Ottos Jolly Roger Imperial Stout

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

Dark brown; brown head. Rich, burnt malts, toasty malts, slight chalk. Some notes are not right...alcohol, funky but not super.

Courtesy of Styles

Bottle: The aroma consists of chocolate, roasted malts, smoke, plums, alcohol, and faint coffee. It pours a dark brown, virtually black with a small tan head. The flavor starts with moderate chocolate and roasted malt. There’s some hints of plum in the background. Lots of smoke in the finish really blends well. There’s also some light coffee, licorice, grapefruit hops, and alcohol in the finish as well. There is a slight warming affect...tastes bigger than 9%. I really like the smoky character. Full bodied with an oily mouth feel and mild carbonation.

Great dark beer with a thick, dark head. Really strong, but great to enjoy with time. Ottos does their beers right, and this is another example of a good brew.

Dark black with very thin brown head. Lots of chocolate cookies in the aroma. Taste follows suit with more of a deep, roasted malt kick with a mild sweetness. Bitter finish balances perfectly. Thick and smooth. Another good imperial stout.

22-oz bottle received via trade with mj. Pours opaque with an average, fizzy, light brown head, lasting with good lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (cookie, coffee, nutty), light hops (perfume, grass), average yeast (leather) with notes of alcohol and smoke. Medium bodied, sticky texture, lively carbonation, and a bitter finish. Average duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity and bitterness.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black body with a short-lived tan head. Smell: Roasted malt aroma with notes of coffee, chocolate, licorice, plums, and with, of course, a meaty smokiness. Taste: Dark, sweet roasted malts with a fair amount of chocolate and coffee showing. Hint of licorice. Gobs of smoke, though. Lil’ dash of fusel alcohol. Twinge of tart plum fruitiness. Earthy, roasty bitterness grows and holds through to the finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonaton. Drinkability: I am not particularly trying to keep anyone in suspense, the short of it is: it’s a pretty decent imperial stout.

Pours a thin brown head with minimal retention and some spotty lace. Black bodied brew with some ruby notes at the edges. Fruity, vinous nose with light chocolate and roast notes. Body is full, oily on the palate, soft carbonation. Lightly sweet malts backed by a subdued roastiness, smoke flavors are really surprising, almost Rauch like in their presence, a touch meaty and woody. Light berry notes and some licorice as well. A tad sweet for me. Lightly sweet, roasty finish. Props to mj for hookin me up with this bomber.

Bottle shared by slob. Poured a nice rich deep dark black, choco-colored head. Aroma was rich and excellent, dark fruits, vinous notes, chocolate, general sweetness. The flavor followed the aroma, licorice started to appear later in the beer. A fair amount of residual sugars going on, a little too sweet and sticky to be excellent. Better attenuation, a few more hops and/or more carbonation would all have bumped this up a little more, perhaps in with the elite at that point. A very nice impy stout, though, enjoyable. Thanks, Bert, for sharing! Re-rate, 11/08, on cask at the brewpub in State College: High octane hot ale from the aroma forward. Fussel type flavors appeared, tar, deep vinous character. Chocolate, caramel, and some faint cardboard. Astringent bittery finish, coming off like a bad WWS... or the less than impressive vintages of WWS anyway. Not nearly as enjoyable as my first experience in the bottle, probably closer to a 3 than closer to a 4 (as originally rated). Bumping the numbers down a bit.