Town Hall Czar Jack Imperial Stout

Brewed by Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA

Serve in Snifter

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Bottled from growler. Head is initially small, frothy, brown, fully diminishing. Body is black (not quite opaque). Aroma is moderately malty (chocolate, caramel, roasted grain), with notes of vanilla, cask wood, whisky/alcohol, . Flavor is heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium to full body, creamy texture, soft carbonation, moderately alcoholic. Very smooth and enjoyable, not mind-blowing but very well-behaved.

Black with brown edges. Thick, heavy and very rich mouthfeel. Bursting with roast, dark chocolate, Rolos, smoky wood, and sweet bourbon. Grassy bitterness complements perfectly. Delicious beer.

Thanks Nick! Dark brown, not much head. Aroma is coffee and whiskey. Thick, viscous and slightly oily mouthfeel. Big coffee taste, and what’s really nice is the balanced whiskey barrel flavor- doesn’t overpower. Nice chocolate flavor in the finish with hints of bittering. Long drawn out finish. This is how barrel aged beers should be done.

1/2 Gallon Growler. Deep black color with a pillowy and close-knit head of light tan foam. Sharp, fragrant aroma, but unfortunately, I don’t smell a lot of malt complexity in the nose, just a ton of vanilla, bourbon, and oak character along with a snippet of scorced fruits. Regardless, of the somewhat one-dimensional nose, the flavor and feel on the palate, is extremely complex. This truly took on the essence of the barrel bringing forth elements of vanilla, oak, bourbon and a touch of cocunut along with a pure chocolate, coffee and scorced fruit malt profusion. Rich, coating mouthfeel. A bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout that still remains classy and elegant. Oh I so do wish I could visit this brewery on a regular basis. Cheers to Town Hall pimp Pigfoot for sending this my way.

growler: Blackened ruby. Wisp of ivory foam, but with good density. Pleasant nose of port-soaked prunes and freshly severed vanilla beans. Lightly roasty and tannic with hints of alcohol, toasted oak, and melted toffee. Soft on the tongue with an oily fullness. Opens with a contrasting display of vanilla beans and dark chocolate-glazed toffee. Flavor teeters on edge of cloyingness as the unspent roasted malt flavor fuses with thick notes of molasses and vanilla oil. Faint corny huskiness. Salty tannins hug the palate toward the core and amplify the throat-warming alcohol, while producing a sumptuous black licorice effect. Toasted oak touts its depth, showing hints of char and caramelized sugars which lend substantial dryness and delay the roasty intensity that follows. Lingers with a deeply toasted oak flavor, but the huskiness and sweetness hinders its overall elegance. Enjoyable, but what’s beneath the whiskey-derived complexity is a fairly mediocre imperial stout (no vinous fruitiness or bitter espresso, etc.). Thanks, Wawood.

’05 St. Paul Winterfest and then from a growler. I’ve been waiting for this one ever since I set eyes on the Town Hall list of beers. Pours from a growler and yields a cocoa colored head that quickly recedes. Smells of vaporous bourbon and whiskey. Taste is of whiskey and bourbon but followed unmistakably by dark chocolate and roasted stout flavors. I don’t like sherry and boozy tasting beers. I think a beer should be a beer. This one harnesses the barrel influence nicely without abdicating its identity. Flavors continue to evolve as it warms- wood chips, vanilla, malted milk balls with a nice hop bite at the end. But hands down the best feature of this beer is the palate or mouth feel. It is silky, full and simply perfect.

Bottled from a growler... This beer rocks! Pours midnight black with a small, creamy, well-tanned head. The big, malty aroma delivers huge notes of chocolate and vanilla with lesser notes of oak, bourbon, molasses and black cherries. The incredibly rich, malty flavor is of bourbon, vanilla and milk chocolate. Mega full-bodied and as heavy as motor oil with faint carbonation. Lengthy, tongue numbing, roasty, bourbony, woodsy finish. An instant favorite. World class stuff. Thanks go out to footbalm for the home bottling of yet another huge, Minnesota brew!

Thanks again to footbalm for another non bottled top 50 beer. Poured black with a small light tan head. Big complex aroma with roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, bourban, and wood. Flavor is huge but nicely balanced with roasted malt, bourbon, and both bitter and sweet chocolates. Fairly full bodied and warming.

Growler from a friend recently at the brewery. This one wasn’t my cup of tea. Pours black, opaque with small head. Carbonation is still there. Aroma is intense and gives way to the roastiness and sweetness of this monster. Flavor is dominated by sucralose, roasted notes and whiskey. I think the sucralose thing is really getting to me. Some background tamari notes as well. Full bodied. Not a favorite for me.

UPDATED: OCT 19, 2006 Growler: Pours an oily black with some dark brown edges and a lightly frothy tan head. Nicely roasted malty, dark chocolate aroma with great Jack Daniels whiskey balance that’s not overpowering, very reminiscent of Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout. Starts with a nice, sweet caramel malty presence with lots of rich dark chocolate and a great bourbon oaky flavor throughout, leading to a dry, warming finish. Nice, drinkable complexity with sweet molten dark chocolate and some dark fruits. Very well done and an enjoyable treat. All hail footbalm!