Great Lakes Blackout Stout

Opening some 2014 this weekend, I've read in previous posts great things.

 

I've had 13 and 14 blackout in the last month or so. It was pretty good, but I probably wouldn't go past a year on it. The BA Blackout, on the other hand, can go and go and go.

 

I just drank one last night from the 2014 batch . . . tasted just fine. Nice aroma and feel. A bit smoother than I remember it being fresh.

 

The only time I had regular Blackout, the bottle had a best by date of 3/16/14 and I reviewed it on 9/6/14. I loved it.

 

Had a 2014 on friday and it was amazing. It was my first time having it and I thought it was the best example of a RIS I have had. Before I would have said Ten Fidy or Old Rasputin but Blackout was amazing. It hit every note I want a RIS to hit. The only other RIS that has really done that for me is a Founders Imperial Stout with at least two years of age on it.

 

Ages pretty well. Found one in the back of my fridge from last year a few weeks ago. Tasted fine. Agreed with above poster. Ten Fidy ages amazingly well.

 

Disagree. Wouldn't age BA Blackout it past 2-3 years. Did a full vertical last year going back to 2005 and the only decent ones were 12,13 and 14. Complete waste of beer.

 

Seconded. I had a bomber ('10?) 6-months back and it was no great. Fresh to 3 years is good. I have only tried back 3-yrs on the regular Blackout and have not yet hit where it falls off for my personal taste. I think it needs 6-months out of the gate to drop some of the hoppiness, but that is my personal preference.

 

I had a 1 year old bottle a few weeks back and wasnt too impressed. It was very fruity forward, like that great lakes yeast was just taking over the entire beer. Definetly drinkable and all that, but i thought the beer was right in its wheelhouse at around 6 months.

In my opinion its not worth aging because there are so many widely available imperial stouts available now that are excellent candidates for extended aging.

 

I saved a 2013 bottle, BB May 2014, and had it in December 2014, and it was not really pleasant. It was very savory/bacony/fruity combined (I actually had a similar experience with a 2009 Dark Lord in 2014). A few days ago, I had a 2014 GL Blackout stout BB May 2015 - side by side with a 2015 BB May 2016. The 2014 was decent; there was more complexity there than the 2015 for sure; more fruit, more savory notes (without tasting like soy sauce), and certainly less alcohol - overall a very smooth and satisfying RIS. But the 2015 seemed more straight up sweet, hoppy, and a little hot (though all told, negligible detectable alcohol for 9%). I recognize that the 2014 had aged well; but I sort of preferred the 2015.

 

I had an 8 year old + bottle of regular Blackout about a month ago and it was quite enjoyable indeed.

Eric

 

I personally find the beer too hoopy when fresh. Almost metallic. I had one just after it went "bad" by a month or two over. And it was perfect for me.

 

just had another that was at the *11 month mark. best one I've had yet.

I had one that was a little over 18months, and it went back into the metal realm. not great. looking like the ad-nauseam "1 yr" suggestions are that way for a reason.


*4 months past it's bad by date

 

Considering cellaring a 1/6bbl are in my root cellar this year for next. Any thoughts?

 

Not sure how a keg would age. My guess is better than a bottle. Less air:liquid ratio. Also presumably a tighter seal in terms of moisture penetration.

 

I've had various ages up to 6 years old on this and most of them I did not like due to I picked up a smoky flavor that I didn't enjoy, and wasn't there when fresh. However the oldest one was very enjoyable- lost out on the smoke flavor and tasted like some dark, bitter Hershey's syrup. I will keep the remaining bottles I have from years past through at least 5 years to see if I get a repeat of the one I liked.

 

This is a beer that, relative to others of its type, has very little barrel character. Frankly, I don't know why anyone would age it. Aging it will just reduce the already relatively low barrel character, and the relatively low alcohol content doesn't make it a great candidate either. If you want to age it, you might was well just buy regular Blackout Stout and avoid the BA version all together.

For the record, I only have experience with 2014 and 2015 as I no longer seek it out. I have had 2014 fresh, at one year, and at two years. I found it WAY better fresh than at one or two years, though it was still good later. I have also had 2015 fresh and at one year and thought it was pretty bad both times.

 

The thread was about the regular Blackout, not the barrel-aged version.

But since you brought it up, taste is highly subjective. The 2008 BA Blackout I had in 2009 (closing in on two years old) was one of the top 5 beers I've ever had. The older versions of BA Blackout aged sublimely & for my money are far, far superior to the beer when consumed fresh. Three years seemed to be about the peak, & they fall off quickly, becoming sad shadows of their former selves at about five years.

That said, your experience with the 2014/2015 may not be inaccurate. The 2014 I find excellent right now, but the 2015 I'm still waiting to turn to gold, & I enjoyed that one less than previous years fresh. I guess we'll see, but there was some change in barrels and/or recipe, or something, in 2015 that's led me to enjoy one of my favorite brews less. I hope it's not permanent!