Jack's Abby Cocoa-Nut Barrel-Aged Framinghammer (Re-Review)

The Stats
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 10.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.38/5
- RateBeer: 3.95/5

This is a re-review of one my first ever posts. Even in my short time, I know my style of reviewing and writing has come a long way, so while I was reviewing all of the Framinghammer variants, I knew I had to give this one another formal treatment.

Pours jet black with ruby red and brown on the edges. An aggressive pour produced almost two fingers of a light brown/tan head which disappears quickly.

That aroma is so enticing. I can best describe it as a liquid Mounds bar. It's toasted coconut and melted chocolate all the way. Then there is some roasted coffee and and wood with sweet bourbon.

The taste is not only melted chocolate, but a rich, dark chocolate. Definitely more of that toasted coconut followed by a gush of that smooth, sticky bourbon. Some dark roast coffee and oak in the middle of the mouth to go with roasted malts. The finish has almost a maple syrup flavor with a hint of vanilla.

The mouthfeel is thick and viscous like a big Imperial Stout. At the same time, I'm picking up more carbonation than usual in relation to the other Framinghammers. It's definitely a sweet beer, but by no means cloying or sugary. The 10.000% is undetectable and as usual and this is another variant that is luscious and velvety.

Cocoa-Nut Framinghammer edges out the Vanilla Framinghammer as my personal favorite of the variants. There is a ton of chocolate and coconut for fans of sweet beers, but at the same time there are big bourbon and stout qualities to entice the big, barrel-aged beer purists. It's smooth, thick, and flavorful (c'mon, guys!) and makes for an ideal dessert beer for your next meal. Complex, sweet, and drinkable, this clearly stands out as the best in the bunch.

Rating
9.7/10

Jack's Abby PB&J Framinghammer

The Stats
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 10.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.17/5
- RateBeer: 3.51/5

Peanut butter has become the new "it" ingredient for stouts and porters. Frankly, it's a good call because when done right, it is delicious. Our latest Framinghammer variant is brewed with peanut butter and raspberries. Then of course, it is aged in bourbon barrels.

Pours jet black and I even got a little over a finger of a light brown head.

As soon as I stuck my nose into my glass those raspberries smacked me right in the face. You have to try and find the bourbon with all of the raspberry, but it's there. Some roasted malts too, but I can't pick up any peanut butter. Maybe something similar to peanut shells, but this is a raspberry bomb.

Holy chickens! Well, maybe I wouldn't go far enough to quote obscure Ben Affleck films, but the peanut butter has shown up on the taste. Definitely more along the lines of whole peanuts - shell and all. Raspberries have been throttled back for the taste which is nice to see they weren't going to dominate my palate. The bourbon comes through on the finish with some roasted coffee and even some chocolate. There's even a hint of smoke, but nothing Rauchbier-like. It's sweeter than any of the previous variants, but it's not cloying.

As usual with the Framinghammer series, this has a nice, thick mouthfeel and is velvety smooth with no carbonation. Again, no cloying flavors, but maybe a small lingering sweetness. It's not too bothersome, though. As stated with the others, the 10.00% is non-existent. It has a robust body and flavor profile, but drinks lighter than you'd think.

PB&J is another solid addition to the Framinghammer lineup. While sweeter than the rest, it has some genuine raspberry flavor, but that tends to overpower the bourbon and peanut butter. That being said, every flavor is present and the barrel-aging helps even everything out on the taste. I can only imagine this would have been pure raspberry juice if it wasn't aged. Like the others, it drinks easy and is a rich experience. If you want a fruitier Framinghammer, this is your brew.

Rating
8.9/10

Jack's Abby Vanilla Framinghammer

The Stats
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 10.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.34/5
- RateBeer: 3.81/5

Until the day I die, I will always love vanilla in my beers. So when I heard Jack's Abby was releasing a bourbon barrel-aged version of Framinghammer with vanilla beans, you can bet your ass I was at the brewery on the release day to snag my share.

Pours black as night with less than a finger of light brown head that vanished quickly.

The aroma is all bourbon and vanilla beans. Very nice, indeed. Some roasted malts, chocolate, subtle coffee, and wood from the bourbon barrel are there to greet you on the back end.

The vanilla has practically terminated any trace of roasted or bitter character. In its place is a dominating, sweet vanilla bean presence that is just delicious. Along with vanilla is the sweetness of the bourbon and the two flavors are living together in harmony. Some roasted coffee and a small amount of chocolate add levels of complexity to those barrel characters.

The sweetness of the vanilla beans has made an already smooth beer a sublime experience. This is a smooth-drinking Baltic Porter with absolutely no alcohol presence and it actually might be a tad bit dangerous to sip on considering how easily it goes down. Much like big Imperial Stouts, this coats your entire mouth, but leaves nothing unpleasant in its wake.

