Great Lakes Blackout Stout - Great Lakes Brewing Company

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.83/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This beer is nearly black. Some shimmers of crimson are visible. Slight chocolate brown head with average retention. The collar stays around for a while and leaves some sporadic lace. Nice bittersweet chocolate on the nose as well as some smoke, burnt malts, tobacco and deep, dark fruits. There's such a great balance of sweet and bitter characteristics on the palate. Usually I go for the Imperials with the Huge roasted and hop bitterness, but this one's got a nice sweetness up front that turns bitter, and I love it. First I get sweet malts, molasses, brown sugar and fruits like cherry and plum. But then, it turns bitter and nasty (in a good way). Roasted bitterness. Hop bitterness. Alcoholic bitterness. And jagged char tones, black patent and tobacco. The mouthfeel is lightly (and appropriately) carbonated. And the body is damn near full. This is a great one, and that is no surprise coming from Great Lakes.

I love trying great,new Imperial Stouts. Thanks for the opportunity Ryan.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2004 03:54:26 | More by Bighuge

TheLongBeachBum

California

4.47/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: Standard 12 ounce brown glass bottle. Dark label that has a black background with white lettering. The picture is of a group of people moonlit in a dark blue hue for obvious reasons given the Stouts name. Blurb to the right of the label states that this an Imperial Stout brewed from natural ingredients. Recommended Serving Temperature of 45°F, as well as a listed Strength of 9.0% by volume. Enjoy By Date is Dec. 9 04.

Appearance: Extremely dark black with lots of Black Hole nothingness in the body that bends light and warps time. The head is a light brown affair that laces well and remains smooth and uniform. Lots of fine-bubbled carbonation races to the surface as the beer is tilted and then up righted again quickly. Powerful appearance.

Nose: Immense odor of powerful thick roasted malts laden with alcohol. The nose of this beer instantly implants pictures of the Red and Gold push top 16oz Tins of Lyle’s Black Treacle that we had back in England. Some milky chocolate smatters the back end of this incredible offering.

Taste: Fantastic dark roasted malts, a rising chocolate bitterness and lots of swishing powerful malts in the middle. The finish is dry and bitter-chocolate-sweet. Astringency lingers in the liquorice coated treacle malt finish. Damn good.

Mouthfeel: Imperious and definitely not shy, the feel is silky, creamy and smooth whilst the body is full and thick.

Drinkability: Bring it on!! Whilst I could drink this all night, I fear that this Imperial Stout would take more out of me than I could ever take out of it. Hell this drinks easily for a 9% Imperial Stout.

Overall: Quite simply - Superb! What a way to close out a Saturday Night!!!

An Imperial Cheers to BigHuge for this Monster.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2004 06:23:27 | More by TheLongBeachBum

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A great start, with a bottle picture and description that reminds those of us who survived the Great Grid Blackout. Then a beautiful black pour. A stout with great American hops and some malt taste. Thanks to Chuck's Fine Wines for breaking up a six pack for me.
Second bottle 26 months later, great and substantial coffee and roast aroma. Beautiful mocha ring on head. bMedium mouthfeel,n warming alcohol, satisfying coffee aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2004 03:14:34 | More by northyorksammy

granger10

Wisconsin

3.65/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours out like its name, black as night. It produces a good sized creamy head that looked beautiful. The smell is very roasted with a chocolate espresso note to it. The initial flavor I got was a strong roasted coffee precense. The roasted flavors turn into a burnt chocolate that is a little unsettling. Hops mix with the alcohol and provide a spicyness, almost fruitiness but then become more bitter the further I go. The finish is alcohol dry. The body was slightly thinner than I would have hoped for. This was a good complex beer but not my favorite in the Imperial Stout category.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2004 13:39:16 | More by granger10

Ellbert

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance: A nice dark color, almost black. There is a little bit of light that can get through this. The head is a nice tan color that doesn't last as long as I would like. There is a very sticky lace that coats the glass.

Smell: Roasted malt with bittersweet chocolate in the nose. Faint hops arise in the nose. No alcohol seems to be present.

