hopIQ
ENDE
Build your DNASign in

Barrel Aged Blackout

Great Lakes Brewing Company
Tap to rate
🌍 United States · Imperial Stout · One of 127 Imperial Stouts in hopIQ

An imperial stout named after the 2003 power outage across the northeastern United States, aged for several months in bourbon barrels and released each November in cans. Simcoe and Nugget hops sit on two-row malt, Crystal 77, black malt and roasted barley. It pours black with a tan head. Dark chocolate and roasted grain lead, followed by vanilla, bourbon-soaked oak, toffee and a thread of dark fruit. The body is full and smooth, the alcohol shows as sweet warmth, and the finish is long, with coffee-like char and a dry oak edge.

ABV
12.5%
Bitterness
Strongly bitter50 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark40
See all Imperial Stout alternatives →

AWARDS

Gold Medal · 2011
World Beer Championships
★Gold Medal — World Beer Championships
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Full body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Gently sweet notes.
drysweet
Bitterness
Moderate bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Somewhat creamy mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

Full-bodied and gently sweet.

Weight and sugar move together, the pour rolling slow while richness compounds on the palate.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Imperial Stout.
Malt character
chocolate
roasted
coffee
Distinctive notes
oak
vanilla
dark fruit

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Barrel Aged Blackout

◎ Appearance

Pours jet black with minimal light transmission, crowned by a tan head of moderate density that settles into a thin collar. The carbonation is restrained, appropriate to the style's weight and age. Lacing clings lightly to the glass walls.

jet blacktan headlow carbonation

◌ Aroma

Dark chocolate and roasted grain dominate the nose, with supporting notes of vanilla and bourbon-soaked oak developing on the second inhale. A thread of dark fruit—plum or raisin—emerges beneath the wood and alcohol warmth, which reads as sweet rather than sharp.

dark chocolateroasted grainbourbon oakdark fruit

◐ Taste

The palate opens full and smooth, with dark chocolate and toffee building across the mid-palate alongside the oak character from months in bourbon barrels. The 12.5% alcohol manifests as sweet warmth rather than harsh burn. Bitterness from Simcoe and Nugget hops is present but restrained at 50 IBU, providing structure without dominating.

chocolate, toffeebourbon barrel influencebalanced bitternessfull body

◑ Finish

The finish extends long, with coffee-like char and a dry oak edge that lingers for several minutes. The alcohol warmth recedes gracefully, leaving a pleasant astringency.

long finishcoffee, chardry oak
88
hopIQ score
Aroma
87
Taste
90
Appearance
85
Finish
88
+ Sign in to add your tasting note

Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Barrel Aged Blackout

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 Barrel Aged Blackout

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 chocolate, roasted, oak character as Barrel Aged Blackout 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 United States beers →