Vanilla Framinghammer has met all of my expectations. It is silky-smooth and flavorful with just the right amount of sweetness from the bourbon and vanilla beans to make this not only a complex drinking experience, but a world-class one at the same time. As far as Baltic Porters go, this is in the elite of the elite. Sweet, complex, and drinkable. I mean, what else do you want on a cold winter's night?

Rating
9.5/10

Jack's Abby Coffee Framinghammer

The Stats
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 10.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.32/5
- RateBeer: 3.81/5

Add coffee to BA Framinghammer? Why the hell not, right? There was some confusion when this (and Vanilla) was released because the label doesn't say "Barrel-Aged". However, I believe the story is that there was a mix-up when Jack's Abby sent the label art off for printing and they didn't submit the labels that said "Coffee Barrel-Aged Framinghammer". However, one smell and sip and you know this has been sitting in a bourbon barrel. So yeah, if you're wondering if Coffee Framinghammer and Coffee Barrel-Aged Framinghammer are the same, then yes, they are.

Pours jet black with brown on the edges. Got less than a finger of a brown head which disappears quickly.

Sweet bourbon and fresh-roast coffee beans on the aroma. Although, the coffee is not as aromatic as I would think. A little bit of chocolate, wood, and lager yeast too.

This beer has almost a year on it and I have to say I am having some trouble picking up any coffee on the taste. It's there, but I guess just not as much as I expected. Still, it has some rich roasted notes. Middle of the mouth is some pretty good vanilla, bourbon, and wood from the barrel. It is similar to the BA Framinghammer, but with very subtle coffee.

Like the other variants, this too is silky and smooth. Barely any carbonation to speak of with no cloying or lingering aftertaste. Like it's close-knit family, no alcohol taste at all and it goes down so easily.

Coffee Framinghammer is not a bad offering by any stretch of the imagination, but it does come up a bit short in coffee. While it is reminiscent if the BA Framinghammer, I would expect the coffee version to add a significant amount of the ingredient it promises to deliver. Don't get me wrong, there is a good amount of bourbon and oak to imbibe on, but unfortunately the coffee was not front and center as it should have been.

Rating
8.6/10

Jack's Abby Barrel-Aged Framinghammer

The Stats
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 10.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.35/5
- RateBeer: 3.8/5

Take a smooth as silk Baltic Porter and throw it into Kentucky bourbon barrels and what do you get? Barrel-Aged Framinghammer! I don't know how long the beer was aged, but I have high expectations as I assume the flavors of the base beer will pop and even more will be created with the aging process. Fingers crossed!

Pours jet black like its predecessor. Ruby red on the edges with a finger's worth of brown head that slowly fizzes away.

Bourbon and oak dominate the aroma. Lager yeast shines through with subtle raisins and a faint vanilla and chocolate presence. Barrel-aging has subdued the heavy roasted notes of the base beer.

The bourbon is very sweet, but not cloying. A pleasant chocolate-covered cherry taste starts things off followed by bitter dark coffee and a hefty amount of oak from the barrel. A nice bitter hop presence is there too and it has the crispness of a lager on the finish.

The mouthfeel is reminiscent of flat coke with no carbonation and a slight syrupy texture, but not thick. It's silky smooth like its brethren, but is more Imperial Stout-like with it's feel than the normal Framinghammer. No alcohol taste and it's highly drinkable for such a big offering.

The Barrel-Aged version of Framinghammer has eliminated a lot of the roasted aroma and taste, but replaced it with delicious bourbon and oak. It is a step up in many regards with a thicker body and more diverse flavors. I wouldn't say those sweet flavors are cloying, but there is a noticeable aftertaste that can be hard to shake. But hey, if that's my biggest complaint then I'm clearly just looking for things to bitch about.

Rating
9.0/10

Jack's Abby Framinghammer

The Stats
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 10.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.15/5
- RateBeer: 3.61/5

Jack's Abby has become synonymous with lagers. Today is their infamous Framinghammer which is a Baltic Porter coming in at 10.00%. A Baltic Porter is basically a stout fermented with a lager yeast. Jack's Abby has done multiple variations on their Framinghammer (obvious foreshadowing), but before we even think about those, we should pay our respects to the base beer.

Pours jet black like a stout. Some dark brown and ruby red on the edges. It gave off less than a finger of a light brown head.

A lot of roasted malts on the nose, but at the same time I am getting a dominant oatmeal smell too. Just, oats and brown sugar with a hint of coffee.

The broken record keeps spinning, but this is just roasty as all hell. There's more of a chocolate flavor on the taste and it makes for a smooth espresso experience. A big black licorice thud hits my tongue on the middle, but that oatmeal is here too and I can also pick up some of that lager yeast. It's also rather bitter too with it's unexpected, but welcome hop presence.

Man, smooth is the word of the day with this beer. Not only smooth, but velvety and pretty thick too. I wouldn't say it coats your mouth like an Imperial Stout, but it gets the job done. Practically no carbonation and no unpleasant lingering flavors. It's a heavy beer at 10.00%, but there's no alcohol taste at all.