Taste: Very roasty. Very roasty. Bitter, bitter, bitter. Very roasty. The roastedness is fairly harsh at first. Hops are very spicy. Alcohol is a little warm in the end. Leaves you a little dry but with a very pleasant flavor or roasteness and chocolate. This is kind of like if you take a chocolate bar and smoke it.

Mouthfeel: Medium body. I feel that this is lacking a little bit. I would have liked to have this be a little thicker. I would also have liked to see this with a little less harsh carbonation.

Overall a very drinkable beer. A very good imperial stout. Go GLBC

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2004 05:37:38 | More by Ellbert

cokes

Wisconsin

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Black. Treated ever-so-slightly with ruby, but black for all intents and purposes. The head is compacted, for a while lasting, and tan.
Nose full of burn and char and roast. Echoes of bourbon and grape is it warms, but slight and fairly hollow. Solid and satifying nose-wise, yet not quite an adequate prelude.
Begins assertively roasted. Smoky even, with burnt trees and burnt rubber and spent charcoal. Not as incinerated as, say, Expedition or Rogue Imperial, but plenty fire-damaged as it is.
From the ashes, a sweetness seeps. Gooey caramel and vanilla bean. Hallmark blackened chocolate chip cookies (take note). Seared walnuts. Mocha coffee, with heavy espresso roasted bitterness.
Hopping resides, obviously, on the tail end, and it joins with the burnt hues. Enflamed pine trees and singed woody shrubs. Boozy, port traits are established here as well. Chocolatized brandy and still-smoldering, woody, bourbon-drenched embers. But the alcohol is largely concealed.
Mostly full in stature. Not the largest Imperial Stout. But a well realized and representative version of such. It may lack a little (and just a little) in overall nuance and depth, it is nonetheless as drinkable and enjoyable as any. And it just gets better as it exceeds cellar temp.
Well done, as expected.

That burnt chocolate chip cookie flavor just seems to resonate in the mouth and the memory, and I love it.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2004 02:40:57 | More by cokes

cerevisiaephilus

Michigan

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 3.5

Beer looks nice. Its dark, but not 'dark as the inside of a bear's...' dark. Can see throught the bottom of the glass...looks a deep red when held to the light. Not bottle conditioned, so that's convenient, but I'd prefer a darker, more opaque imperial stout. Nice mellow brown head that hangs around.

Nose is really roasty. I get a touch of hops too, but mostly roasty, chocolatey notes.

Taste is big. Lots of roasted barley in this brew...probably lots of chocolate malt too. About mid way through the taste get a very subtle 'wineyness', could use a bit more honestly to counter all that roastedness. I definately get some bitterness too in the finish. Finishes with kind of an astringent roastedness and deep bitterness that will make it hard to drink more than one or two of these. Really tough finish.

very very nice mouthfeel...silky smooth, big and chewy all in one. If the roast was toned down a touch this beer would be right on.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2004 01:43:19 | More by cerevisiaephilus

oberon

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to AKsmokedPorter for this big gem of a beer,pours a deep black with a few ruby highlights showing thru with a mocha colored head,aroma ofrum and nuts with some bitter chocolate thrown in just incredibley appetizing with its wide variety.A big rich stout very chewey mouthfeel big and buttery with that rum note again with some nuttiness as well.A big complex awesome beer, man I miss getting GLB beers on a regular basis cuzz this one would be in my fridge all the time.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2004 00:20:11 | More by oberon

bigbubba

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This is an excellent stout. I am glad I finally found it. I think this was the last 4 pack in all the eastern suburbs of Cleveland.

It is very dark with a big light brown head. It left a nice dark lace on the inside of the glass. It didn't pour as thick and oily as many other Imperial stouts do.

There is a nice roasted coffee and some chocolate in both the smell and taste. A little bitterness in the aftertaste hides the potent alcohol. Hard to believe it is 9%.

The mouthfeel is not as thick as many others in this category, and that seems to make it real easy to drink. I could get into real trouble if I ever find this on tap and served by the pint!

