Beer Description

This Russian Imperial Stout is native to great state of Ohio, but can be found in the mid-west at many major stores. The brewery is located in the beautiful college town of Athens, where it uses freshly grown local ingredients to supplement it’s beers. The brewery is still in it’s infancy as they had their start just 5 years ago in 2013. Since then they have crafted a number of great unique brews.

About the Dark Apparition, Jackie O’s description is as follows:

Russian Imperial Stouts are one of brewmaster Brad Clark’s favorite styles of beer and Dark Apparition is without a doubt his favorite beer to brew. We stuff 2200 pounds of malt into our 20bbl mash tun and by the end of the mash, dark malts are spilling onto the brew house floor! Brad includes great flavors he admires in his favorite Russian Imperial Stouts like chocolate, coffee, roast, dark fruit, caramel, and some nice earthy/spicy hop character. With a midnight black color and chewy, dextrinous body, Dark Apparition is a huge beer with tons of character.

ABV: 10.5%
Grain Profile: 7 different malts, including multiple dark malts.
Best Served: 55F, in a goblet or snifter. Can be consumed in other glasses but the beer does not have a heavy scent so a snifter or goblet is much preferred.

Beer Review

I had never heard of this brand until I stumbled upon it at the local grocery. I was immediately drawn to the unique bottle and crisp & HQ label. They say that appearance is everything in the food and beverage industry and this beer takes that seriously. It’s one of the better packaged beers I’ve seen. My assumption was that such a big effort on the packaging would mean the same effort was put into the beer production. It seems to be a safe assumption.

The Dark Apparition is not strongly scented which was disappointing but the scent that is there smells of a complex slew of dark roasted malts. I don’t know what 7 malts they used to make this beer but there is defiantly some roasted malts in there and possibly some black or munich. The flavor profile fits a beer that uses a bunch of dark malts. It’s not like other dark beers that just used dark malts for color. In this beer you can actually taste them. It’s a VERY toasty malt-forward beer. There is slight hint of coffee to the beer and an unidentifiable sweetness. My assumption is that it’s dextrose, as indicated by the brewer’s note for this beer.

The texture was very thick and very rich. It did have some residual sugars that were unfermented. It might double as a glue if it’s dried between two woods. However, you cannot taste the sweetness that much. You are more likely to feel it on your lips and mouth. Or in my case, in my mustache.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: A soft aroma of roasted malts.

Taste: A very roasted malty beer that with very little hops. It’s also got some sweetness that really balances out any bitterness. The first sip can seem a little “hot” but that goes away eventually.

Texture: This beer is incredibly smooth and rich. It’s thick like an oatmeal stout.

Finish: The finish is fast and does not linger. The roasted malts turn to more of a coffee bitterness before fading.

Comparisons: The Old Rasputin is similar but a slightly different malt profile.