Great Lakes Blackout Stout - Great Lakes Brewing Company

Scotchboy

Idaho

3.99/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first time trying this: thanks to two awesome BA's for the bottles! Poured into my Rock Island snifter...

A: Pours dark brown, but somewhat lighter that I expected. Still, nearly opaque black in the glass.

S: Semi-sweet malty profile with underlying impressions of roast; dark caramel, chocolate, molasses and brown sugar. Definite RIS profile; agreeable, but lacking in muscle IMO.

T: More coffee is found here, interwoven with a lot of the same flavors from the nose; darker chocolate, caramel and molasses (I really get a lot of this in this particular beer), possibly anise? on the finish.

MF: Creamy medium/full mouthfeel with lighter carbonation and just a hint of alcohol.

O: Not as roast-prominent as I thought it'd be...moderate sweetness. Even with the two strikes against it (look and lack of roast) this thing is still mighty tasty and deserved of a spot in the BoF Top 100.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 15:48:33 | More by Scotchboy

Utica_Brew_Review

New York

3.38/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Great dark black appearance with a caramel head reminiscent of espresso crema. Roasted chocolaty aroma. Dark roasted chocolate and nutty taste with a creamy aftertaste and that 9% ABV comes through. Great smooth mouthfeel. Finishes true but a bit drier.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 06:51:53 | More by Utica_Brew_Review

thlayli87

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Black with brown at the edges of the glass. Thin tan head that doesn't last long. Slight lacing.

S - Dominated by roasty malts, hint of coffee, fig, and alcohol.

T - Roasted malt; bitterness throughout; lots of roasty flavors bordering on burnt; hint of sweetness mid-sip. Alcohol is well hidden.

M - Rich and somewhat creamy.

O - Solid imperial stout. Not the best I've had, but I would get this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 18:21:05 | More by thlayli87

Mgm54

New York

4.4/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Serving Type - 12oz bottle

A - Blackout, nice tan head, more head than expected

S - roasted chocolate, slight burnt notes, bits of dark fruit

T - creamy bits of chocolate up front, then burnt notes take over, with bits chocolate and dark fruits. Ends with chocolate with fading burnt notes. Taste great.

M - a bit creamy, but not too much. just the right amount for the taste.

O - amazing stout. It reminds me FBS, but less chocolate. If FBS is a little to sweet for you, try this.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 05:02:43 | More by Mgm54

notchucknorris

California

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a slightly thin looking deep brown color with a thin tan head. Leaves some thin patches of lace down the glass.

S: Heavily roasted malt, a touch of smoke, char, some dark roasted coffee and just a hint of blackberries. A bit faint, but it's a really nice smell.

T: Opens with a lot of roasted malt. Quickly moves to sweeter dark and milk chocolate flavors. Finishes off with a hit of chocolate cake, and then fades into some charred wood and hop resin. A really great RIS.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 23:00:19 | More by notchucknorris

BasterdInABasket

Wisconsin

4.06/5  rDev -4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

2012 bottle poured into New Belgium Globe Glass
A- Black in color with dark brown highlights on edges, thin tannish head, little retention, minimal spotty lacing
S- Mostly roasted malts, some bitter chocolate, good but not very big or complex
T- Big roasted flavor, a lot of bitterness for a RIS, chocolate becomes more present as it warms and is very good
M- Very smooth and creamy works great with chocolate, a little chewy, medium body, pretty drinakble
O- Roasty, Chocolatey and Bitter, Not a huge Imperial Stout but very good and will be looking for it next release.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 04:19:55 | More by BasterdInABasket

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a Sprecher snifter glass

Appearance- Black in color but some light passes through the edges. Almost a 1 finger tan head that basically completely dissipates and peaves no real lacing.

Smell- Big roasty, chocolate and coffee notes.

Taste- Woah, a big roast bomb! The chocolate and coffee sweetness offset for a beautiful marriage of flavor. No real hops is detected.

Mouthfeel- The lighter side of full body which I like as it is more drinkable. Also, good carbonation offsets the creamyness. A very very nice warming sensation hits the back of the tounge and chest.