Framinghammer is a robust Baltic Porter that is smooth from start to finish. That abv sneaks up on you due to this being such a drinkable offering, so please tread lightly. It has the crisp finish of a lager with a robust taste and mouthfeel of a stout. One of the best of it's style and just a roasted bomb to your palate.

Rating
8.8/10

Jack's Abby Lager Ness Monster

The Stats
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 15.00%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.52/5
- RateBeer: N/A

Coming in at a staggering 15.00%, Lager Ness Monster is by far the biggest beer ever made by Jack's Abby. How did they make such a big beer? I'll let the website description tell the story...

"During the first stage of the brewing process we mix hot water with our malted grains in our Mash Tun to extract the sugars from the grain that will later be fermented into alcohol.  The resulting liquid from this process is called wort.  For Lager Ness Monster we did this process once, then we refilled the Mash Tun with more grain.  This second time, instead of using water to mix with the grain, we re-used our wort from the first batch and concentrated it.  This allowed the wort to pick up more sugar than our normal process would allow, resulting in a 15% abv monster!"

Then, for an extra kick, it was aged in bourbon barrels for six months. There's nothing more to say, so let's dive in.

Pours pitch black and thick like ink and not surprisingly this gave off absolutely no head. This could be mistaken for flat Coca-Cola. Most Baltic Porters are dark brown or have hints of dark brown, but this is the darkest Baltic Porter I've ever seen. It looks like a barrel-aged Imperial Stout.

The aroma is bursting with bourbon, oak, roasted malts, coffee, vanilla, raisins, and some subtle chocolate. Just...spectacular.

The first thing on the taste (and rightfully so) is sweet bourbon. A lot of charred oak from the barrel, and big dark fruits are the most present flavors. A nice pop of roasted coffee/espresso is in the back with a small vanilla kick on the finish.

If I was blindfolded, I would say this is a big, barrel-aged Imperial Stout. It is so thick and viscous and it coats your entire mouth. At 15.00%, there is a warming sensation in your chest on the finish, but there is absolutely no alcohol taste at all. I don't know how they do it, but I don't care. Considering the abv, this remains insanely smooth and drinkable.

As far as Baltic Porters go, this is easily the the best I've ever had. The difference between this and other Baltic Porters (or other Jack's Abby Baltic Porters for that matter) is how it feels more like a huge Imperial Stout. The mouthfeel is thick and robust and can not only compete, but surpass most barrel-aged stouts. I'm not bullshitting when I say that this is comparable to Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. Yeah, it's that amazing!

If you've had Jack's Abby BA Framinghammer, then just imagine that amped up to 11. If it is this good now, then I can't wait to see how my other bottles do a year from now. With such a high abv, this is no doubt a sipper, but it's so drinkable that you might gulp the whole thing down and regret it later. I swear, Jack's Abby barrel-aging program is one of the best in the country. Please believe me when I tell you that I am trying not to be a hometown fanboy, but I can't find a flaw with this beer and it deserves all the praise it gets.

Rating
10/10

Jack's Abby Cocoa-Nut Barrel Aged Framinghammer

The Stats
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 10.00%
Current Beer Advocate Rating: 4.46

A long time ago at a brewery far, far away in Framingham, Massachusetts, Jack's Abby took their Framinghammer Baltic Porter and barrel aged it. In addition to a standard bourbon barrel version, they released several other variants including Coffee as well as Vanilla. New this year (to the best of my knowledge) they added Peanut Butter & Jelly and Cocoa-Nut to the family. I had the Cocoa-Nut on draft back in March and remember it being a sublime experience. To my surprise, Jack's Abby did another release and actually put it in bottles. How was it the 2nd time around?

As soon as I popped the cap, just a gush of chocolate and coconut filled the room. I stuck my nose into my nonic glass and I was speechless solely because I could not stop smiling. Aromas of chocolate, coconut, vanilla, bourbon, and roasted malts knocked me on my ass.

If it wasn't for the 10.00% abv, I would have easily chugged this down. It's velvety smooth and rich. The milk chocolate hits you first and then shredded coconut and bourbon cap it off. It's just an array of sweet flavors and none of them overpower one another. A mild coffee bitterness hits you in the aftertaste.

This doesn't drink like a 10.00% abv beer. In fact, the standard Framinghammer is listed at 10.00%, so I'm sure the barrel aged version must be kicked up a couple of notches to around 12.00-14.00, but I didn't brew it, so I'm not the one to see about that. In any case, you can't taste the alcohol at all which makes this beer dangerously drinkable. It's ideal for an alternative to dessert as it ranks up there (and beyond) with imperial stouts and other chocolate/sweet stouts. After I had it back in March, I was hoping they'd release it again and my prayers were answered. It is just as superb as it was back then. Very glad I have a couple of bottles saved so that I can enjoy it all year. I may have found the best beer of 2014.

RATING
10/10