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2004 23:44:36 | More by bigbubba

wbickerton

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Mad Mex in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. I am still recovering from the flu/cold, but I did not notice any negative aroma. It seemed to have a slight coffee/chocolate aroma. Very dark with a tight frothy head. Delicious coffee and chocolate flavor with a full-bodied palate. It's listed here as 9% ABV, but this can't be right. It tasted as though it were 5.5 to 6.5% at most. If this is 9% ABV, GLBC should be given an award for masking alcohol content. Stouts are not my favorite beers, but this stout will force me to go to Frank B. Fuhrer Wholesale Company in the South Side to pick up a keg, assuming it is still available.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2004 01:11:45 | More by wbickerton

OldFrothingSlosh

Pennsylvania

4.93/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On-tap at the GLBC.

There comes a time when you get "wowed" by a great beer...this is such a time.

Served in the "I get to keep" glass from the brewery.

Appearance: 99% opaque, inky blackness. Only a few wavelengths of smoked cherry-colored light penetrate the very edge of the beer. Tight layer of tan-colored head laces the glass in a patchwork quilt fashion.

Smell: Holy shit. An earth-shattering array of roasted malt, toasted toffee, coffee beans, bittersweet chocolate. A smoky, earthen undertone to this as well.

Taste: How could the taste manage to compete with the smell? It does, and does it very well. Very chocolatey...reminds me of chocolate s'mores. Toasted nuts doused with Starbucks coffee. Add a few shots of Heath bars for good measure. Finishes with just a whiff of lingering bitterness.

Mouthfeel and Drinkaiblity: Full-bodied. Very thick and near-total palate saturation. Dangerously drinkable, with the ABV well-hidden. Out of this world.

GLBC does it again...and does it very well. Get a bottle if you can, or, better yet, hit the brewpub to sample it from the tap.

Serving type: on-tap

04-16-2004 02:10:08 | More by OldFrothingSlosh

zerk

California

4.7/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours black... absolutely freaking black... with a thin tan head that leaves a fair amount of lace. Aroma is a mix of malt, coffee, fennel, and some chocolate. Flavor is an absolutely amazing combniation of espresso, some notes of port wine, and spicy hops - bold and potent... with a noticeable alcohol burn. Mouthfeel is thick and oily with low to medium carbonation. This is a massive and wondefrul brew that is a great deal at $9 for a 4 pack!

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2004 21:21:41 | More by zerk

beerluvr

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

A dark tan head tops nearly opaque deep dark brownish/black liquid. Good lacing. Intense rich coffee and dark fruit nose. Viscuous mouthfeel with robust flavors of coffee, milk chocolate, roasted barley, nicely integrated hoppiness, then alcohol is both tasted and felt. The long, long flavorful finish hints at yeasty fruitiness and espresso bitterness...simply fab-u-lous! Reminds me of a tamer version of Bell's Expedition Stout. Thanks to CRJMellor for this roasty gem...my 400th review, and quite a fitting brew for it!

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2004 13:13:38 | More by beerluvr

ngandhi

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

The rich cocoa and fruit of some great imperials with the deep roast of others, Blackout is the coming-together of this oft-inconsistent style. Nose is all malt and blkwushopblksqa . . . this is an awesome beer.

Fudge, roasted walnuts, and 30-year-old port. A hint of Nutra-Sweetness (how odd), but otherwise perfect.

So close to Rogue, it hurts.

Relax, relax.
ng

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2004 22:32:27 | More by ngandhi

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Solid black color, huge tannish head, active, bubbling, ...aroma, bitter cocoa, nutty, just the thing...on the palate, full, rich, thick, delicious, perfect...lush texture, cocoa is everywhere, carob and anise and more join in on the flavor, thick, rich , delicious,...yum, an excellent stout, from an excellent brewer toward whom I've never had a complaint...full, rich, bodied, potent mouthfeel, this gives Kalamazoo's a run for it's money...wish I had more to test them against one another...but all I can say now is that I fully enjoyed this one, and will seek this one out in the future, if I can!!!
What a great stout...wish I could have this more often!

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2004 09:59:37 | More by feloniousmonk

proc

Michigan

4.72/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Can this brewery do no wrong?

Great Lakes has got to be considered among the best breweries in the U.S. All of their offerings have been superb and this is no exception.

