Great Lakes Barrel-Aged Blackout Stout

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

Inky black pour with a small, short lived, tan head. Mildly chocolaty aroma with a hint of dark fruit and bourbon. Rich milk chocolate flavor with hints of espresso, dark fruit, toasted almond, and a nice smoky bourbon kick on the end. The body is wonderfully full, velvety and decadent with soft carbonation. Not immensely complex, but great balance.

22oz bomber, 2008 vintage, poured into a tulip. Pours dark, dark brown out of the bottle and is completely opaque black in the glass with a small, short-lived tan head that recedes to a collar, leaves spotty lacing on the sides. The aroma is nice - dark and roasty with the bourbon barrel only complimenting things. There are dark chocolate malts and roasted coffee mainly with the vanilla from the oak and a little bourbon coming through in the background. The bourbon steps forward a little in the taste with the vanilla coming in up front as well. The backbone is still mainly chocolate sweetness and dark roasted malts but the finish brings back the barrel presence with a definite burn going down. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with soft carbonation and a slightly dry oaky finish. This is a very good bourbon barrel stout with the barrel character coming out aggressively in the taste. Overall, it’s a big sweet and smooth imperial stout that’s got a bit more chocolate than the typical RIS.

Rating number 2700. Bottle series 2516 thanks to jsquires (via trade). Pours with a deep brown, near black body and a thin, creamy tan head that stays for a decent bit and leaves acceptable lacing. Aroma of bourbon, brown sugar, vanilla, black strap molasses, rich oak, dry wood tannins, a bit of light spiciness from the wood, and chocolate. The aroma is all about the wood, ash and tobacco. Taste is wood up front, followed by molasses, burnt toffee, roast, vanilla, some bourbon burn, rich woody, and a decent amount of chocolate. Somewhat lower residual sugars than I would have hoped for; its a touch too dry. Medium viscosity, maybe a touch too thin, good richness from the bourbon, and nice carbonation levels. A well made beer.

On tap at GLB in September of 2009. Not as black as other Impys. Very dry, you’ll need a pint of water for every pint of this.

on tap at GLBC. Pours a deep brown with a small tan head. nice legs. Aroma is bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, roasted malts. Flavor is toasty roasty malts, bourbon, bread, oak. Mouthfeel is thinner than expected. Great beer, but not as good as i was expecting. I wanted a big body and this seemed somewhat one dimensional. It was a nice smooth tasty dimension though! Side note: Great lakes serves this way too cold.

pitch black with mild head. strong notes of vanilla to the nose. low carbonation. thick moutfeel, before monstrous flavor. initially the vanilla notes from the bourbon barrel are noticed, followed by a great chocolate flavor and some alcohol warmth that provides great complexity. the flavors here are huge, but amazingly well differentiated, with a rare example of the bourbon barrel overwhelming, but also enhancing the original beer. exemplary

Bottle. Pours a black color with a small tan head. Nose is light vanilla and bourbon with a roasted malt backbone. Bourbon aroma is fairly well mixed in so it doesnt dominate. Palate is velvety and smooth with a light bitterness in the finish. Flavors are light bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, roasted dark malts.

Bottle gift. I have to say this was the winner for the night. Nice dark pour with thin beige head. Nice oak and roast aromas and taste. Dry and good.