Great Lakes Barrel-Aged Blackout Stout

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

Enjoyed for dessert at Thanksgiving dinner 2006. Bottle 464/900, 2nd bottling in 2006. Charred walnut color that looks somewhat thin and no head. The aroma is strong with bourbon laced coffee and chocolate. Perhaps oak and/or vanilla. The flavor s sweet with chocolate and dates but there is a Strong Bourbon presence and the alcohol is noticeable. Creamy body with very low carbonation. I found this to be enjoyable but a bit overpowering on the bourbon side. It’s really a vast departure from the original. Good in it’s own right but I’m going to see if some age will mellow this just a bit. I personally like my regular Black out aged a year before I drink it, so I’ll give this a try next holiday season.

Bomber from trade with jeffmw. Thanks Jeff! Pours a thick pitch black color with no head. Aroma of bourbon, dark chocolate and roasted malt. Taste is of dark roasted coffee beans, vanilla, semi sweet chocolate and malt. This stout is exceptionally smooth and satisfying.This is one of the best all around stouts I have had the privilage of tasting.Great brew!

Black with a medium sized dark brown head. Aroma of coffee and roasted malt mixed in with sweet oak scent. The palate is thick and full--and very creamy. Taste is very nice--lots of very rich roasted coffee flavors that are beautifully blended with the oak and bourbon. Slight alcohol feel--but this one is very balanced.

Aroma is of chocolate,coffee and bourbon.Pours dark with big tan head.Flavor is chocolate,coffee and a great bourbon flavor.Nice thick mouthfeel with a smooth bourbon finish.A really good beer.

Thanks moejuck. You sincerely came thru with this beauty. If you ever want to introduce someone to the epitomy of what oak barrels can do to an already great impy stout, give ’em this one. HUGE notes of oak, vanilla, bourbon, coffee, toffee, roasted walnuts and hops in the nose. More of the same on the palate. It’s unbelievable that the original Blackout could be improved upon (it was already one of my favorite stouts). This one is just simply, incredibly delicious.

(BOOTLE 599 OR 900 BY WAY OF FOOTBALM...THANKS ERIC!)black body with red and brown highlights around the outsaides of the glass.no head to speak of.the first thing i picked up in the aroma was the alcohol.followed by a wonderful blend of vanilla,oak,chocolate,coffee,dark fruit,and molasses.the falvor was even more complex than the aroma.with the palate changing for 10 seconds or so.picked up alcohol,coffee,chocolate,grahm crackers,molasses,oak,vanilla,whiskey,s’mores,and a nice dark fruit mix.the palate was thick and ever changing as i mentioned.overall its a really nice beer.i just feel the alcohol was a little to upfront.(SERIES 2516 RERATE ON:5-25-08)black body with red highlights.not much head to speak of.the aroma is a blend of nuts,roasted malts,vanilla,bourbon,and alcohol.flavor is much of the same with the alcohol standing out just a bit.smooth mouthfeel and long lasting palate.

Bottles courtesy of both Sliffy and JSquire. An imperial stout yes, not a Russian. Another good example of a bourbon barrel aged. But I would like some other tastes besides bourbon. The stout is black, the head is off-white and gourgeous with bubbles. There is active carbonation. Seems a slice thinner than the non-barrelled.

Bottle 263 of 900, 2006 courtesy of ragallachMC. Pours near opaque with a reddish hue and virtually no head, what is there is light brown and fizzy; agitation creates some fizzy spotty head/lacing. Aroma is moderate malt (cookie, roasted, nutty, caramel and milk chocolate), light hop (perfurme), light yeast (leather) with notes of raisin, prune, dates, cask wood, maple syrup and alcohol. Flavor is initially light sweetness, moderate bitterness and acidity, sour and salty then finishes lightly sweet, moderately acidic and heavy bitter with an average duration. Roasty malt with a hoppy presence, dry near the end and perfumey alcohol with some milk chocolate notes. Medium to full bodied, creamy and velvety mouthfeel, slightly flat and a heavy alcohol finish.