Dark Apparition - Jackie O's Pub & Brewery

Gobzilla

California

4.23/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: poured a dark brown in color with brown highlights and a thin head that left a little lacing sticking to the glass.

S: lots going on in the aroma but definitely was able to sniff out dark fruits, good roastiness, caramel, maybe a little muted hop character, chocolate notes for sure, hints of coffee coming through and slight pear notes.

T: the chocolate milky character was more prominent in the taste alongside roastiness, caramel sweetness, plenty of dark fruits such as raisins, coffee flavor, a little booze as well but had a touch of vanilla as well.

M: the brew was medium in body with a fair amount of carbonation which had a sweet, roasty, dark fruity, and milky finish.

O: definitely was a solid beer all around and was quite tasty as well. I need to try other offerings from these guys

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 03:32:29 | More by Gobzilla

libbey

British Indian Ocean Territory

3.75/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Big thanks to Brees6221 for the chance to try this. 22oz poured into a NB globe.

2011 bottle
#45/228

A: The beer pours a very dark cola brown with very little head that had minimal lacing.

S: Deep notes of roast,anise, chocolate and dark fruit. ABV is expertly masked.

T: The flavor profile follows the nose with hints of plum and raisin on the front end with a nice dry roasty chocolate finish. I really liked the flavor profile. Well integrated layers of flavor.

M: The overall mouthfeel is a thin due to it being under carbonated. The finish is a bit cloying and in the end it kept this beer from being great.

O: Overall this is a really good RIS from Jakie O's that is being held back from being great from low carbonation and a lack of fullness in the overall mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 06:05:12 | More by libbey

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.35/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A big thanks goes out to a whole bunch of guys who helped me put together a six bottle set of these Dark Apparitions. I think this one came from claaark13. Cheers!

From a bomber into a snifter
Vintage: 2011
Bottle 113 of 228

APPEARANCE: Pours out dark brown, almost black, and yields a small, medium looking, fizzy tan head with pretty lousy retention. Head quickly bolts and leaves only a slight ring behind. Black opaque body with next to zero carbonation evident. A ring remains but leaves no lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Roasted malts, dark chocolate, tobacco and smoky notes. Pretty bold with lots of chcolate and tobacco. Pretty solid really.

TASTE: Really sweet for sure. Some roasted notes with lots of caramel sweetness and black licorice. Dark chocolate and tobacco as well, as the nose had led on. The bold and lingering aftertaste is roasted with lots of caramel sweetness, tobacco and some bitter dark chocolate. Some smoky notes as well. Perhaps a touch too sweet for me, but this is still pretty complex.

PALATE: Medium body and medium carbonation. Creamy enough on the palate with just enough weight to be alright, goes down smooth and finishes very sticky on the palate. A little too cloying for my tastes. Enough body, however, which isn't always the case with Jackie O's.

OVERALL: This beer has a lot of potential, but the lousy look and somewhat cloying mouthfeel hold it back a little. It's also a little too sweet for my tastes. Tone down the sweetness and beef up the palate a bit and I think this would be a much more impressive brew. For now, it's alright. Thanks again for providing the kickoff claaark13.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 17:14:04 | More by Jeffo

SpeedwayJim

New York

2.93/5  rDev -28%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

2011 vintage. #156/228. Waxed bomber into a Cigar City snifter.

Pours no head. Opaque black but rather thin. Spotty lace with oily legs. Bit below average.

Nose is soy sauce, roasted malt, cocoa, chocolate, and some char. Average. Could be a touch more aromatic.

Opens nutty. Some roasted malt tartness. Soy sauce, prunes, more roasted malt. Anise and cocoa beans towards the end. Finishes roasty with a cocoa and smoky aftertaste. Could be a touch sweeter. Decent complexity with an odd bit of tartness.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. A bit thin and overcarbed in the mouth. Accented finish with a lingering, sticky aftertaste. Goes down decent but again, suffers from being too thin.

Overall, a pretty average imperial stout. Given that this is the base, I'm not sure what to expect from the different barrel treatments. Its ok, just nothing to be impressed by.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 00:28:00 | More by SpeedwayJim

Treebs

Illinois

3.55/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle served in a Deschutes tulip. Shared this in line at DLD. Big thanks to MarkIntihar for the bottle!! Batch from 2011, bottle # 4/228.

A: Pours a pitch black body with a dark khaki head forming on the pour. It recedes to nothing but leaves a sticky body trail around the glass.

