Great Lakes Barrel-Aged Blackout Stout

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

(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.

From the brewpub. Served in a small snifter. This beer is black, with a smallish head. The aroma is dominated by alcohol. Beyond that, I can smell a little malt. The body is medium to heavy, with alcohol dominating the flavor profile. Beyond that, I taste chocolate. In an essence, this is like a chocolate liqueur. Good, but not as great as I expected. Too much alcohol flavor and aroma.

On tap at the brewpub. Pitch black with a tan head. Aromas of roasted grain, vanilla, and bourbon. Vanilla, chocolate and roast flavors, along with bourbon that becomes more pronounced as it warms. Excellent beer

Draft at the brewpub. Pours black with a nice frothy brown head. Of course it was poured too cold, but I am patient. At colder temps, the aroma has lots of chocolate, vanilla, and dark roast. As it warms, more the of bourbon and alcohol dominates the nose. Nice carbonation and silky mouthfeel. Not too thick, not too thin. Flavor was not as roasty as I was expecting, but has flavors of vanilla, mild roast coffee, and oak. Nice bitterness on the finish, along with pronounced bourbon notes. But the bourbon was not hot and charcoally, as with other BA beers. This was good. In fact, I had seconds. Worth seeking out.

On tap. Tremendous. I don’t like most barrel aged beers I’ve tried. I find Oak Aged Yeti to be mediocre at best and Mephistopheles to be a bit unpleasant. This beer is what barrel aging should be, a flawless harmony of stout and bourbon. World class.

on tap at the brew pub, pours a deep black color with a thin tan head that goes away quickly and never returns, not even with a nice swirl of the snifter. aromas of roasted grain, vanilla, brown sugar and bourbon. decadent flavor that warms your entire mouth with the pungency of the bourbon that marries with the roasted bitterness. great mouthfeel, not nearly as thick as one would think. excellent finish of caramel, coffee and a fabulous alcohol warmth as it hits your stomache. awesome beer that lives up to the hype.