DuClaw Black Jack Stout

Brewed by DuClaw Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Abingdon, Maryland USA

I am in full agreement with my boy Skeegle. "An excellent stout in every sense of the word." great coffee flavor, extremely full bodied, my favorite stout of all. Very black in color with a nice dark brown head, yet another DuClaw beer that has a nice change in flavor as it gets nearer to room temp.

on tap-pours a retaining light brown head that laces and black color with red tint. Aroma is roasty, orange peel/tangerine, dark malt-chocolate. Taste is roasty, dark malt-coffee/chocolate, acidic orange peel/tangerine.

black body with no head..chocolate and butter in the nose..flavor is of milk chocolate, nuts, cream, with a bitter and somewhat dry finish..

Courtesy Dragonstout. This poured a deep black color with a thin tan head on top. It almost looks like motor oil in the glass. Has a very nice aroma of dark chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts. The flavor is a nice blend of coffee, dark and milk chocolate, and roasted malts. It is medium bodied with a creamy texture on the palate that goes down very smooth with chocolate flavors behind that leave you wanting more. This was a nicely done stout with a good flavor to it. I’m glad I got to try this one. Thanks Bryan.

Colourtesy of Dragonstout. Pours a jet black with a small tan head. Hints of dark chocolate, some coffee, little smoke, and some tart fruit. Finished thick bodied with a creamy semi sweet chocolate taste on the tongue.

I liked this quite a bit. It poured black but with little to show for head on top. Aroma was a subtle mixture of coffee and chocolate fragrances. The flavor had a roasted bitter coffee or bakers chocolate thing going on with some smokiness, while the body was a bit thin compared to other imperial stouts I’ve had of late. This went down much easier than most with the alcohol well hidden and the easy refreshing body.

On draft. I’d read good reviews of this Imperial Stout and was looking forward to trying it. I’m unsure if the recipe has changed or we got a bad batch, but I was disappointed with this beer. The stout was chocolate-brown in color with a very thin head. The light aroma was predominately malt with some dark chocolate. The flavor was dark chocolate with some roasted coffee, though the mouth feel was unexpectedly thin. The DuClaw web site list the ABV range as 7.5% – 8.5% but I really couldn’t detect any alcohol in the taste. I wouldn’t peg this as an Imperial Stout but perhaps an average American Stout.

On tap at Bowie. Poured out a dark chocolate brown, with red highlights. Subdued hop aromas compete with the strong roasted malts & coffee beans. Flavors are of espresso beans, roasted malts, earthy hops. Alcohol is well hidden. Medium mouthfeel, decent body, even if a little thin. Would be better with a nitro pour.