S: Sweet creamy malts, oaty flavors and some chocolate with a little bit of roast.

T: Bitter bakers chocolate, toasted oat malts, some pale malts in the finish and a light coffee flavor.

M: Medium to full bodied,medium carbonation and roasty malt finish.

O: This was sadly a little ho-hum for me. It was good, but I expected some bolder flavors for an RIS, particular the dark fruit flavors or more coffee that I find so often.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 18:59:39 | More by Treebs

Scotchboy

Idaho

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark Apparition, 22oz bomber from an awesome BA. My first experience with Jackie O's. Poured into a New Belgium globe.

A: Jet black, opaque, viscous, motor oil...take your pick. Absolutely no head, but carbonation rises after the hard initial pour. Lacing and alcohol feet are apparent.

S: A nice RIS aroma, a little low on roast character but everything else is here; ripe dark fruits, ghostly hops, earthy bitterness, decent amount of molasses, fudge, chocolate, dark malts, faint coffee. Alcohol is pretty much invisible.

T: The biggest flavor is probably that molasses/chocolate fudge cake/vanilla bean character, pretty rich and decadent and a bit sweet. There is more than a hint of dark fruits, with a tart and almost lactic component, but its blends nicely with the malts and an underlying coffee note. Herbal, earthy & oily hop notes are apparent, as is a light & pleasant alcohol heat.

MF: Not quite full, which surprises me. The carbonation is pretty low. Finishes with some dry notes.

O: There are odd things about this particular beer, like the tartness, but overall its quite pleasant. Dangerously drinkable too, which kind of surprises me. A lot going on here, but it isn't too jumbled.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 02:58:20 | More by Scotchboy

jimmy82063

Connecticut

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip glass

A) Jet black, head really fades away, a swirl leaves a little lacing.

S) Burnt coffee dominates followed by molasses.

T) The coffee and molasses again slight caramel and and a nice bitter chocolate. Alcohol at 10.5% is there but not overly so.

M) Nice grainy texture.

O) I really liked this as it was not overly sweet. I thought this was fairly easy to drink given the ABV. I have a brandy barrel version still lying around that may not make it through the weekend!

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 01:33:31 | More by jimmy82063

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a medium size brown foamy head with OK retention and some lacing. Aroma of black chocolate and light molasses is interesting. Taste is dominated by dry black chocolate notes with some light molasses and some very subtle tart notes. Body is above average with limited carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Nicely brewed with limited complexity – fuller body a bit more carbonation would have been better.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 18:56:28 | More by Phyl21ca

Arbitrator

California

2.2/5  rDev -45.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Chilled bottle into a glass. 2011 vintage, thanks to claaark13. Thanks, Sean!

A: Pours a deep, dark brown that is opaque in the center, with just the smallest light penetration at the edges. If I'm not mistaken, this is actually a bit darker than the barrel-aged treatments. It pours with a short-lived mocha head that quickly retreats into a thin collar.

S: One whiff and this explains my confusion over the barrel-aged treatments I had recently. They weren't infected; this beer simply has a roasted, grainy sourness to begin with. I don't like it; it makes it seem like an imperial milk stout, but without the robust milk chocolate presence to back it up. Instead, this one has roasted coffee and a touch of nuts. Decent, but it's not particularly pungent or complex.

T: The taste is, unfortunately, both simple and composed of flavors I don't enjoy. It might be oxidized; the front-end has almost no flavor. The mid-taste eventually flows into a roasty, grainy sourness takes center stage here, segueing into licorice, plums, and a lesser presence of baker's chocolate. There is some grainy bitterness in the aftertaste.

M: Terrible presence. The beer overall feels lacking and watery, in part due to its simplicity. Each swallow falls off the palate quickly, and before I know it the beer is half gone with almost no flavor to show for it. It drinks like a much lighter imperial stout (think Old Rasputin). That would be acceptable if this were intended to be a 6% "sessionable" imperial stout, but for something of this beer's purported ABV, I would love some flavor to back it up. At least there is no trace of the booze.

O: I've been pretty disappointed with all three versions (base, bourbon, brandy) of this year's Dark Apparition. I'm sorry to say it, but I'm writing these guys off.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 04:18:19 | More by Arbitrator

russwbeck

Virginia

3.13/5  rDev -23.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Black pour light brown head. Spotty lacing and not a lot of retention. The smell is great. Robust chocolate and roasted malts form the base. The coffee and molasses come in to form a wonderful concoction. Best part of the beer is the smell. Then the taste goes way down hill. Dark fruits maybe some sourness, with a chocolate and coffee finish. Part of me believes this is becoming infected. The mouthfeel is very watered down and boozy and it isn't terribly drinkable. Pretty disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 18:21:31 | More by russwbeck

cwguy5

North Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Enjoyed at the Jackie O's release 8/27/11.

