Category Archives: Imperial Stout

Stone Imperial Stout

Strong sticky sweet aroma. Thick taste with a tart twang when it first hits the palate, but then the dark malt comes in and smooths it out, leaving a clean dark malt taste. Slightly crisp hop bite helps clear the palate as well. Aftertaste is lingering complex flavor mix of clean dark malt and some clean yeast flavor. Fairly dry on the palate, not thick or cloying like a typical 10+% beer.

Canned 10/19/2022, drank on 12/21/2023

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Stone Xocoveza

Thin head that fizzles down quickly. I can smell the dark makes and spice aroma with the glass sitting a foot away from my nose. Aroma up close is not as strong as I would’ve thought- nice mellow dark malts. Full flavor, with a zing of cinnamon spice cutting through the dark malts, then quickly disappearing. Aftertaste is fairly mild dark malt. The 8.1% ABV is hidden well, with no detectable alcohol burn.

A little too complicated for my palate.

4 out of 5 stars.

Great Lakes Blackout Stout

Nice clean dark malt aroma, nothing overly sweet or “black licorice-esque” like a lot of these can be. Nice even grain flavor with no harshness, with a minor dark malt aftertaste that lingers slightly. Good hop crispness that cleans the palate but stays out of the way. This is from their 2015 seasonal, drank on 12/23/2015, well before the best by date of 05/06/16.  Having had this on tap before at the bar, I know these go down really well and you don’t have any idea of the 9% ABV, until you feel your head buzzing a bit.

5 out of 5 Stars.

Great Lakes Blackout Stout