Blackout Stout pours out to the darkest black I have seen a beer pour out yet. Yep, the term "blackout" is very appropriate here. The aroma is that of coffee and malt. The taste is fantastic. Chocolate, coffee, licorice ane melted malted milk balls come to mind. the ABV is exceptionally well hidden, maybe better hidden than nearly any beer I have tried. Extremely easy to drink. This is an impressive Imperial Stout. If you've been afraid of this big boy style, don't be.

Note to Great Lakes: Get this beer all over and not just in the Midwest.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2004 02:05:49 | More by proc

mjohn27603

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle indicates best before May 29, 2004. I can pick up a slight brownish tinge to the beer as it comes out of the bottle but once in the glass it as black as a night sky. The head quickly goes away. I get mostly a chocolate aroma from the beer. Another sniff reveals a roasted coffee aroma. Actually it smells freshly brewed. First sip reveals a very dry, woody tasted with more roasted and burnt notes than chocolate. Mouthfeel is surprisingly light and not syrupy or thick at all. Alcohol bite doesn't seem present at first. Several sips into the glass a pronounced bitter aftertaste is developing. A beer for sipping. It will take a while to get through the glass. Still Bell's gets my vote for a better Imperial Stout in the Midwest.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2004 05:17:14 | More by mjohn27603

masterbruewer

Ohio

4.05/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

It poured black, very black, the blackest beer I've seen yet. No amber tints, no light coming through. With a thick light brown head that sticks around and leaves nice lacing.


The smell is a nice balanced blend of malt, coffee and chocolate flavors.

The flavor is of mellow burnt oak and hops. It gets more complex as it warms, with more chocolate and coffee flavors emerging and a little flower and fruit hiding in the back.

The mouthfeel is substantial, but not boorish. It hits your mouth like a velvet glove of flavor and spreads about the mouth with a smooth feel. A little carbonation keeps the flavor lively.

This is a highly drinkable stout. Strong flavor but no off tastes. At 9.0 ABV, I wouldn't drink too many in a setting, but I'll definately try this one again.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2004 00:31:04 | More by masterbruewer

CRJMellor

Arkansas

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours deep black with just a hint of maroon as the light permeates the mass. Very minor tan head created on the pour. Lots of lace as the pint is consumed.
Aroma is raw, rough coffee, oatmeal, wood and light milk chocolate.
Flavor is rich milk chocolate complimented by some coffee and grain or oat richness. Minor swett alcohol and some residual earthy, wooddy bitterness at the end.
Mouthfeel is smooth to start and subtley escalates up to a very dry alcoholic and palate coating feel with some moderate bitterness.
Drinkability is very nice. Another great beer from GL.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2004 05:07:42 | More by CRJMellor

bditty187

Nebraska

4.6/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Black. Opaque. It is stunning in its depth; it is an abyss in my glass. The russet head reached a very modest ¼ of an inch before it quickly faded to a collar. No subsequent lacing. The bouquet was simply lovely, big roasted malt aromas, a hint of coffee, chocolate, and a hint of milk-like sweetness. I couldn’t detect much in the way of hops, in other words it hasn’t been too “Americanized.” The potency is strong enough to get its point across, which is “drink me!” The flavors on the palate are great. I could leave the description at that. It is simply great. Big, angry, burn malts, dry coffee, and tree bark upfront, in the middle a sizable malty sweetness emerges and the first notice of the hops slide into the finish. Before I could reach the finish however the alcohol reared its head, it brought some heat and a pleasant bite. This is an outstanding Imperial Stout, be forewarned though, this isn’t a hop monster like Storm King Stout, its more a kin to the SS Imperial Stout, but better. The aftertaste is long, rich malty alcohol; a hint of chocolate covered cherries, espresso, the dryness is impressive. It is very tasty. The mouthfeel is thick and hearty; the bulk on the tongue can be described as full. Carbonation levels are low but natural. It coated my mouth like lacquer. The alcohol punch is perfect, it encouraged me to sip and savor. I gladly did. This is an outstanding offering and yet another masterpiece from GLBC. This one come recommended; seek this out! Thank you PhantomVodoo

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2004 21:50:42 | More by bditty187

CortexBomb

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beautiful black beer with a frothy tan head, but it leaves town pretty quickly. Aroma is nicely roast and chocolate dominated, and strongly sweet.