Overall- This is a true stout with no gimmicks! Roast, chocolate and coffee malts that perfectly balance and create a wonderful sensation.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 00:06:49 | More by BrownAleMale

Vonerichs

Illinois

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

Deep brown with mohagany edges. There's very little head.

The nose has loads of sweet chocolate cake and coffee, tiramisu, and carmalized sugar. There's a hint if blackberry.

The taste has coffee and chocolate with a light smoky roast and bitter hoppy bite in the finish. The alcohol leaves a burn.

Smooth and creamy mouthfeel with good carbonation.

A damn fine RIS with pronounced flavors and aroma. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 01:55:20 | More by Vonerichs

devilben02

North Carolina

3.45/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours from the bottle with a deep brown, nearly black color, and is topped by a creamy, cream-colored head. The aroma is largely a dark, sweet combination of caramel and molasses sweetness, with some bittersweet chocolate. The flavor is a bit more complex, with characteristics of roasted, almost smoky malts, brown sugar, and some peppery, herbal hops, but there is also some lingering bitterness that seems almost metallic, and a noticeable hit of alcohol. The fine carbonation does a nice job of not masking this varied flavor profile, and the body isn't too heavy. Overall, this beer has a lot of what you'd expect from a solid imperial stout, but it doesn't have anything extra to make it exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 15:20:27 | More by devilben02

tectactoe

Michigan

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Jet-black pour with a light tan head, decent retention without much lacing being left along the glass. Aroma is full of creamy roastiness; a nice campfire sweetness with burnt, roasted barley, sweet chocolates, some char, and woody tones. The nose is heavy and robust, sure to please any big time stout fan. Blackout stout is no joke - the beer is very silky and smooth on the tongue, roasted barley hits first in large quantities, followed by some dirty and earthy flavors, again, reminiscent of a campfire smoke-out. Hints of smoke lay in the background; halfway through, more malty sweetness comes out in the form of black licorice, dates, grape skins, coffee loaded with cream and sugar, molasses, and syrup. The sweetness is apparent but never sickening or cloying thanks to the alcohol and hop profile. The alcohol is warm but not hot, and the hops are a bit flowery and dry, providing a bit of bitterness to combat the sweetness. Aftertaste lays heavily on the roasted side with some fading char and light ashy bitterness. Body is on the thicker side, silky, smooth, creamy, medium carbonation.

Hot damn, Great Lakes Brewing Company knows what they're doing. Nearly every brew I try by them, I am utterly impressed. They continue to deliver, brew after brew, style after style, and Blackout Stout is no exception. I wish this beer were a little easier to find.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 21:22:10 | More by tectactoe

KYGunner

Kentucky

4.28/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Nice thick, creamy khaki head, there were laces of brown through the thickness. There was no other tone other than jet black! This is a real stout though less syrupy than some.

The scent is of a chalky cocoa. Very little else.

The taste is far more complex, far more balanced than the scent. I get charred malts, smoky grains and even a bit of maple. There's undertones of chocolate but the burnt maltiness shines through. This is very well constructed though perhaps a touch thin in the mouthfeel.

I hope to try the barrel aged because this sets well for that sort of product.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 01:28:00 | More by KYGunner

socon67

New York

4.03/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Cracked for New Year's Eve.

A - Black pour with a cola colored foam that settles quickly. Lacing is patchy. Minimal carbonation.

S - Scents of roasted malt, coffee, and dark chocolate come ot the nose. There is also a sweet smell of blackberries.

T - Sweet flavor of berries, roasted malt and fresh coffee. Has a smoky quality of hickory logs by the fire. Very nice complexity on this stout.

M - Smooth like silk, and leaves all kinds of flavors long after the beer is gone. Perfect as a sipper, and meant to enjoy during a cold winter.

O - Perfect beer to welcome a New Year. Another great creation from GL. These guys haven't disappointed me yet.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 04:56:15 | More by socon67

chugalug06

Colorado

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

nice one finger, caramel/espresso colored, foamy-soapy head. Brew is pitch black. Lacing is null.

