Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Escondido, California USA

Bottled July 2008. Pours deep viscous black with very thin head. Aroma of cookie dough, wholesome grain, mild chocolate syrup in the background. Palate is very smooth. Very nice mild sweetness and delicate dark cocoa. Finish has light residual smokiness, just a bit of bitterness. No sense of the abv. This is not my favorite style, yet I think this is absolutely delicious.

Pours dark with ample head. Complex nose, mostly on chocolate. Caressing on the palate with a long, elegant finish.

Pours a big black with a fading tan head, not huge by any stretch... A touch medicinal with chocolate dark fruits and cream... Licorice flavor with notes of chocolate cream some coffee, somewhat complex... medium full bodied creamy, somewhat dry finish...

Stone Brewing Company 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout--Ale Brewed With Bitter Chocolate--2008 Release--22 oz. Bottle--9.20% ABV--65 IBU’s? (4.25 / 5.0) Stout--Oatmeal--Imperial- lace light espresso head. Dark chocolate black color. Mild chocolate espresso floral hop front. Tangy dry sweet bitter cocao citrus espresso burnt mild fruit body. Rich tangy hop spice EtOH citrus sharp end. Thick pour. Crisp Hoppy Bitter Stout Needs Age. Sampled 7/26/2008. $7.99 Each.

July 2008 Bottle. Pours jet black with creamy light brown head. Aroma is a strong blend of dark chocolate, coffee and rum. Flavor starts off with sweet roasted malts followed by vanilla and then a dry, boozy finish. The aftertaste is bitter and smoky with hints of espresso. This Oatmeal Stout has an excellent balance of sweet and smoky flavors without overwhelming the palate. The essay on the back of the bottle might just set the record for longest beer description of all time. Yet another extraordinary brew from Stone.

Drank in early December ’09, thanks Matt! Bomber pours pitch black with minimal brown head into a snifter. Aroma of sweet and roasted malt, plenty earthy-oatmeal goodness, chocolate, vanilla, cherry. Flavor starts with bitter chocolate/mocha, heavy malt carries throughout, nice oaty roastiness finishing with burnt sugar and a slight touch of booziness. Warms well with more of a roasted coffee coming out as I drink. Low/mid carbonation with a sticky mouthfeel, full bodied. Wish this was in its own style. Rating it as an IS just doesn’t feel right... damn fine stuff.

Bottle:   Black as night, huge pillowy dark brown head, spotty lacing.   This is one dark beer.   Heavy roastiness on the nose, slight lactose sweetness, a tad bit of dark pitted fruit.   Seems like a tamed down Imperial Stout.   Seems a little chalky, some ash and or campfire as well.   Also seems somewhat alcoholic, perhaps even a little medicinal.   I think there is gonna be some fire there.   Roasty, milk sugar sweetness, and boozy.   Certainly chalky, a little dry, with some bitter chocolate notes finishing it out.   Fairly fiery, has some kick.   Not as heavy nor sickly sweet as their standard RIS, which is nice for a change.   Not so sure about the heavy Oatmeal Stout, but its not bad.   Age would only soften the burn, but maltwise I don’t know how much its character would change for the better.   Moderate body and mouthfeel.   Good as is, and certainly easy to drink.   Entertaining.

Thanks to Kaiser81 for trading this one to me. Pours black with a brown head. Aroma is sweet roasted malt with a strong bitter chocolate component. The flavor is lots of coffee. Chocolate is present as well with it beginning as a darker almost milk chocolate and ending with a bitter finish. Very creamy thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. I love stouts that include oatmeal and this is one of the best ones I have had.