Black Tuesday
The Bruery

Black TuesdayBlack Tuesday
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From:
The Bruery
 
California, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #36
ABV:
19.5%
Score:
100
Ranked #118
Avg:
4.54 | pDev: 9.47%
Reviews:
782
Ratings:
4,235
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sunday at 11:26 PM
Added:
Jul 18, 2009
Wants:
  3,256
Gots:
  2,041
Our infamous Black Tuesday is an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for over a year. Rich caramel, toasted malt, vanilla, burnt wood and anise are just a few of the many flavors in this rich, decadent imperial stout.

2009: 19.5% ABV
2010: 18.2% ABV
2011: 18.3% ABV
2012: 19.2% ABV
2013: 18.9% ABV
2014: 19.7% ABV
2015: 19.9% ABV
2016: 20.3% ABV
2017: 19.5% ABV
2018: 19.5% ABV
2019: 19.4% ABV
2020: 19.3% ABV
2021: 18.9%
2022: 19.7%
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by wmartin:
Photo of wmartin
Reviewed by wmartin from North Carolina

4.89/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Opened a bottle today that I obtained direct from brewery last Dec. It has been stored at 36F most of the time. I had a taste of another bottle in December, and it immediately reminded me of BCBS, but with some difference in character. It had a more pronounced dark fruit flavor. After 8 months of cold storage, I finally tried my bottle, and it immediately grabbed me with its strong, mellow flavors, and its similarity to BCBS. I now find it better than BCBS, as it seems to have stronger flavors. Beautiful dark, sweet flavors of raisins and plums, along with strong bourbon and barrel flavors, plus a good dose of alcohol. Label says it "contains alcohol". No kidding.

Tastes very much of alcohol, perhaps too much for some people, but I like it in small amounts. Takes 3 days of dedicated effort to finish a bottle. I'm about half way through this one after 2 days. Seems to last quite well with fridge storage after opening, no doubt due to high ABV. There is little carbonation to begin with, and no perceptible change in flavor profile after a couple days of bottle being opened.

Really tremendous stuff, and I'll have to see about getting some more.
Aug 30, 2018
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.56 by Ryan7676 from Texas

Sunday at 11:26 PM
 
Rated: 4.6 by ThaKennster from Texas

Jan 28, 2024
 
Rated: 4.6 by smi69 from New York

Jan 24, 2024
Photo of vette2006c5r
Reviewed by vette2006c5r from Minnesota

4.95/5  rDev +9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Black Tuesday pours black with a small, long-lasting tan head. The aroma is sweet figs and bourbon. The flavor is big, bold, and hot but it blends in with all the dark chocolate notes and sweet bourbon notes. Good, thick body. Overall, just about a perfect stout. Huge flavors, and completely hides the 19.5 abv.
Jan 22, 2024
Photo of Beers-es
Reviewed by Beers-es from Virginia

4.5/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On tap into an 8 oz snifter, pours pitch black, as per the name. Smell and taste feature a complex blend of raisins, chocolate, coffee, vanilla, oak and bourbon. The alcohol warms going down, but is very well hidden. Not overly thick or sweet. Outstanding beer.
Jan 15, 2024
Photo of Rug
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts

4.37/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2021 vintage

Somehow I’ve had like 4 Black Tuesday variants but this is my first time trying thr base beer. I’ve wanted to try it for quite some time and never saw it around so I was surprised when it popped up on Tavour recently. Let’s pop this beast open and find out what it has to offer

Pours completely pitch black with a finger of creamy tan head that quickly fades to a thin ring and leaves minimal lacing

The nose is very bold, and surprisingly not even that boozy. I’m picking up on aromas of cocoa powder, raisin, vanilla bean, molasses, toasted oak, brown sugar, sweet bourbon, light roast coffee, burnt caramel, black cherry, and light leather

The complexity is dialed back in taste in favor of something more bourbon-forward, but it’s still damn good. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting sweet bourbon, raisin, dark chocolate, molasses, charred oak, vanilla bean, black cherry, light brown sugar, and cinnamon. The swallow brings notes of charred iak, sweet bourbon, black cherry, molasses, dark chocolate, raisin, smoky tobacco, and vanilla bean

