Great Lakes Barrel-Aged Blackout Stout

Brewed by Great Lakes Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Cleveland, Ohio USA

Bottle from ckshubert on 12/11/07, and another from Ughsmash earlier. Both 2006 bottles. Opened at PP bottle shop with Shaun and others. No head, but some carbonation. Lots of oaky aroma. Hints of vanilla and some smoke. I used to call this aroma oxidation, but now I think it is something differnent. Alcohol is noticable, but not overpowering. Leans a bit sweet, but balanced. Malty aroma and taste. Little or no roastiness.

Pours a dark black color with a small dark tan head. Aromas of malt, coffee,chocolate,vanilla and wonderful bourbon. Flavor deliver what the aromas are promising!Wonderful sweet malt flavor with coffee,chocolate,vanilla and oak bourbon barrel flavor.Great brew!Thanks KingpinIPA for sharing!!

Black of color with a beige head. An aroma of wood, chocolate, coffee and alcohol. A flavor of coffee, chocolate, alcohol and notes of dark fruits.

Bottle at argo0’s xmas beer party (thanks kmweaver!). Black, with ruby edges, whitish, head. Aroma is chocolate, coffee, roasted malts. Flavor similar, with a little bit of cream to it. Some bourbon flavor, but not too pronounced for me to get sick from the flavor or aroma. Good beer.

Black, but brown at the edges with a very light tan head that retains well and leaves bits of lacing. Sweet smell like a coffee with creamer; oak, vanilla, and bourbon is also present. It immediately gives me sweet malt and vanilla flavors. It also has some creamy, lactose notes to it. Roastiness seems rather subdued in comparison to the regular Blackout Stout. Amazingly smooth going down; full bodied with light carbonation. Great beer, thanks go to kmweaver for the bottle!

Pours a small head with somewhat of a lacing. Smell is sweet with soft bourbon and vanilla. The mouthfeel is the first thing I notice that really is impressive. Aftertaste has smooth vanilla and roasty notes to it, like an irish coffee made with good bourbon and whole milk. Sweet , sweet bourbon is unbelievable. I can say it’s the smoothest bourbon barrel aged beer I’ve ever had.

Shared by my significant other to top off the holiday weekend (thank you, my dear!) - I am, typically, quite disappointed by barrel-aged impys, but I’m impressed by this one - black beer with light coming in around the edges, with a thin ring of tan lace around the sides of the glass - aroma of vanilla, charred oak, bourbon, chocolate, cinnamon - inviting and warm, but some fusel alcohols become evident as it warms (knocking off a point) - thinner in body than many expect from this kind of beer, but it makes up for it by being rather reserved for a BA IS - warming, but not hot or boozy - oak is prevalent, but not overpowering - somewhat spicy, with vanilla, cocoa, caramel, dark fruit notes, and touches of tobacco - some brown sugar and molasses - strong without being sticky or heavy - nicely done.

A dainty little soapy rim of bubbles along the sides of the snifter. Very dark brown body - nearly black. Impressive cocoa-filled aroma with molasses, figs and malts. Wow. This beer is incredibly warming and heavy. Now I wish I’d saved it for a gathering...I’ll have to work on getting more. The lactose-sweetness is very pleasant in the flavor. Its not too heavy. Filled with maltiness and coffee. Pretty hot and warming down the throat, but the oak lends a very smooth character. Impressive overall.