Town Hall Ol' Jack Frost Russian Imperial Stout.9.5 % ABV.
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN.
As was stated a little earlier, Town Hall Brewery is re-releasing some of their beers that go into barrels for Barrel-aged Week without the barrel aging, and are selling them in crowlers, sometimes for the first time in many years. The beer called Ol' Jack Frost Russian Imperial Stout has not appeared here in the Bitter Nib in an unadulterated format at all, to the best of my searching abilities.
But, looking on BeerAdvocate.com, where I posted reviews for eight years before beginning this blog, well, lo and behold, here is a review from nearly 14 years ago to the day. (January 26, 2006.)
So, what I will do will be is this: I'm going to drink this crowler, and post those old notes from a growler, and see if there's any difference I can ascertain afterwards. And here we go....
Solid, unsoluble black, 'neath a roasted tan head. Classic picture of an Imperial Stout. Very inviting.
Aroma brims with vitality, rich and roasty, with flavors of carob, anise, mollases, espresso and cocoa vying for their place in the nose. It's a luscious blend, full and heady.
Taste: big in the mouth as well, full and pervasive on the palate. Solid as any real IS worth the name should be, but very mellow as well. Alcoholic strength doesn't seem an issue, not until you near the end of the glass.
The rich flavors indicated in the nose come back in the taste, a mellifluous melange of dark and delightful tints, tinges, and tastes. A cavern of delights, a full well bringing forth deliciousness.
Tasty, tasty, this, a devilishly delicious stout that makes me commit the unlikely sin of wishing it were colder right now, to enjoy this warm and wonderful brew better.
The first non-bourbon/whiskey-fied Imperial Stout I've yet tasted at Town Halll, not counting the short-lived version they tapped for Anniversary Week 2005, which was the Czar Jack before the Jack.
I'd like to see a lot more of this.
As big and bold as this beer is, the growler will not last the night. It's that tasty and my will power is that weak.
Fourteen years later, yep, I said it right. I skipped on char, leather, dark chocolate, rich espresso, etcetera. but the gist is right, and it's still as mighty. Whoa. So whoa. So very, very whoa. And mmm. Almost, but not exactly, yum-a-dum-dum.
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