A - deep black with very thin, tan head that faded to nothing after a bit; some spotty lacing on the glass
S - slight "sour" smell is noticed right away, almost like some wild ales; some nuttiness after the initial funk; earth; light roast
T - walnut, oak, a sour flavor that i don't recognize(maybe an off batch), slightly earthy taste followed by some mild roastiness
M - light carbonation; somewhat thin and slippery feeling; was expecting it to be a bit heavier; short linger that did not dry at all
D - slightly funky which may or may not be an off batch; i wasn't sure if the funky was intended or not so it wasn't horrible by any means; didn't care for the first few sips but by the end of the glass i was warming up to it a bit

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2011 06:24:04 | More by cwguy5

Spider889

Ohio

4.35/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

On draft at the brewpub.

I think I have had a half dozen or more variations of this beer before getting to sample the original base beer.

Served in a snifter. Black - looks much thicker than the barreled versions. Not any head, not even after some swirling. No lace.

The aroma is very rich. The maltiness showcases Brad's love of the grain-side of brewing. Peanut hulls, chocolate, and charred malt all produce something dense, heady, and of moist baked bread.

The taste is of a pure-as-hell RIS. I like this a lot. I preferred this over the BA Dark App and the Brandy Dark App also released along with this batch of Dark Apparition. Rich and decadent, the flavor follows the nose exceptionally, allowing for a beer experience to savor.

Sticky, mildly sweet, and thick - but not quite chewy. Very low carbonation.

Overall and excellent beer. Keep it up Brad, this is just stellar when everything goes right.

Note: I have heard that there was a bit of batch variation on this, the most recent being not as good as this or something. My review stands, as I have not personally experienced any issues with this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2011 05:44:19 | More by Spider889

MbpBugeye

Ohio

2.88/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

This review is from a growler shared by InebriatedJoker.

Appearance
Basically all of the pours coming out of this growler were awesome looking. Lots of head, lots of lacing, all across the table.

Aroma
This is either an off batch, some less than spotless tap lines or a product of it being in a growler (which wasn't very old). This time around Dark Apparition had a lot of buttery smells with some Robitussin cherry. The roasty ash is being taken over by butterscotch and overly sweet caramel.

Taste
Much like the aroma, this isn't the same as the other times I've had this beer. I'm reviewing it because after having a few glasses of this I think it is a less than stellar batch. The flavor is lead by butter and cough syrup. There is a lot of dark fruits, but lots of the nice roastiness is missing.

Mouthfeel
Carbonation seemed a little high, but the body is about right.

Overall
To say there is probably some batch variation at Jackie O's would be an obvious claim. They work in very small batches and it seems they have been pretty crunched for time and space lately. Lets hope we see more consistency in their staples like Dark Apparition in the future.

Serving type: growler

09-06-2011 02:55:39 | More by MbpBugeye

womencantsail

California

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks for sending me this one, Dan.

A: The beer pours pretty much black with a finger or so of tan colored head.

S: A more approachable aroma than some of the barrel aged versions. Heavy on the roasted malts with a mild smokiness. Lots of dark chocolate and licorice with a touch of molasses and toffee for sweetness. Mild char and booze aromas, too.

T: Quite a bit of chocolate and cocoa flavors to this, but still very roasty with some char notes. There is a hint of vanilla along with jus a very mild smoke and licorice flavor.

M: Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

O: The base version of this beer is a pretty good imperial stout. It's interesting that the barrel doesn't always treat it so well.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2011 22:52:20 | More by womencantsail

FosterJM

California

3.9/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

775th Review on BA
Bottle to Goblet
22oz

@Woodshop Classix
Thanks Dom for sharing!!

App- It's a damn dark beer. I see where the name comes from. It was slick, oily and inky black. Not a penetrating light in it. A nice 1/2" of head which was a dark brown as well. No real cling or lace.

Smell- I really wasn't expecting the nose of this beer to be like it was. I was expecting more chocolate and smooth with a touch of ABV. Instead was roasty with a touch of smoke behind it.

Taste- Damn was I wrong on what I thought this beer was. Instead of my thinking it turned out to espresso ridden and a lot of coffee. I didn't think this was a coffee stout. Maybe a touch of chocolate but much more malty and roasty.

