DuClaw Black Jack Stout

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

Deep opaque brown-black body, thin-medium ochre head. Aroma of burnt brown sugar and licorice, grape Dimetapp, very sweet, with hints of alcohol. Sweet, rich body dominated by milk chocolate with potent grape Dimetapp (fruity, medicinal) notes, toast, and a lasting, leafy, astringent bitterness to close out the palate. Thick, heavy body. Delivers a few strong notes, but not one of my favorite imperial stouts. I acquired an infected bottle in a trade, and Jim Wagner of Du Claw graciously replaced the bad bottle with this one. Jim’s a class act.

Date: March 24, 2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Appearance: black, fine tan head, lots of lace
Flavor: roasted flavor with a tart edge, starts with rich roasted flavor but follows with lots of sourness

Date: April 28, 2007
Mode: bottle
Source: tasting
Score: 2.0 to 3.7
Appearance: black, wispy beige head, drops of lace
Aroma: rich roasted and chocolate aroma
Body: creamy body
Flavor: rich dry dark chocolate flavor, good balancing hop bitterness blends well with the roasted malts

Date: February 13, 2009
Mode: growler
Source: tasting
Appearance: sweet roasted aroma backed by the dark chocolate
Overall: rich roasted and dark chocolate flavor, lots of balancing bitterness dries out the flavor in contrast to the sweet aroma

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: **4

RBSG 07 A dark brown pour with a tan lacing. A nose that is a littel odd nothing really comes to the front. The flavor is mostly hard black coffee and dark chocolate. A solid palate with good carbonation. A very good beer @ 8%.

RBSG 2007 Grand Tasting. Back to back with the oak aged version, this beer pales in comparison. All the ingredients seem to be there - the coffee and chocolate and whatnot, but there is less integration and more rough edges. Something just seems off.

FINALLY my last back rating from Dark Lord Day activities! I think this was poured by a member of the TN crew? Well it is black topped by a small but lasting creamy head and good lace. The aroma has big amounts of espresso along with other toasty malt vapours, hint of herbal and grassy hops, and a dollop of chocolate. The taste is a powerful blend of coffee and hop bitters over a lush layer of chocolate and caramel malt sweetness. The finish is a big chalky bitter bomb. The mouth feel is aggressive and biting, not lush enough to support the flavor profile however. A good beer but just misses becoming great.

Dark brown, maybe even black. Roasted aromas. Acidic coffee flavors dominate with some weird bitterness in the ending.

Dark black body with a small brown head. Chocolate and roasted malt aroma with some cofee. Chocolate and roasted malt flavors with some light caramel and a bitter ending.

RBSG07. From bottle. Pours dark brown with a chocolate brown head. Aroma is roasted malt, hints of coffee. Flavour is caramel malty, almost toffee. Finish is caramel sweet.