A medium full body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes mostly dry with some heat but drinks significantly below its abv

This is a classic for a reason so I just had to give it a bump in the overall. Great stuff
Jan 15, 2024
 
Rated: 4.75 by petewheeler from Maryland

Jan 13, 2024
Photo of sjrider
Reviewed by sjrider from California

4.46/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Bottle pour, 2021 edition - dark as used motor oil with short foamy khaki head leaving a ring of tiny bubbles. Nose is boozy barrel with dark stone fruit and hints of brown sugar, cocoa, and roasty malt . Taste follows with lingering oak and a bit of alcohol creep on the finish.
Jan 10, 2024
 
Rated: 4.71 by chossboss from Oregon

Jan 01, 2024
Photo of Blogjackets
Reviewed by Blogjackets from Ohio

4.47/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
2016 version. Poured from bottle, the body is black with little head and lacing.

Aroma is a boozy delight. Sweet bourbon with notes of dark fruits, oak, caramel, and vanilla.

Taste thankfully follows nose as the booze is front and center. Despite this bourbon bring featured, it's never too hot despite the huge ABV. The booze is never hidden, but I would not had guessed anything near 20%. As it warms. a flavor arises that reminds me a bit of flat Coca Cola. Perhaps a wee bit of coconut. Delightful.

Mouthfeel is good, soft and pleasing, with just enough carbonation.

A very enjoyable stout that was still vibrant and powerful after aging for 7 years.
Jan 01, 2024
Photo of russpowell
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas

4.59/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 2 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Pours an effervescent hazel/chestnut with one finger of fast failing mocha colored head. No head retention or lacing

S: Dark fruit, Bourbon Barrel, hints of coconut & dark cherries once warm

T: Follows the nose, some cola & molasses notes, plus leafy hops up front. Some coffee, dark chocolate, a little vanilla as this beer warms up, along with oaky char, dark cherry & figs, plus some pleasing, warming Bourbon notes. Finishes with boozy dark chocolate cherry notes, a touch of vanilla, brown sugar, maple & oaky dryness. plus a kiss of Bourbon

MF: Fairly chewy, minimal carbonation, pretty darn warming

Great & very potent take on the style. Great drinkability for the heft. Thrilled to have to finally tried this longtime want! This beer just got better the warmer it got.
Jan 01, 2024
Photo of Parmesan
Reviewed by Parmesan from Colorado

3.56/5  rDev -21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
L: Pours a dark brown black that is a little thinner than expected, but has a small tan head that is larger than expected due to the alcohol and a nice lacing.

S: Some brown sugar and molasses, notes of vanilla, a very strong bourbon alcohol a light fig but the alcohol is huge in this and a bit over the top.

T: Lots of bourbon in this one, some fig and vanilla, a bit of molasses and brown sugar. This beer seems really far to the boozey ide and I feel like could use some more balance by showing off the more aspects of the base beer, than just the barrel aging. The barrel aging seems a little heavy handed to me.

F: Oily and slick mouthfeel, little tingling off the tongue from the high alcohol of this beer.

O: Honestly I wasn't super impressed with this beer. I prefer my imperial stouts to be a nice balance between the base beer and the barrel aging and I just felt like the bourbon barrel aging was heavy handed on this year. I believe this is a 2023 bottle.
Jan 01, 2024
Photo of micada
Rated by micada from New York

4.23/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Leather, raisin, slap in the face ABV. Opened at a Mortalis line crawl share because it’s a beast.
Dec 30, 2023
 
Rated: 4.23 by Dgman8053 from New York

Dec 25, 2023
 
Rated: 4.93 by ummswimmin from New Jersey

Dec 23, 2023
 
Rated: 4.34 by BeerMe8 from Florida

Dec 20, 2023
 
Rated: 3.91 by dt_gbpackersfan from Missouri

Dec 19, 2023
 
Rated: 5 by mamaraza from Texas

Dec 18, 2023
Black Tuesday from The Bruery
Beer rating: 100 out of 100 with 4235 ratings