Buckerfields Swans Oatmeal Stout

Brewed by Swans Hotel - Buckerfield Brewery
Style: Sweet Stout
Victoria, Canada

Butterscotch is very strong in the aroma. It overshadows the dark malts and chocolate. Opaque brown body is topped by a low, cream coloured head that recedes to a partial cover with some patchy lace. Buttery character to the strong dark malt flavour. Bitterness is a bit harsh. Quite thin and astringent light-medium body with fair but short lived carbonation. Bottle sampled with Altair, beerbuzzmontreal, Cathschlag, Glouglouburp, Goldorak, MartinT, muzzlehatch and Yowie.

Draught sample at Swans Hotel. Mild coffee-chocolate with balsamic tang to the nose. Is it the water here in Victoria that so many of these beers have this aroma? Hint of smoke. A little sweet and not much else. Fairly bland aroma for a stout. Dark dark brown clear with no head. Medium-light bodied with little carbonation. Starts with coffee-chocolate malt and light tang from who knows what that is a bit balsamic-y. Light smoky-bitter finish with light hoppy tang. Weak bitter-tangy after.

My Bottom Line:
The butterscotch component of this Sweet Stout starts off as an able companion to the crunchy roastiness, but builds with every sip and its exaggerated essence soon overrides pleasure.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A veil of foam tops the darkest brown.
-The roasty dryness aptly cuts the most of the caramel sweetness.
-This roastiness lingers nicely, even bringing dark chocolate into the mix.
-Carbonation is soft, and would’ve worked with the healthy body.
-Supporting hops are found within the back roastiness.

Bottle.

Sampled from 650 ml bottle in Montreal on Glouglouburp’s roof at the tiggmtl-returns/MartinT leaves for Japan party, June 17 2007. Opaque inkiness even in the bright sun, a bit of off-white head....big chocolate-roasty aroma, fairly forward and muscular, but diacetyl is sneaking in behind....sweet, sugary (maple), completely unbalanced on the tongue, little-to-no roast, the saccharine qualities overwhelm and there is no escape from a toothache here....dull mouthfeel, low carbonation.....well, it was better than the Hockley that preceded it, I’ll give it that.

Dark licorice aroma & sweet malt. Pours a dark amber/black with a creamy head. Tastes of licorice and alcohol, a light roastiness and some molasses. Thin and low in carbonation, otherwise not a bad beer - the licorice is nice, and it could be much creamier, but not too shabby.

Light black body with a very small tan ring of foam. Creamy cake malts without much roastiness. Buttery mouthfeel/taste with and earthy/dirty flavour. Borderline meaty. Black swans, whether beers or animals, are just not meant to be.

tap at the brewpub - Pours dark brown with a thin head. The aroma is roast malts and coffee. It has a flavor to match in a medium to full bodied, lightly carbonated brew. This stout goes down smooth with a fairly sweet finish.

Tap. Toasted oxidized coffee aroma Deep brown, golden brown low foamy head. Unexpectedly complex flavor:Roasted grain, toffee, coffee, a bit maple syrup, rasins. Long lasting coffee and candied nut aftertaste. Medium to light body, smooth mouthfeel.