Great Lakes Blackout Stout

Bottle; from Walnut Liquorette in Walnut, CA. Poured a dark brown, with slightly creamy, light brown head. Aroma was very good, of chocolate, vanilla, roasted malt, coffee and licorice. Alcohol well hidden. Substantial roasted malt/coffee flavor. Hints of chocolate, vanilla, licorice. Complex and subtle flavors. Medium to full bodied; average to below average palate for the style. Really liked this one.

Black. Thick. Some Head. Chocolate > Burnt Blueberries. >> Coffee?? A mild bitter in the back of my mouth .

I had to wait about 6 months to finally get my hands on this one. Poured a dark brown color with a small tan head. The aroma was some good chocolate and dark malts, with a hint of coffee. The flavor is more of the same. Good carbonation, and no biting bitter finish like you get with some impys. I’m not usually a fan of impys, but this is one fantastic brew. Get in my belly!!!

Courtesy of boboski, still the man!!! Did not know what to expect after having only had the BA version, honestly, I did not expect to like this beer as well as that version. Damn, was I wrong. Everything about this beer is seemlessly integrated, the coffee and chocolate aromas, the slightly smoldering smokiness lurking in the recesses of my glass. The flavor is amazing. Rich and warming, never going to far or hiding meekly. Wow.

I think the standard, annual release of this beer absolutely puts the barrel-aged version to shame, and it’s good too. Pours a very dark brown, thick and totally opaque. A small tan dark tan head forms, of fizzy, fat bubbles. Great retention that eventually imparts sparse lacing. The aroma is very roasty, a comfort on frigid nights. also noted is dark chocolate, licorice, tar, coffee grinds, grains and a slight touch of alcohol. the flavor is stellar, with more coffee and additions of raisins and pleasant hoppy bitterness. Very balanced and ridiculously drinkable, this is absolutley one of my favorite stouts. The finish is chocolatey, lightly bitter, mildly roasty and very long and light. The mouthfeel is medium-full bodied, absurdly smooth and softly carbonated. I am in utter amazement at Great Lakes; they make tons of this, year after year, always so consistent with wonderful flavor. Fanstastic and always as exciting as it was the first time.

absolute lights out. pitch black appearance, flavor has so much depth with hints of chocolate and coffee. amazing beer

Huge dark chocolate in the aroma. Also roasted malts and some coffee. More of the same in the flavor, with distinct hop characteristics in the finish. The mouthfeel is big, thick and slick. Medium carbonation. Very smooth Impy without much bitter bite in the end, which I prefer. This is a really great brew.

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. This Imperial Stout poured a solid black with a thick tan head that slowly faded away, leaving some excellent lacing around the glass. Just a bit of light is visible through the beer. The beer has nice big chocolate aroma, with notes of lightly roasted malts and some hop undertones. The flavor has quite a bit going on. You can taste cherries, milk chocolate, hints of coffee, and a touch of alcohol. I really enjoyed the flavor of this brew. The mouthfeel is full-bodied with a healthy dose of carbonation. Just a little bit thinner than I would prefer. The thin mouthfeel and unwanted level of carbonation are my only complaints. Overall, a very well done stout.