Silphium (4309) reviewed Blackout Stout from Great Lakes Brewing 22 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
Immediately upon opening the bottle, strong bitter dark chocolate, roast, and coffee filled the air. Like any good Imperial Stout, this beer is dark chestnut-brown/black with a quickly dissipating thin tan head. Flavor begins with dark chocolate, coffee, a touch of caramel, and strong roast, finishing relatively dry (considering the fairly sweet start) with a bitter hops aftertaste and a touch of alcohol. Medium-bodied. A good beer but not in the top echelon of its style, as the malt character is rather generic and indistinct.
jhaase (14941) reviewed Burning River from Great Lakes Brewing 22 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Nice hop nose. Hazy red amber, low head. Honey sweet berries with plenty of perfumed hops on top. Medium body, round mouthfeel and a perfumed aftertaste. Pleasant brew.
jhaase (14941) reviewed Dortmunder Gold from Great Lakes Brewing 22 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 4 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 4.5
Somewhat neutral aroma. Nice orange golden low head. Compared to the average bavarian Helles available to me I found this one to be a bit too lightfooted - the solid malt footprint is simply not there. Maybe my sample was too small or I tasted beers in the wrong order, but this brew did not wow me...
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 7
Fruity burned coffe aroma. Jet black, low creamy head. Fruity and hopped flavors with a burned aftertaste. I did not have the largest sample, but it appeared to be a tad lightbodied and I found the exit to be a bit weak as well.
Hershiser2 (8215) reviewed Blackout Stout from Great Lakes Brewing 22 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
BOOM! Black in appearance, with a gorgeous huge brown head. Looks fantastic! Flavor is DEEP, rich, sweet, bitter, chocolate, and alcohol. Warning: alcohol is not well masked, which does detract from the enjoyment of the beer a bit- but it's still one helluva beer!
Dogbrick (24322) reviewed Blackout Stout from Great Lakes Brewing 22 years ago
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 9
Since discovering GLBC and being impressed with pretty much their entire line (even with the styles of which I am normally not a big fan), I have always hoped that the brewery would produce an Imperial Stout. I really hoped it would be up to par, and this beer definitely lives up to the GLBC standards. The beer is an inky black color with a thick and somewhat foamy light brown head. The head dissipates but never dissapears, and the lacing is nice throughout. Strong roasty aroma of coffee and chocolate. Rich body (my only complaint is that it is a little on the carbonated side), with a nicely balanced blend of coffee, chocolate, malt and hops flavors. The alcohol is well-hidden too. This Imperial is definitely on the hoppy side for the style but it is pulled off very well. Some Imperials are borderline cloying with the big chewy malt/alcohol flavors but that is not the case here. The finish retains the coffee and hops aspect and makes this abundantly drinkable. I hope this becomes a year-round offering at some point.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 9
Hazy yellow with full creamy head. Nicely rich and complex aroma, with bubblegum, dough, pepper, coriander, banana and other phenols. Flavor is rich and smooth, with a dominant sweetness followed by a spicy and phenolic finish. Banana, dough and coriander are prominent alongside sweet malt. Sticky sweet in the lingering aftertaste, with a warming alcoholic kiss.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 9
Lightly hazy gold with a tinge of amber. Aroma lightly hoppy with herbs, grass, clean malt. Perfectly balanced flavor, well made with clean malt and tingly hop flavors, and light finish. Superb.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 2.5
All I have to say right now before I open this is WOOOHOOO. $8.99 a 4-pack, but I can't wait! The label says this is brewed in recognition of the 15th anniversary of the GLBC, and has a nice slice of cake with two sparking candles depicted. Being limited edition, I sure hope it's not that good that I want some all the time (yea right, it's gotta be great!). WOW, great golden orange with the biggest head I have seen on a beer in a long time. THICK and fluffy. Shrinks down and looks like it will lace nicely! Nice bitter banana/clove aroma. Aww man, I'm disappointed in the taste. Way too thick in the mouthfeel, way too syrupy, and leaves an almost rotten aftertaste. Man oh man... I was so looking forward to this one when I got home... well maybe it is good that it's a special edition brew, that way I won't be tempted to buy it again. =( Freshness date says enjoy by March 11, 2004. Maybe this stuff needs to be aged??? (added 5-21-04: I let this stuff sit in a basement corner for 8 months, and it's much better now)
Hershiser2 (8215) reviewed Burning River from Great Lakes Brewing 22 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Paid $6.99 for a 6-pack. Amber in color- kinda cloudy, small, frothy head. Nice smell: slightly bitter grapefruit- pretty hoppy. As my tastebuds continue to evolve, and my liking of hoppy beers grows, I must say I enjoy this beer much more. Very hoppy, lots of hops all over- in the taste, in the aftertaste... everywhere. Reminds me a bit of some of the ESBs I've had. Not the greatest beer from Great Lakes, but definitely a good one. Much better this time around than last.