Dark Apparition - Vanilla
Jackie O's Taproom & Brewery

 

 

 

 

 

tan head rises up above an entirely black body. Wonderful retention leaves it several inches high and deposits tons of side glass web like lace. The smooth vanilla and cocoa aroma melds wonderfully with hints of coffee and a touch of molasses. Very complex here. As i take a sip the huge full bodied feel comes in waves over the tongue and settles down with a wonderful coating feeling of sweet chocolate and vanilla. As this fades though a very nice bite of hops comes in and seals the deal

A - Looks like the other Dark Apparitions, black beer with a brown head, slight bit of lace. Decent retention.

S - The vanilla is no joke, huge vanilla in this beer. Some roasted malts, toffee. Nice and sweet smelling.

T - Vanilla gets you like boss. Big vanilla taste on the top of the Dark Apparition. Sweet, and just the right amount of it going on.

M - Smooth, pretty close to full bodied, moderate carbonation.

O - For vanilla stout lovers, this is really one to seek out if they ever have it on again.

A- Pours a black color with no head or lacing. Just a handful of bubbles.

S- Follows the base beer really well. A great smell of the vanilla really jumps out as this brew warms.

T- This is by far my favorite of all the variations I've had this far. Again follows the base beer very well with a great sweet vanilla taste.

M- Fuller side of medium and low carbonation.

O- A great beer for sure.

Holy cow. Best variation on the Dark Apparition. Pours pitch black, no light shines through. Dense tan cream sits on top and sticks around for a bit. Aromas are delightful, a blast of Vanilla wakes you right up and totally over powers the mellow musk of dark roasted malts. Flavor is just as intense, loads of vanilla but not sickeningly sweet, quite balanced actually. Definitely has a nice hop profile as the finish lingers with a firm roast and satifying bitterness. Pretty high up there on my stout list.

On tap at Jackie O's during their Anniversary Extravaganza.

Pours near black with a thin light tan head and just a bit of spotty lacing. The nose brings a very, very strong vanilla presence. Behind that was some chocolate and a small amount of roasted malt.

The flavors blended together more in the taste than all the same components did in the nose and the vanilla wasn't quite as strong, blending in really well. The roast and chocolate both played through and complemented one another nicely. Mouthfeel was nice with good carbonation levels and a smooth finish. Quite tasty and interesting, but not something I would drink a ton of.

On tap at Jackie O's, served into a tulip...Black pour with a light tan head, looks the same as all the variants...The aroma is really nice, dominated by really nice fresh vanilla, balanced with some nice chocolate notes...The taste has a backbone of vanilla which is just the right amount. A lot of times vanilla is too much or too little, this is perfect. If you like vanilla stouts this is one for you.

Tastes as a side by side with '09 Dark Apparition, Vanilla Dark Apparition, Coffee, Turk, Mole, Tea Bagged, and Bourbon Barrel aged

Dark with a bit of smooth light brown head. Definitely the lightest head of the lineup. Strong vanilla smell overpowers the roasted malt. Tastes of vanilla vanilla and more vanilla... smooth and strong... a definite sipper with a bit of bitterness on the end

Had this on tap at Jackie O's 5th anniversary. Poured into a 4 oz glass.

Poured a rich dark black color with some light tan head that lingered on the side then disappeared. Aroma was very strong with sweet vanilla, and dark chocolate. Taste was full with a rich vanilla and dark subtle chocolate coming right behind. Mouth feel allowed for the combination to play together and make you want more. This one was recommend to me, and I really enjoyed it.

A-Body is a very dark brown, nearly black hue. Served with virtually no head-but with a think off-white collar that remains thin but lingers on for awhile. Hints of vibrant red can be seen when this brew is held up to the light.

S- Nose is slightly sweet and offers a lot of vanilla, dark roasted malt, and coffee. The typical RIS components of DA are pretty well overshadowed here.

T- Lots of sweet vanilla upfront, with a nice deep roasted malt backbone to balance it out. Finish is consistent with the initial flavor and has a great sweet coffee balance to it. There is a hint of dark chocolate running through but is pretty hard to detect and well overshadowed.

M- Fantasic and exceptionall smooth and creamy. Low to medium carbonation and a thick, viscous body.

D- This is a fantastic brew overall. The addition of the vanilla makes this brew exceptionally smooth and drinkable-though somewhat sweeter. Really enjoyed this one and could probably drink it all day.