusing honey to a peanuty undercurrent as toasted cashews culminate to an overall impression of mixed nuts infused with bourbon esters over the middle; on the back end, macadamia brittle deepens as dark bakers chocolate and oaky vanilla for a cumulative balance of bitter and sweet notes.

Taste opens to chocolate pudding meeting a touch of barrel-aged honey upfront, with burnt sugar finding honey-roasted almonds and cocoa prior to a lactic peak over the mid-palate, distinguished through roasty char and floral honey undertones; bright dark fruits doused in bourbon vanillins proceed into the back end and linger into the finish.

Mouthfeel offers a body on the thinner side of medium with a minimal carbonation; slick and consistent in texture, the creamy mid-palate dissolves somewhat to a spritzy prickle of grit into the back end, where an easy warmth thins slightly to a pseudo-char engaging the finish.

Creamy lactose finds a home among a nutty, bakery-esque underbelly, an unintrusive fusion as a naturally engaging element to a profile delicately bolstered with edges of bourbon; unassuming in its relaxed cohesion as an adjuncted, barrel-aged stout, with excesses maintained in an impressive fashion.

The jet black body has a head that's very shy to emerge--even seemingly non-existent at first--before suddenly appearing as a short but densely thick tan head that quickly recedes to an otherwise fluid surface surrounded by a thin ring.

Pretty assertive and spicy up front, it nearly becomes peppery before fading into a pleasantly charred oak and dark chocolate that truly emulates mocha. It even has that Mexican coffee quality of scorched brown sugar with a hint of cinnamon, while touches of toasted buckwheat and maple develop on the exhale as it warms, along with an increased presence of honey that itself gradually brings the sweetness up.

The honey seems to add a slight roundness and completeness of feel and flavor, but the body is still of a medium-light heft. Its fine, sharp fizz comes to a warmingly semi-dry, lightly sticky finish.

I came out of this with an overall impression of walnut brownies, hands down. This is what Barrel Aged Oil of Aphrodite has always aspired to be.

Second thanks of the evening to fiver29 for this 375ML bottle, Imperial Scouts #6. 2 down, 10 to go. It’s going to be a long night.

The pour is dead flat black, like a ’77 Matchbox Camaro. The nose is malty sweetness, bourbon, & an underlying sweetness that must be the honey. Or my sweet breath.

Knot Theory is the Hopslam of stouts – I’ve never had a stout with this depth of honey. The sweetness runs up front, through the mid-palate, & cleans up the finish. I have no idea how the brewers did that. For the 17 months it spent in barrels it’s a soft kiss of the spirit, rush of supporting malts & happiness. Full, lush, & I could take plenty of this. The mix of barrel exhale & honey is intoxicating. Or maybe that’s the 14.7%.

Fiver29 is stupid. If the other bottles he sent my way are anywhere close to this good I’m never sending him anything in return. Fantastic brew that is unique & that ain't easy in 2021.