Ottos Bourbon-Barrel Aged Jolly Roger Imperial Stout

Brewed by Ottos Pub & Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
State College, Pennsylvania USA

On cask: Pours an opaque, oily black with a thick, creamy dark tan head. Has a rich dark chocolate and bourbon nose with some oaky complexity and dark fruitiness with a touch of molasses and some warming alcohol. Starts rich and creamy with nice dark chocolate and bourbon oak flavor along with vanilla and brown sugar, finishing bittersweet and slightly warming, but with good complexity. Nicely balanced and very enjoyable. Reminds me a lot of Great Lakes Barrel-Aged Blackout Stout.

Cask at the brewery, August 2006. Black. Creamy. Nose is just phenomenal. Bourbon, oak, cedar, cream. Sharp, fresh, intense bourbon with a ridiculously smooth and rich soft-serve body. Lightly hot, somewhat peppery and creamy in the nose. The oak, cedar and smoked wood notes are an intense blend. Smoked malts and bourbon and wood, it melts in your mouth.

Multiple cask pours on a visit in May 2009: as good as ever. Luscious, decadent, creamy, filling, rich, simply amazing.

One of the best imperial stouts I’ve ever had.

When I saw mjames review of this, and confirmed that it was still vaailable, and knew I’d be visiting my parents over Labor Day, who live 45 minutes from State College, I knew the planets had aligned for me, and with Pluto’s sacrifice comes my gain. This one, which I got a double sample of followed by a goblet, pours ebony, raven black, with a uniform tan head. Great look. The aroma is roasty malty, with heavy oaky bourbon, matched by a huge chocoffy smell, plus loads of molasses. The palate is hefty, complex, and balanced, with flavors of initial chocolate syrup, followed by roasty malt, then the oaky bourbon, then some nutty ovaltiny hints. The whole thing goes together masterfully. This one is so good that I’ll be going back tomorrow for more.

Pre-DLD tasting: Opaque and oily in appearance. The aroma has notes of bourbon (vanilla, oak, booze), chocolate, ashy smoke, green tea, molasses, and a hint of lactic sourness. The taste starts with the expected sweet malt character of chocolate and roasted malt, hints of vanilla bean, dark fruity (fig and prune),herbal hop, pepper, and a hint of peat smoke. The mouth feel is oily, heavy and lush. A solid brew all told but not quite the level of the top level BA Impy’s IMO.

HUGE THANKS TO BRAD FOR THIS, he thought it hadnt held up great ... and it had lost carbonation ... but too many US beers are over fizzy ... so it wasnt suffering ... deep black ... roast malts ... loads of bourbon in nose .... sweet vanilla ... loads of roast malts ... some toffee .... rich smooth ... light tartness in linger ... bourbon well balanced 4.3

Many, many thanks to Brad for scoring this growler!! Poured very deep brown with heavy bourbon and vanilla over rich dark chocolate and coffee.. touches of oak and smoke around.. absolutely decadent! The flavor found rich, roasted darker chocolates and coffee at the core with ample doses of vanilla and bourbon sugars around.. spicy on the back-end (some from oak and some from bourbon), picking up more smoke.. fine warmth through the long finish. Low carbonation on the palate with a creamy, thick feel to it.. spicy, warm, and expertly balanced. Wow!

Draft at Otto’s. Pours a black abyss with 2 finger coffee head. Big bourbon malt nose creamy vanilla and etoh. Creamy malty bourbon with a light woodiness and a dry finish. Subtle delicious great but the finish was a little alcoholic.

On cask at the brewpub. Poured into a nice big brandy snifter filled a bit more than halfway. Nice deep black with some ruby clear highlights and a fluffy cloudy dark tan head which fades to an oily lasting film and great lace. Aroma is light but noticeable bourbon which doesn’t cover up or dominate the other powerful stouty aromas or roasted barley, coffee, Thick dark chocolate, sweet caramel, tons of toffee and nice dried fruity esters. Flavor have a moderate amount of bourbon, roasted barley, chocolate and caramel malts, lightly smokey, toffee, molasses, tobacco, and a nice acrid burnt malt and bitter finish. Mouthfeel is thick, slightly syrupy and a sticky finish. Rich, full bodied and everything working together. One of the best Imperial stouts I have had.