Mouth- Medium bodied and medium carbonated. Big amounts of roast dominate the residual flavors.

Drink- It was pretty good. Its a roasty stout and those are good every once in a while. I like the more smooth and creamy stouts but this was a good way to be half through woodshop.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2011 02:37:08 | More by FosterJM

mdfb79

New York

4.15/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From 08/21/11 notes. Big thanks to Thorpe429 for bringing this one over. I've enjoyed most of the DA variations but haven't had this one yet. Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into my Bell's tulip. 2011 vintage, bottle #58 of 228.

a - Pours a dark brown, almost black color, with two inches of tan head and moderate carbonation evident. Looks pretty good.

s - Smells of roasted malts, chocolate, toffee, dark fruits, and alcohol. Lots of sweet chocolate and roasted ntoes in the nose and definitely some alcohol. A good smelling big RIS.

t - Tastes of chocolate, roasted malts, vanilla, dark fruits, light coffee, and alcohol. Again, the sweet chocolate comes out a lot up front, and some vanilla/cream in the taste.

m - Medium to full boy and low to moderate carbonation. Very smooth and easy to drink for a big RIS.

o - Overall I liked this one a lot. Got to try the Brandy version a few days ago and I thought this was much better, though I still prefer the Kopi Luwak, Vanilla, and Bourbon versions to this. Would like to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2011 17:55:47 | More by mdfb79

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2011 bottle, thanks Brad!

Shared with BA smoked and poured into a matching Jackie O's snifter. It appears a very dark brown to black color. A dark brown head appears and quickly recedes to a thin lacing around the edge of the glass. A light swirl hardly revives the cap outside of a thin lacing effect. Spots of lace cling to the glass throughout the duration. When held to the light, it has some lighter brown clarity around the outer most edges.

The smell is roasty with pleasant burnt grain character somewhat reminiscent of coffee. There is a solid tangy alcohol inclusion. Dark semi-sweet chocolate runs throughout the nose mixing with the alcohol makes for almost a citrus-like experience perhaps from the hops as well. Once warm, it has a mild nutty grain inclusion which adds a nice depth to the roasted quality.

The taste is chocolate grain and fresh brewed espresso-like bitterness and citrus elements. It is pleasantly bitter like coffee yet has that citrus aspect like fresh coffee beans but with a brightness that has to come from the hops as well. There is a light almost musty grain flavor across the back that gets a bit nutty. The aftertaste has a faint hint of mineral character. All together this is a pleasantly roasty and chocolate flavored RIS that is well rounded and very enjoyable.

It is medium to full bodied with a low level of carbonation. It could benefit a bit from just a touch more carbonation but as-is it is still solid. It has a great depth of flavoring that keeps my attention with every sip. The 10+% abv is hinted throughout with the tangy flavoring and warmth but it is very well integrated into the beer. This is a fantastic brew that gets even better with every barrel treatment it goes through, a solid base all around.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2011 17:06:42 | More by stakem

cosmicevan

New York

4.05/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

enjoyed this at a barrel aged tasting on 2011-08-06 alongside bourbon dark apparition and brandy barrel aged.

2011 #244 of 336

look is identical to all the others...like a black hole with no head at all. the smell is roasted malt. good sweetness, very appetizing. the flavor is a bit over the top on the roast...almost burnt. the finish is very acetone though. i enjoyed it more than the rest of the tasting group. mouth is okay, the finish is a bit rough. overall a good brew, but in the world of amazing RIS, it doesn't stand out as a clear winner. i understand the jackie o hype a bit since if i lived in ohio and had a brewery like this, i'd be pretty proud, but for the traders...there are much better beers to check out than these and they unfortunately seem to be victims of hype in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 03:27:05 | More by cosmicevan

zimm421

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a screw-top growler into a tulip. Appears a wonderful black color, maybe a hint of brown. The head develops late in the pour, creating a fairly thin brown head that leaves wonderful lacing and never really goes away.

The nose is full of roasted malts, lots of dark chocolate, caramel and coffee. The aroma is wonderful, has strength and draws you in for more. As it warms, dark fruit notes start to develop. The taste is full of chocolate, malts, bitter coffee flavors, caramel and some alcohol notes. The dark fruit notes come through here as well. This is very complex and inviting. I've had better, but not many.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied; slightly thin for an RIS in my opinion. Carbonation level is about average, seems to be right on. The lighter mouthfeel makes is easier to put away large amounts of this at a time. Overall, this is an impressive brew. Glad I could finally get a few growlers from Jackie O's, I'll definitely be going back for refills in the coming months.

