January 9, 2015

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Dark Apparition

Brewed By: Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, Ohio  
Purchased: 375ml/12.7oz single bottle bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 
Style/ABV: Russian Imperial Stout, 10.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

It's cold out, and it is snowing. AKA, the perfect night to crack into a big Imperial Stout. About Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:
Jackie O's is a brewery and brewpub based out of Athens, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 2007 by Art Oestrike and his friend, and brew master, Brad Clark. In 2012 when the production facility expanded, brew master Sean White joined the company. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.
The Dark Apparition is, "The hauntingly good brew in your hand is rife with dark complexities. Seven malts were used to create deep flavors of coffee, chocolate, caramel, and molasses. A hint of bitterness and herbal character from carefully selected European and American hops help support the monolithic maltiness. A truly decadent brew that is intended to be poured into your favorite snifter and given time to warm up from its dark and cool resting place." 
Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Dark Apparition

This pours into a fairly thick, opaque, black body, kicking up three fingers of super fluffy, coffee-foam-colored head. The head retention is fantastic, with foam that could give Guinness a run for its money hanging around for a good amount of time. there's also monumental lacing.

The aroma is cakey and sweet, and has a drier and lighter Porter-like quality at times. I'm getting lots of dusty cocoa, brown bread, brown sugar, and brown cake, the crust of banana bread (which has no banana flavor), some molasses and dark fruits, and lots of waves of coffee. There's maybe a hint of alcohol and a dash of faint cherries.

This is a seductive offering. It's not quite as aggressive as a Ten FIDY or an Expedition Stout, but it as just as thick with intense mouthfeel action. Make no mistake, this has some floral and citrus hops that show up in the low frequencies to deliver hints of cherries and play with the molasses and dark fruits. But this really pounds that milkshake chocolate note up front, with chocolate, cocoa, and nice sweet roast. There's tons of coffee notes as well, with some ash/earthy coffee, and hints of hazelnut. An overwhelming sweetness cuts through the beer, which is a welcomed contrast to bitter bruisers like Old Raspy.

This is pretty delicious, with a thick, full-bodied mouthfeel that almost channels some oatmeal stout vibes. At 10.5%, I'm not tasting much booze. Palate depth is great, with an expansive mouthfeel that has good duration. This isn't overly complex, but it does have some nuances. It's actually really solid for a non-barrel/non-adjunct IRS. I like the sweetness, with the chocolate entourage up front; the roasty and coffee-forward middle; and the dark fruits and hops in the back. It's just tasty stuff, and would make a solid standby for Ohio regulars.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average This isn't innovative or mind-blowing, but it is an enjoyable and solid Imperial Stout, not unlike Old Raspy or many other beers in this category. I'd pick it up to pair with some dry chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, or with some grilled ribs. Not bad stuff, and I'm sure the variants of this base beer are yummy.

Random Thought: Busy...busy....busy.

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