Craft Beer Spotlight: BrewDog Jet Black Heart

Craft Beer Joe

6 years ago

Jet Black Heart By BrewDog

I have mixed emotions when it comes to craft beer on nitro. Regardless of whether it’s on draft or canned, some beers are elevated by the use of nitro while others taste worse. While stouts normally do well with nitro, there’s no guarantee that a beer is better on nitro. But that doesn’t stop me from trying them. One that stood out is the BrewDog Jet Black Heart.

I didn’t follow BrewDog much when they were only based in the UK. It was a brewery that was trying to make its mark in the USA by importing but wasn’t relevant to me.

That all changed when they added production just a few hours north of me in Columbus, Ohio. Since then, I’ve tried a handful of their beers and so far, I’m impressed.

Review Of BrewDog Jet Black Heart

Getting recommendations is by far my favorite way to discover new craft beer. There’s just too many options for me to know about all of them. So any time someone tells me a beer is worth trying, I’m probably going to pick it up.

That’s the case with Jet Black Heart. After having a few of their IPAs, I got feedback that this one was really good. So of course, I grabbed some the next time I spotted it.

What I didn’t realize was this is a nitro beer. In fact, I didn’t even know it was nitro until I opened the can and got the distinctive sound of the nitro gas being released into the beer. More on that later.

Jet Black Heart has an ABV of 4.7% and IBUs of 30.

Here is how BrewDog describes Jet Black Heart:

This sable stout is black as pitch and smooth as hell. Jet Black Heart is a milk stout; roasty malt flavors of coffee and chocolate bound to a decadent full-bodied richness.

Flaked oats and wheat add to the velvet mouth-feel, with the carbonation adding a honeycomb texture. Magnum and Sorachi Ace bring a berry & citrus fruitiness that amplifies the chocolate character of this inky leviathan.

Initial Thoughts

Not knowing this was a nitro beer, my expectations completed shifted when I opened the can.

As soon as I cracked open the can, the easily recognized “hiss” of the nitro told me that I was about to pour a nitro beer.

And just like all nitro beers, the process of pouring is really satisfying. The bubbles quickly start making their way up the sides of the glass and form a frothy head which is off white.

As you might guess, the color is black as night while the aroma is roasty more than anything else. The appearance of a nitro stout is really quite appealing; possible the best looking beer you’ll ever pour.

Tasting Notes

The appearance is never an issue with a nitro stout. The dark beer sets off the creamy head in a way that will make your mouth water.

However, the flavor is often where there are struggles. Nitro can make some stouts seems flat. And I’ve noticed that metallic flavors are accentuated when on nitro.

BrewDog Jet Black Heart does not have any of these issues.

Instead, this smooth stout brings ample amounts of roast that border on coffee along with a sweet vanilla. The finish has a chocolate malt flavor.

The nitro adds body and texture to this beer that you can’t achieve any other way. It heightens and carries the flavors.

Final Thoughts

When I first realized this was a nitro beer, I got a little nervous because some miss the mark. Jet Black Heart is not one of those.

It provides everything that I’d want out of a stout and being a nitro beer only made it better.

And all of this is achieved at a modest 4.7% ABV. Once again proving, you don’t have to sacrifice flavor to achieve a low ABV beer.

Learn More! What Is A Nitro Beer?

Conculsion

Nitro beers aren’t for everyone and not every beer is made better with nitro.

I tend to think stouts and porters are the styles that benefit the most from nitro. Some breweries will occasionally use nitro with other styles like IPAs or sour beers.

Look for nitro beers to have an added creamy texture to the body. The beer will also tend to have the malt characteristics highlighted by the nitro while the hop flavors become more muted.

If you are looking to try a great nitro Milk Stout, I recommend the BrewDog Jet Black Heart