Taste is large on hops and chocolate and a huge helping of roast and definite alcohol flavour being evident and the normal hop bitterness to finish. The sweetness from the aroma also is present through nearly the entire duration, and lingers along with the bitterness. This is a nice representative of the Russian Imperial style.

Mouthfeel is fairly thick without being amazing, while the drinkability is a bit above average.

The bottom line: Great Lakes is one of my favourite semi-local brewers, and Blackout Stout is a great product. If you like the style, you should definitely give this one a go.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2004 00:57:16 | More by CortexBomb

Bierguy5

Ohio

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer has been much anticipated in this area. Great Lakes is an excellent brewery, and finally a big beer released in bottle form. This pours a deep dark black liquid with a great tan creamy head. The head didn't stay around as long as I would like, and there wasn't much lacing on the glass as I had hoped. Still looked pretty good. Smells of chocolate and dark roasted coffee, almost espresso-like. Taste is fairly sweet with a good coffee and roasted malt flavor. This imperial stout is very highly hopped. The alcohol presence is very noticable. Mouthfeel is almost full bodied, perhaps just a bit thin. Seems to be pretty drinkable for an imperial stout, particularly one that has so much hop character. I found this to be even tastier as it warmed.
In summary, another outstanding beer from an outstanding brewery. Maybe more people need to take notice of Great Lakes, because they are doing some wonderful things, and they have been very consistent.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2004 03:31:51 | More by Bierguy5

Gusler

Arizona

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

The beer as it emigrates from the bottle to my 30 year old “Chimay Chalice” is the color of obsidian with the head a beauteous chocolate color and also burly in size, as it calmly erodes the lace forms a fine sheet of lace to obscure the glass. The aroma of roasted grain dominates the nose with hints of bittersweet chocolate, fresh and pleasing to the eye and the nose, start is thick with malted grain, ambrosial, the top chewy thick. Finish is deliberate in its acidity, the hops sweet-tempered in their spiciness, desert dry aftertaste with the bittersweet chocolate flavor lasting to the very last, a find stout from a magnificent brewery.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2004 00:54:57 | More by Gusler

Skidz

Wisconsin

4.47/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours out a deep, rich brown that holds black in the glass with only the slightest bit of light showing through the bottom of the glass. Nice looking tan head on top with some nice lacings around the sides. Retreats to the sides of the glass, doesn't hold anything in the center. When pouring this out, I was just getting a nose full of smells before I even put my shnoz even close to it.

Smells of nice roasted grains, malts and some hoppy aromas as well. Taste starts out mellow but quickly picks up steam as some heavy roastyness blows its way through. Dark caramel and chocolate undertones peek out a bit just before a tangy blast of orange like flavors hit the roof of your mouth then simmers down, back into those roasted grains and malts leaving you with only the slightest bit of bitterness on your tongue. Alcohol prescence is there, but it's well covered by the bold flavors and excellent flow.

Full body packed with loads of different flavors to try and pick out. Very smooth and clean tasting, nothing here to complain about. This is definately a great brew to just sit back and enjoy in the quiet dark night. By two and share with a friend.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2004 03:46:22 | More by Skidz

Ahhdball

Ohio

5/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Black as night -or a "blackout" (computer glitch my ass) with a slight beige head which left a beautiful lace as I drank. A great color which light can nay penetrate! In fact the lights flickered when I started to pour it!
Roasted nuts and burnt cocoa with a slight smoked wood overtone. It's a strong warning that this is no ordinary beer. Very complex and strong.
Oh my god the taste! This is the best beer I've had so far. I'm tasting two maybe three malts in this. A good portion of Rauchmalz with Caramel Dunkel and Hell. Strong yet smooth finish with virtually nothing left over but a longing for another round.
Thick and chewy mouthfeel which makes it easier to do than my last girlfriend. The difference being I don't need to scrub down when I'm done drinking it.
I only bought a four pack but will have it again. Very easy to drink with a steak or alone. Going to grab one of my favorite 5x54 Drew Estates and have another! Damn this is great.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2004 17:44:09 | More by Ahhdball