Great Lakes Barrel-Aged Blackout Stout

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

Thanks Explosivebeer! Softer all around than the original, deep charcoal and fierce alcohol. Slick and strong.

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a medium off-white foamy head with good retention and good lacing. Aroma of of well balanced vanilla, bourbon, oak with some deep roasted malt. Taste is also a well balanced mix between some bourbon. Vanilla and deep roasted malt with not one flavor overtaking the other. Body is lightly creamy while being full and carbonation is perfect for style, i.e. about average with no apparent alcohol. Easily drinkable with just enough character.

Bottle shared by DrBayern during blind tasting event at his joint. As you probably know, the beer poured rather black, aroma of graham crackers, vanilla, charred oak, bourbon, chocolate, espresso. The flavour was rather pungent, dominated by oak and alcohol, that slams one over the head. The palate is sweet vanilla wood, bourbon, chocolate, a bit roasted not much. Medium to full body with a vanilla and alcohol finish. Sorry, not my cup of tea.

22 oz. bottle generously popped by DrHomolka at DLD ’09 (Munster, IN). Thanks, Dave! Poured a pitch black pour, thick, with light offwhite head that laces. Aromas oush nice sweetness, bourbon, and some roasted malts with a touch of coffee and vanilla. Thick, full, vanilla and oak with light chocolate. Very nice aromas throughout that match flavor well. Leaves a good trailing flavor on the palate, sticks well.

I have had this in bottles and on draft and the draft seems to have more character and complexity. Coal black, Zero head, Bitter chocolate, dark roasted coffee, noticeable alcohol finish. If you plan on driving, only drink one. I’m just glad that I live near the Brewery because this is my "go to" Imperial Stout.

Draft taster. Deep black color, thin brown head. A smell of Kahlua and shoe polish. Yes, that’s what came to my mind. Smooth buttery texture with vanilla, oak and cognac. Some roughness, hot alcohol and burnt coffee around this one, too, but that seems to be acceptable for the total experience of drinking this devil.

poured black with a brown head. Aroma of bourbon and coffee. Some chocolate and vanilla flavor with some bourbon and coffee in the finish.

Pours with a black body topped by a thin, tan head with some lacing left on the glass. It’s sweet and malty with a nice vanilla bourbon note, chocolate and light coffee notes as well as roasty notes. Full bodied and smooth.