Straight Jacket (Barrel-Aged Institutionalized) - Revolution Brewing Company - Brewpub

MasterSki

Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got my Mug Club 5oz taster of this one - missed the base beer so didn't really know what to expect. A blend using both Jack Daniels and Heaven Hill Rye barrels.

A - A finger of tan foam settles to a partial cap and thicker collar, leaving behind some spotty lace. Murky caramel brown body.

S - Very sweet - lots of unfermented sugars in here. Toffee, caramel, lightly toasted malts. It's initially very Jack Daniels-forward, but the Heaven Hill character builds as it warms up. Some alcohol present, but nothing unexpected for 13%.

T - This is an odd case where I think the base beer has overwhelmed the barrel flavors - there's minimal oak and only a light whiskey bite in the finish. Just tons of caramel, toffee, treacle, and brown sugar. Sort of boring actually, as it's mono-dimensional sweetness and gets cloying after a while.

M - Medium-full body, chewy and sticky, light tannic finish, and lower carbonation. Some moderate alcohol warmth, but not too much.

D - A decent barrel-aged barleywine, but one of Revolutions weaker offerings. I didn't feel the need to order a whole glass of this one. I think I preferred Haymarket's stab at this style to be honest, although it suffered from excessive booze. Wooden Hell, BA Behemoth, and BA Hi-Fi Rye are safe on the podium for the moment.

Serving type: on-tap

09-08-2011 19:53:25 | More by MasterSki