Roasty, smokey, caramel, (slight) licorice, dark chocolate, charcoal, grapey, chalky

Whoa. Solid. Flavor is even better then the aroma.. Very nice, smooth, silky, dark, deep, roasty, true to the nose.. Light(ish)medium carbonation, heavy, thin, ricey, good.

Recommended for a stronger RIS, it could use a bit more melding in the mouthfeel, but the brew is still quite nice and hits the spot on a very cold day.. Happy New Year.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 21:48:19 | More by chugalug06

tigg924

Massachusetts

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

Appearance: black in color, 1/2 inch head, opaque, medium carbonation

Smell: roasted malt, sweet cream and sugar

Taste: dark and sweet chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, a good dose of earthy hops, and light caramel

Mouthfeel: heavy bodied, medium-low carbonation,chewy, sweet with distinct bitterness

Overall: A nice and hoppy imperial stout that shows off multiple layers as it warms. A great winter beer. I would certainly pop one of these each weekend if it was available here.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 16:59:08 | More by tigg924

Altrurian

New York

4.28/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Moderately substantial pour; restrained tan head; deep, almost opaque translucent ruby-brown body. Balance of creaminess and carbonation approaches perfection in mouthfeel. The beer's aroma tends pleasantly toward chocolate. Its taste is an accomplished blend of malted grains, an edge of burnt toast, and a tempering hint of dark fruits. Little evidence of alcohol on the palate. Meritorious.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 04:19:12 | More by Altrurian

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.23/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- exactly as the title suggests, black. Dark and creamy tan head that reduces to a skimming layer with awesome thick lace that surrounds the glass.

S- bittersweet chocolate with a bit if coffee and just a hunt of hop, some smoky malt notes as well.

T- sweet dark chocolate, notes of coffee and toffee, slightly smoky with some warming alcohol on the back end, finishes sweet and malty. After it warms up a bit, it develops a bit more heat in the finish

M- heavy bodied with low carbonation and a velvety mouthfeel and warming finish

O- so rich and complex, this is deniably a sipper. Luckily I've sample this on tap and in the bottle. I think I prefer the on tap version just a bit more.

Serving type: on-tap

12-27-2012 23:46:04 | More by Treyliff

rlee1390

Indiana

4.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Clear brown when pouring, black in the glass, one finger tan head

S-Lots of roasty notes, some coffee and chocolate. Molasses is present as well. And a tad bit of vanilla.

T- Starts extremely roasted, but not burnt, malt heavy. Coffee and Chocolate are there for some balance.

M-Medium to heavy, not much carbonation, a tad creamy.

O-A wonderful all around stout, the roasted malt is prominent and spot on.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2012 23:37:41 | More by rlee1390

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

And yes, I did let the beer warm as so stated on the label.
The beer looks thin when poured into my glass. The color is dark with glinting high lites of ruby chestnut. A tall deep beige head sits on top.
Aroma is dominated by roasted malts, deep almost burnt. I like that. One can also pick up very sutle hints of cocoa and coffee.
Taste seems a bit one dimensional in that really the only thing I can taste is a rich roasted malt flavor.
Feels basically smooth on the palette but thin. The body has some ashen graininess but thats normal and have no problem with. Warming alcohol in the aftertaste.
All in all a good beer with good flavor but think it lacks depth as compared to others in this style.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 13:12:24 | More by micromaniac129

yamar68

Minnesota

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

2012 vintage:

Not quite "blackout" judging by appearance alone - dark brown/near black body produces a healthy finger of light beige head, which laces and retains very well.

Smooth chocolate character, nutty, roasted malts, pretty tame as far as the style goes... nice though.

Roasted almonds, milk chocolate, honey, maple syrup, nothing sharp and overpowering at all... well-rounded, reminiscent of Old Rasputin in this regard.

Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 20:02:49 | More by yamar68

martyl1000

Wisconsin

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

A beautiful pour into a tulip glass, black absence topped by a finger of tan lightweight head. The aroma is a bit one-dimensional, as in iron-hemoglobin.

In the mouth that tinny aroma morphs into hop bite, levened by a somewhat watery mouthfeel and a lively carbonation. There's burnt coffee of course, roasted malt (or is that rye?) and fresh dinner roll. That bready flavor is like the plain dough of an apple poptart (without the apple). But where's the sweetness?

I'm very glad to try the legend. But it's far from being one of my favorite Russian imperial stouts.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 06:29:30 | More by martyl1000

DaveAnderson

Minnesota

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

Great Lakes Blackout Stout is not the darkest imperial stout I've seen, but it does produce a very rich, dark crema that leaves thick, sticky lacing.

There are a lot of roasted smells in this glass -- coffee and chocolate are dominant among them. There's something smoky and sweet in there, too. No hops announce themselves.

This certainly has some mocha qualities. It's a sweet-bitter-chocolate-coffee melange. Creamy, too. This is a seriously thick beer. Carbonation is light. The flavors really stick around in the mouth, especially the bitter and roasted notes. The alcohol is very well masked.

I could drink a few of these. They go down a bit too easily. Good stuff.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 06:11:48 | More by DaveAnderson

starrdogg

District of Columbia

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

Beer pours black with a big fluffy tan head - a much bigger head than your average imperial stout. Smell is fairly subdued, but has a combination of roast and caramel malts, chocolate, oats and a little sweet. The roast doesn't overwhelm in the nose and instead plays a complementary role with the other things going on here. The flavor here is REALLY nice. It's not your average hit-you-over-the-head big roasty stout and instead does something a little different. It's a little bit sweet, smooth and chocolate-y up front, but brings a nice amount of roast in the finish to balance it out. It's incredibly easy-drinking for such a big stout. Mouthfeel isn't super thick for a big stout, instead it's more medium-full bodied with nice carbonation. Overall, this is one of my favorite non-BA imperial stouts because it's not the same as all of the other big ones out there. It actually reminds me a lot of Hill Farmstead Everett, a porter, more than any other big stout I've had.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 23:46:15 | More by starrdogg

pschul4

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into my Schlafly snifter courtesy of FTowne, thanks Mike!

A- Pours a dark brown and sits damn near black in the glass. Small amount of head that falls back to a ring around the edge of the glass

S- Sweet malts and some lactose in there. Coffee and chocolate round this beer out beautifully

T- Holy cow! Way sweeter than I was imagining. Definitely like an imperial milk stout. Lots of cream to go with the coffee on this one.

M- Could be a little thicker but no complaints

O- Very very enjoyable. Highly recommend to anyone who has access to this beer

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 03:41:53 | More by pschul4

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

4.68/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter.

Appearance
Pitch black with 1 finger of tan head that dissipates quickly.

Nose
Milk, milk chocolate, coffee and creamer. Really, really milky.

Taste
Tons of milk. Milk chocolate and Coffee & cream. Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme. Some French vanilla and caramel. Towards the finish it gets a little more bitter with cocoa nibs and notes of espresso.

Mouthfeel
Medium-full bodied, creamy and smooth.

Overall
This is incredibly sweet and milky. Tastes much like an Imperial-ized Milk Stout. This is an awesome Imperial Stout and it really sets itself apart from the rest of the bunch.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 21:27:45 | More by justintcoons

rappmann

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a growler the day after purchase into a pint glass. Reviewed from notes.

A - Dark black, no light is getting through, one finger of dark tan/mocha head, that doesn't stay long.

S - Dark chocolate, smokiness, maltiness. A hint of coffee in there somewhere too.

T - Bitter chocolate, nicely balanced, but it's a bit hot in the finish, good on a cold winter night.

M - Heavy and thick, this beer is a sipper, and thankfully I had a friend to split the growler with.

O - a good beer, but not an outstanding beer. Glad I got to try it, but for me it didn't quite live up to the hype.

Serving type: growler

12-08-2012 17:09:14 | More by rappmann