Bierly Brewing Blackbird Stout

Bierly Brewing Blackbird Stout

Dedicated Gluten Free Stout

It’s time to update a review! Tonight I’ll be taking another look at (and taste of) the Blackbird Stout brewed by Bierly Brewing. This gluten free stout is brewed in a dedicated gluten free brewery in McMinnville, OR. It’s packaged in pint-sized cans and is now a regular in Bierly’s lineup.

The Blackbird Stout is currently brewed on malted millet and malted rice. It clocks in at 37 IBU and 6.2% ABV. This beer was originally released in 2018, and this will be the second review I’ve published about it since then. As always, I kept the old review down below this new one, so if you want to compare this year’s release with the past, you can!

But what I’m most interested in is whether this stout still pours a deep and opaque black, and how it tastes from a can, versus the bottle I reviewed before. Here you’ll find the more recent recording of the Blackbird Stout pour, and below you’ll find my tasting notes. If you’ve had it before, be sure to share your thoughts about this stout in the comment section at the end of the review.

The 2022 Taste Test

Blackbird Stout (Canned Pint)

The current Blackbird Stout pours with a jet black color that looks very similar to 2020’s pour. The head was, shall we say…reactive. In fact, the head started forming the moment I cracked the can open. It didn’t even wait for the glass. It has a light brown color, perhaps a bit darker than the head that appeared in 2020. The clarity is non-existent, making the overall glass appeal very high indeed for this gluten free stout.

The aroma reads like a hoppy mocha. Notes of chocolate and coffee pull me in for the first taste. This is one of those beers that tastes exactly like it smells. The body is full, the flavor is thick with chocolate, and the coffee-like bitterness is absolutely lovely. The Blackbird Stout’s head bubbles all the way down to a thin blonde ring around the top of the glass.

When I take a swig of this gluten free stout, the first qualities I notice are the rich notes of chocolate and the full body mouthfeel. As it moves over the tongue, I get roast-heavy biscuit malt flavors and a bit of alcohol, before the bitterness pops in at the back of the palate. The hop bitterness gives the beer a mocha finish, part sweet–and part bitter. There’s no actual coffee in this beer, fyi.

As I compare this 2022 Blackbird Stout to the 2020 review I posted below, the head is equally excitable, and the overall appearance is consistent–apart from a slightly darker color of the head. The beer is still a chocolate-bomb, but I seem to be picking up on more coffee tones in the taste than I did in 2020. At the end of the day, this is still a great American stout that lives up to consumer expectations of body, head retention, and rich bold flavor.

The 2020 Taste Test

Blackbird Stout (Bottled Pint)

I am OH SO excited to bring you this new one from Bierly Brewing, a dedicated gluten free brewery in McMinnville, Oregon. This beer was released in pint-size glass bottles and 16 ounce cans. For those following the rainbow of Bierly beers…it’s the blue one!

You may have noticed this is the 4th consecutive stout review I’ve posted on the blog this last month! (And I’m not done.) I have at least 2 more…if not 3 more stouts to share with you, so be sure to check back soon. It is most definitely stout season. (And yes, I do know how lucky I am to have access to so many stouts on the west coast!) 🙏

The Blackbird Stout has 37 IBU and a 6.2% ABV. It’s brewed with malted millet and malted rice. The hop featured in this brew is the Fuggle hop. Below is the speed pour where you can see this stout hit the glass in all its beauty.

Holy WOW! This beer is an absolute beauty. It pours with a jet black color that is completely opaque. I’m talking DARK. It doesn’t even let light through on the edges when you hold it up to the light…it’s crazy!

The head is substantial and it lingers for a long time. As I reach this point in the review, there’s still a good 1/4 inch of foam peacefully resting at the top of the glass. The Blackbird Stout has a rich aroma packed with chocolate and freshly ground espresso. It smells big. Like a big bar of dark chocolate.

Taste confirms, this is one of my favorite Bierly Brewing seasonals ever. This may also be the darkest beer I’ve ever had from them. Now that I think of it, I know I’ve tried porters and browns from Bierly, but this may be the first ever stout!

Well…if it IS their first stout release, may I just say, well done.

The flavor is much heavier leaning toward the chocolate than the aroma was. There’s actually not much espresso in the flavor, if any. When the stout first hits your lips, the first thing you notice is its creamy full body. The carbonation supports you to the mid-palate where you take in all the slightly sweet and extremely roasty chocolate flavors, and then the stout moves to the back where it gets gently bitter and maybe even the slightest bit fruity. 

The flavor is much heavier leaning toward the chocolate than the aroma was. There’s actually not much espresso in the flavor, if any. When the stout first hits your lips, the first thing you notice is its creamy full body. The carbonation supports you to the mid-palate where you take in all the slightly sweet and extremely roasty chocolate flavors, and then the stout moves to the back where it gets gently bitter and maybe even the slightest bit fruity. 

The Blackbird Stout has a bit of sweetness to its body, but it also finishes thick and dry. As you continue to consume the beer over time, the bitterness begins to build on the palate, building on the espresso quality that was showcased in the aroma–and then outshone by the chocolate for a brief time at the beginning of the tasting experience.

When the head bubbles away, a thin ring of bubbles remain, which gives it a nice creamy appearance.

I really like this stout. It’s one of the darkest out there in visual appearance, but it is also quite approachable for those who can’t handle the bitter sharpness of some other bolder stouts. Let me be clear, this stout is certainly bold—but in a super smooth and silky way, not a sharp espresso kick in the tongue kind of way.

I highly recommend giving this stout a try. It is decadent and would make the perfect dessert beer.

🍺 A Few Other Stouts I’ve Reviewed This Month 🍺

Divine Science Brewing Moka Diosa Stout
Ghostfish Brewing Watchstander Stout (Updated!)
Moonshrimp Brewing Salted Caramel Stout

P.S. Like what I do for the gluten free beer community? Consider buying me a beer for my efforts! ;)