Oysterhead Stout
Magnolia Pub & Brewery

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From:
Magnolia Pub & Brewery
 
California, United States
Style:
American Stout
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.75 | pDev: 9.07%
Reviews:
11
Ratings:
22
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 29, 2015
Added:
Mar 25, 2005
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 3.74 by Bandi from New York

Oct 29, 2015
 
Rated: 3.48 by westcoastbeerlvr from California

Sep 05, 2015
 
Rated: 4 by Beeeeeerman from California

Apr 16, 2015
 
Rated: 3.75 by 3ricks from South Carolina

Nov 23, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by spycow from Illinois

Oct 31, 2014
 
Rated: 3.37 by Canada_Dan from Colorado

Oct 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by the_encinitan from California

Aug 12, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by od_sf from California

Jul 30, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by GClarkage from California

Jul 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by chugamugofsud from Oregon

Feb 21, 2013
Photo of ccrida
Reviewed by ccrida from Oregon

4.12/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
On draught at the Magnolia, on Jerry's 70th birthday! Black with a tan collar leaving almost no lace.

Smell is robust roast and caramel.

Taste is also caramel and roast. Dry chalkiness from the salinity of the oysters (the flavor cooks off but I'd decided to add the liqour from my last miyagi to the last 3rd whoa - that really cranked it up to 11!)

Mouthfeel is dry, medium light bodied.

Drinkability is pretty good, a solid, chaulky stout, loads of flavor for the strength and not too heavy.
Aug 02, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by brotherloco from California

Jul 25, 2012
Photo of czfreeman
Reviewed by czfreeman from California

3.8/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This batch is 4.9% super dark, creamy lush head.
Smells of heavy roasted malt, coffee, a nice underlying mineral quality.bitter chocolate, espresso, and a dry finish
Flavor is bitter, heavy on the dark malt. Finishes dry almost with a slight salinity.coffee, chocolate, biting bone dry finish.
Mouthfeel is really good. Medium light carbonation but the dry finish cleans it up and leaves an almost salty taste, that's begs for another sip.
Well done and glad I finally got to try it.
Jul 16, 2012
Photo of femALEist
Reviewed by femALEist from California

3.82/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Oysterhead Stout- brewed with 20 dozen Hog Island Sweetwater oysters & 5.2%. It poured a pitch black with a chocolate brown cream head. It smelled of roasted coffee, toasted malt with some mineralness in it (I assume from the oysters). It tasted like burnt espresso, malt and a light oysterness to it. It was very bitter and a tad dry. It was pretty good, considering the oysterness but it's the first one I've tried, so I don't quite have anything to compare it to.
Mar 25, 2010
Photo of jayrod20
Reviewed by jayrod20 from Texas

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This was a good beer. It went very well with a burger from the brewpub, and with the scenic views of the crazies in the haight - ashbury area through the windows. A nice dark camel flavor with a smooth creamy after taste. I would go back for this beer and would visit this place if I lived near.
May 06, 2008
Photo of 1759Girl
Reviewed by 1759Girl from California

2.9/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2
Had this at an oysterbar in The Ferry Building, SF.

Its dark espresso colour, lively appearance, and heaps of lacing were a welcome sight. The head was small and it dissipated fast.

The aroma was smoky with hints of bittersweet chocolate.

The taste started hoppy, smoothed over with a chocolate mouthful, followed by a finish of burnt-toast. LONG HANG. Drier than I expected for an American stout.

The mouthfeel was lively but smooth. full bodied.

The burnt malt hang definitely killed its drinkability for me personally, but my dad, who for some reason likes the taste of carcinogens, found it very drinkable.
Dec 31, 2007
Photo of Talisker
Reviewed by Talisker from California

3.7/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
On tap at the brewery on 25-Mar-2007. Listed at "5%" ABV, not quite the 5.20% in the BA listing.

You have to love Magnolia. 13 taps, 5 hand pumps - all brewed in the basement. Not all of their beers hit it, but this one is very close.

Standard pint glass. Pours near black with a very dark tan head. Multi-sized bubbles, minor lacing sticks around throughout.

Nose is roasted malt, a tiny bit of smoke, and an even tinier bit of salt. Taste follows very nicely integrated - fundamentally just a very good, malt-forward very dry stout, with some brine definitely present. There's no overwhelming oyster smell or taste, but the salt overtone nicely colors the basic rich dry stout experience. Medium-light mouthfeel, definitely not syrupy or viscous like most American stouts - closer to a typical Irish dry stout than many of the malt/hop bombs we get in NorCal. Some faintly lingering bitter and coffee malt, maybe some brine. Definitely invites the next drink, and at 5%, one you could have a couple of.

A very, very good beer - near the top of the Magnolia line in my experience.

From the e-mail notices that brought me in to try this one:

>> Thankfully, we have Oysterhead Stout to tell you about! The best brew day of the year is the one in which we have to shuck and eat 12 dozen oysters before noon all in the name of beer. This glorious day happened a couple of weeks ago, with the star mollusk being local Hog Island Sweetwaters once again. Fermentation ensued and the result should be ready by St. Patrick's Day.

...

Recently, Spring has brought Oysterhead Stout, this edition being perhaps our favorite to date. ... <<
Mar 26, 2007
Photo of watermelonman
Reviewed by watermelonman from California

3.58/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
This arrived looking mostly black with a thin head. There's a fair amount of lace.

The smell has a potent saline effect, with a hint of shell. These flavors live through the bulk of the taste and are eventually joined by a bit of smooth dark malt. The mouthfeel is somewhat light but very smooth.

Extremely interesting.
Aug 03, 2006
Photo of DaPeculierDane
Reviewed by DaPeculierDane from Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Wow, this a really cool beer. Made with Hog Island Oysters I’m told. I honestly wouldn’t have noticed the oysters if the name hadn’t given away that info, but knowing that there are little shell fish in my beer, I think that I can just make them out in the somewhat salty aftertaste. It’s pretty cool. Then again, maybe I’m just imagining. Primarily, this brew is about coffee, and big coffee at that. This is one of the more roasted stouts I have tasted. The aroma is 100% big roasted coffee beans. The flavor is primarily burnt coffee, and I mean really burnt, charred even. Color is black, true, honest to goodness black. Head is thick and dark tan. It lasts well. Mouthfeel is thick and coating. Medium bodied. Feels great going down the throat. Dry, salty finish. Very refreshing. A superb stout. My favorite beer from Magnolia.
Jun 12, 2006
Photo of NEhophead
Reviewed by NEhophead from Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Near opaque grape/coal in appearance beneath a thin, lightly tan head. Ringed lacing until the bottom of the pint.

Dry, chocolate, chocolate malt character with some nut aromas. A unique sea salt, seafood note that is rather pleasant. A few whaffs of vinous fruit: grape, dark cherry, plum.

Dark chocolate with pine and hazlenuts at first followed by sea salt and fish flavors: I can definitely taste the fresh oysters that were used in the brewing process. A few notes of plum, and grape followed by a dry, nutty finish.

Medium bodied; dry, malty, and nicely roasted.

A well crafted, unique offering from Magnolia. A pretty creative name as well.
May 08, 2006
Oysterhead Stout from Magnolia Pub & Brewery
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 22 ratings