Southern Tier Oat

Oh man, is this one awesome Oat Stout. Good lord! Described to me by GMCC2181 as "Goose Island on steroids" and that’s exactly what it is! Pours black, black, black, and the oaty smell hits you right away. Not "complex" like, say, an Expedition Stout, but thats just fine, because everything you love about an Oat Stout is cranked up a notch! Nice full, thick body. Heaps of oat flavor. Very very creamy and smooth. Generous amounts of hops and chocolate balance each other out. The ony downfall (for me) is the high ABV%. It doesn’t take anything away, but I’d have downplayed it a bit more. However, this beer was an all time favorite. One word: Delicious. Three more words: Thanks to GMCC2181!! Hopefully he’ll be trading me some more soon!!

Bottle. Dark and thick, as one would expect an Imperial Stout shoudl be. The head is tight bubbles, but stops a step short of being solid foam. The aroma is kick-azz ... oily, viscuous and alcohol-laden! This drinks with a full ladle of rich, over-the-top flavors, thick with an alcohol-laden sweetness. There’s also a sweet fruitiness that hangs around, too ... kinda like a fermented fruit roll up. Interesting and intriguing and not for a light beer drinker, that’s for sure! (#3319, 2/10/2008)

2007 bottle that aged for about 6 months. Pours a deep black color with some brown hues. Full, creamy, lasting tan head. Aroma was roasted grains, chocolate and caramel. The flavor was rich with roasted malts, dark chocolate, mild oatmeal, and a bit of noticeable hops in the finish. The flavor and texture increased as it warmed and the chewy texture added to the enjoyment. Excellent!

In my world, oatmeal stout and imperial stout should be mutually exclusive, because one has to give way to the other. Not surprisingly, the "oat" gave way to the "imperial" here. So I think the label should have emphasized "imperial" rather than "oat." Nonetheless, this beer was full of the strength and complexity of smells and flavors that give imperial stouts a bit of an unfair advantage in the rating world. I liked it just fine, but countless others of this style have it beat. I’d be curious to see how it ages.

Southern Tier Oat is a deep brown-black ale with a muscavado head that totally dissipates. It has a malty, slightly sweet, aroma. It’s a little roasty and maybe a little nutty. Alcohol and butter are detected in the aroma. It is very thick and chewy! It is smooth and of great substance. Wow! Much flavor! It is sweet and boozy. This is a meal. It’s very well bittered. Just wow. It’s big and overwhelming.

Bottle at HogTownHarry Fest ’08. Many thanks to Harry for this. Black with tan head. American hop aroma. Tarry, malty beer with some of that US hop continuing. Bit uncouty. Quite drinkalbe but not subtle.

22 oz bomb! An oily, syrupy pour with little, if any lace. Aroma and flavor are dominated by raosted malts, thick and strong dark chocolate, and a bit of warming alcohol. Mouthfeel is rich and lush, while getting to be a bit soy saucy in texture. This is really good, but you have to be in the mood for a thick sipper. I’m glad the body didn’t turn thin like some of the impys I’ve had lately. Delicious stuff!!!

Pours a very dark brown, almost opaque black. The aroma has a nice roastiness and the flavor is a little on the sweet side, but balanced nicely by bitter malts and some mild hoppiness.