Imperial Oyster Stout
Great Lakes Brewing Co.

From the 22 oz bottle, it pours a deep dark brown color with a modest light brown head that soon diminishes to a nice ring. The nose gets roasted malts and a slightly salty caramel scent. The mouth gets a light zing of roasted and black malts - overall easy to drink after so many years.

22-ounce bottle
Served in a snifter
2018

This beer pours black and is topped with an inch of tan head that leaves spotty lacing.

Smoked, roasted malt aroma. Dark chocolate. Faint anise

Smoked flavor with dark chocolate and roasted malt flavor

Medium bodied with a creamy mouthfeel

Held up well for four years. Easy drinking stout

 

22 ounce bottle into a snifter. Had 8/4/20.

Pours a mostly opaque dark brown, with a one inch foamy head and some foamy lacing. Aromas of roasted malt, chocolate, some caramel and cocoa, light molasses, a little smoke, faint brine, coffee as it warms. The flavor seemed a bit more expansive- chocolate, roasted malt, some caramel and coffee, some molasses, light vanilla and cocoa, faint licorice, light salt and brine on the finish and aftertaste. There’s some hop bitterness throughout. Smooth, somewhat creamy, a very good full body, well carbonated.

This is a solid Imperial Stout with a surprising amount of chocolate from the malt. Not as much oyster presence as others, but enough brine to make you think about it. Very enjoyable.

Poured moderately hard from a bottle into a snifter glass, forming a finger of tan head that soon faded to a minimal ring of lacing. Smell is unusual, salty and malty, not quite an "oyster" smell, but similar. Taste is intense, malt background, a hint of chocolate in the background, but mostly strong saltiness and bring taste. Definitely something for oyster lovers, whereas I am more the occasional oyster eater. Medium bodied, a bit oily, and moderate carbonation. Overall, a bit intense, especially since I only found this in a 750 mL size.

Poured from a bottle into a shaker pint

Look: Jet black with a mocha head

Smell: Rich and roasty. Cold brewed coffee, black malt, burnt toast, noble hops.

Taste: Bitter cocoa nibs, noble hop bite, black malt, and coffee.

Feel: Rich and oily on the palate. Medium plus bitterness. Not sweet at all. Medium plus alcohol.

Overall: A solid imperial stout. Nothing mind blowing just solid. Good one Great Lakes.

Pours a dark mahogany brown with a fluffy tan head, looks more like a big porter than an imperial stout. The nose is a plethora of rich chocolate notes and a bit of salt.

The chocolate is even more pronounced on the taste - this is a rich, decadent chocolate extravaganza. What really elevates this, though, is the saltiness from the oysters, which provide balance to what easily could’ve become a sweet bomb.

The mouthfeel is full, and there’s no hint of alcohol in this 11% ABV imperial stout. Great Lakes is world class, IMHO.

 

Pours a ruddy dark brown color, almost black. Thick two finger velvety tan head collapses steadily leaving, ultimately, no residual head is left.

Aroma has notes of roasted malts, cocoa, black licorice, a touch of brine-y salt.

Taste has notes of roasted malts, cocoa, dark chocolate, some bittering hops, and a salty finish. The profile here is definitely in line with an imperial stout - you get the hops coming through - gives off almost a piney flavor in the beer as it warms up. Robust roasted malts are prominent. The oyster part is mainly just in the salty finish - not much else. This is a bit hot.

Feel is medium bodied, smooth with some prickly carbonation.

Overall its a cool brew - the addition of the oysters to a RIS works quite well and compliments the flavors.

 

 

 

 

22oz bottled 2018 poured into a Spiegelau stout glass at fridge temp 11% ABV 37 IBU per label. The beer pours very dark brown with khaki colored head. The head builds quickly and recedes slowly leaving a half inch cap of fine bubbles and complete Belgian lacing. The aroma is mild roasted malt and cocoa butter with a hint of sea salt that could be suggested. The taste is medium roasted malt with a touch of milk chocolate that rolls into a savory, not quite medium bitter, finish. The mouthfeel is medium plus bodied with just less than medium carbonation and a semi dry finish. Overall, very good. Everything in this beer comes together very well and it is highly enjoyable and unique. It's around 8 months in the bottle now and mine was just purchased at a place that keeps everything in a very cold cooler FWIW.