Serving type: growler

07-30-2011 22:37:38 | More by zimm421

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #52 (May 2011):

Heady start; black is black. Hint of barrel juice, more wood with a pinch of oxidation, brown sugar with some sherry-soaked raisins. Lush, super creamy, full bodied but not syrupy. Vanilla bean, distinct boozy bourbon. Firm pull of oaky wood. Caramel, toffee, coffee. Chocolate cake, dark ripe fruit. Big drip of molasses. Hint of cardboard from oxidation but at a level of compli- menting. Not overly sweet; woodiness draws in some dryness and the finish has a long linger of bourbon. There is some great balance here—as the sweetness walks out the door, the booze and wood are left to deal with settling down, which they do.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2011 14:28:14 | More by BeerAdvocate

camil1mj

Michigan

4.2/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Romulux I got to try DA, Bourbon DA and Brandy DA all in the same night.

A: Dark as night. Small amount of carbonation. Little to no lacing.

S: Sweet, malty and chocolate.

T: Initially you get a very sweet taste followed by malty undertones.

M: Light bodied for the style. A little disappointed as this one has been hyped up. Slightly carbonated.

O: A great stout. Very glad I got to try all three variations from the recent releases. This was my least favorite of the three. Would not turn this down if I had the opportunity again.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 03:47:58 | More by camil1mj

AgentZero

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

A - Black beer with a thin mocha head that settles to a thick ring with only minimal stick on the sides.

S - Chocolate, coffee, roast, a little dark fruit. It smells pretty good.

T - Fairly big stout that has a lot of chocolate and roast as well as some bittering coffee. Some dark fruit taste in there, taste isn't dialed down at all. Nice blend.

M - Just a touch thin but the carbonation is fine.

O - Really good beer, have had this multiple times and always enjoy it.

Serving type: growler

07-22-2011 15:51:14 | More by AgentZero

schwaeh

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bomber from this year, shared with some BA's.

A: Pours pitch black with a very small light-brown head. Good carbonation. Looks like a stout.

S: There is a rich roasted malt and chocolate aroma. Some bitter cocoa, brown sugar, coffee, and roasted malt.

T: Taste is chocolate, brown sugar, cocoa, and roasted malt. Some small hints of bitterness from the light hops. There is a nice smokey char that stays with you after the finish, it's so mellow, but its there, and I love it. This is really simple and full of flavor, its a real standout of the style for me; Fantastic base beer for all the wild treatments this beer gets. The alcohol is hardly noticeable.

M: Very round mouthfeel with soft carbonation. Dark app has a nice heavier medium body. This is the thickest Apparition, the barrels must thin this out.

O: I'll say it again, I love this beer. This is a malt bill masterpiece as far as I'm concerned. Dark apparition just shows what Brad can do with classic styles without trying to overdo barrel work or strange ingredients. I hope this is a regular offering in the near future after some brewery expansions.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2011 01:24:15 | More by schwaeh

InebriatedJoker

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared in small tasting -Thanks Steve.

A: Poured as black as a Dark Apparitions soul with one finger head that quickly dissipated into a thin tan lacing, moderate carbonation.

S: Roated barley, slight vanilla,coffee ,chocolate.

T: Sweet molassas hints with some bitter coffee,slight smoke, chocolate,roasted malt.

O: I really enjoyed this Russian Imperial Stout, not very heavy on the fruits as most RIS's are, Good blend of chocolate malt and coffee ,Not as sweet as most either- Would definitly drink again.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2011 12:51:17 | More by InebriatedJoker

KickInTheChalice

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 oz. bottle into a tasting glass.

Appearance: A good looking imperial stout - black with mahogany edges, with a creamy mocha cap.

Smell: The aroma is smooth. Roasted malt, coffee, cocoa, and dark chocolate all blend together.

Taste: Smooth Belgian chocolate up front, with some dark fruit hangs out in the periphery. Eventually these flavors blending with espresso and roasted malt, which has a strong flavor without imparting any burnt flavors. The transition is a little choppy from the smooth coffee near the middle to the earthy hop bitterness and fusel alcohol finish.

Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, but with a creamy smoothness that makes up for it. Definitely full bodied.

Overall: I liked this, but I did not love it. Sometime in the future I would be interested in going back and trying this along with several variations together.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 21:27:07 | More by KickInTheChalice