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Black Tuesday

The Bruery
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🌍 USA · Imperial Stout · One of 114 Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

Black Tuesday is the bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout at the centre of The Bruery's calendar, released each October. The name goes back to a first brew day of overflowing mash and scalding water, after which the base was banished to bourbon barrels. Each release now rests more than twelve months in wood before blending. It pours opaque black with little foam; crème brûlée, poached figs and milk chocolate lead the nose, followed by caramel, vanilla, dark fruit and charred oak in a thick, warming body.

ABV
19.1%
Bitterness
Very bitter
SRM
dark40
See all Imperial Stout alternatives →
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Full body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Gently sweet notes.
drysweet
Bitterness
Firm bitter edge.
mildbitter
Texture
Somewhat creamy mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

The weight carries the beer on its own, leaving the aromatics free to lead.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Imperial Stout.
No character signal.

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Black Tuesday

◎ Appearance

Black Tuesday pours opaque black with minimal foam, presenting the dense, light-absorbing character typical of high-gravity imperial stouts. The surface shows almost no head retention, and carbonation appears subdued—appropriate for a spirit-aged beer of this weight and age. The glass reveals no light transmission, emphasizing the beer's substantial, impenetrable appearance.

opaque blackminimal headstill carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with crème brûlée and poached figs, suggesting deep caramelization and oxidative complexity from twelve months in bourbon wood. Milk chocolate and vanilla emerge clearly, underpinned by dark fruit esters and charred oak—a layered profile that balances sweetness with toasted, spice-like wood notes. The alcohol is present but well-integrated, warming rather than harsh.

caramel, fig, dark fruitbourbon oak, vanillacharred woodchocolate

◐ Taste

Entry is full and viscous, delivering chocolate and caramel sweetness immediately. The mid-palate sustains those notes while charred oak, vanilla, and a subtle tannic dryness from the wood emerge, keeping the palate from cloying despite the beer's substantial residual sugar. Bitterness is restrained at 65 IBU, playing a supporting role behind the bourbon and dark malt complexity.

thick mouthfeelwood tanninsbalanced sweetnesslow bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is long and warming, with oak, vanilla, and a faint char lingering on the palate. Alcohol heat becomes more apparent in the fade, reinforcing the spirit-aged character and creating a sustained, drying aftertaste.

warming finishoak persistencedry fade
88
hopIQ score
Aroma
89
Taste
87
Appearance
85
Finish
88
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Black Tuesday

Serve at 13–16°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Black Tuesday

About Imperial Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Imperial Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Imperial Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same flavor character as Black Tuesday will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Imperial Stout beers in hopIQ →Browse USA beers →