Oatmeal Breakfast Stout
Hoptown Brewing Company

Oatmeal Breakfast StoutOatmeal Breakfast Stout
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From:
Hoptown Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Oatmeal Stout
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
88
Avg:
3.92 | pDev: 9.44%
Reviews:
35
Ratings:
38
Status:
Retired
Rated:
May 16, 2013
Added:
Aug 15, 2002
Wants:
  1
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by spazaru:
Photo of spazaru
Reviewed by spazaru from California

4.14/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5
I agree with some of the reviewers before me that this is more of a dry stout than an oatmeal.

The beer pours dark brown, nearly black with a creamy looking brown head. Very appetizing.

The smell is roasty, but I don't smell the chocolate so prevalent in some of these brews.

I was tempted to hate it on the first sip, because as I said, I think the name misrepresents it. If they called it a dry stout, the first taste wouldn't have been so shocking. As it is, it tastes of slight soy sauce with very roasty overtones. Not unpleasant at all.

The mouthfeel is fairly full and chewy. Nice! Drinkability is excellent. Went down almost too quick, but since it's not an 11% imperial stout I guess that's ok!

Nice entry from Hoptown, just be aware that it's probably not really an oatmeal stout you're buying and enjoy!
Feb 27, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by Slatetank from Pennsylvania

May 16, 2013
 
Rated: 4.25 by Piason from California

May 11, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by jfcaa193 from Canada (QC)

Feb 06, 2012
Photo of magictrokini
Reviewed by magictrokini from California

3.59/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Opaque brown, almost black pour, with no head. Aroma is semi-sweet chocolate and coffee. The taste is mostly the same with a scoop of oatmeal and cream mixed in. A milkshake-like mouthfeel. Very good, but lacking in something that would make it great, I just can't pu tmy finger on it. Barrel aging?
Dec 09, 2008
Photo of drseamus
Reviewed by drseamus from New York

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: Black body but with ruby highlights at the edges. Nice think mocha colored head.

S: A bit of sweetness and a slight roasty note. Has that typical oatmeal stout aroma. Slight caramel note.

T: Decently strong roast right up front. Very clear and not at all muddled. Good residual sweetness. Nice caramel flavor through the mid palate. Ends again with a good roasted flavor.

M: Nice and creamy, although the high roast level takes a bit away from that.

D: Very good. A bit over the top on roastiness for an oatmeal stout, but nice and tasty.
Apr 03, 2008
Photo of sinstaineddemon
Reviewed by sinstaineddemon from Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
thanks to fartingdog, via Secret Santa '07

A - this stout pours with a huge head, requires a second pours, even a third to empty the bottle into two pint glasses, its a dark tan spongy head as well

S - coffee at first, with some pervasive oatmeal elements, both the breadiness and sweetness, hard to detect much else through the huge head

T - the oatmeal qualities hit first, the vanilla-esque sweetness and the...well...oatiness, followed by a nice coffee flavor in the finish, while throughout is a cloying chocolatiness that never really comes to fruition

M&S - all in all a great stout, well brewed, balanced and flavored, quite delicious and easy to drink
Feb 14, 2008
Photo of stephendr
Reviewed by stephendr from California

3.76/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
22 oz. bottle- color of black , with a dark tan colored head - light nose of chocolate , anise , and vanilla – taste of chocolate , anise , and malts - body is medium , sweet , and with medium carbonation – aftertaste of chewy , and dark baking chocolate
Aug 15, 2007
Photo of Gueuzedude
Reviewed by Gueuzedude from Arizona

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Sampled April 2007
Pours with a three-finger thick, creamed-chocolate colored head that leaves a nice layered lacing pattern as it slowly subsides. The beer shows a clear, dark chocolate color as I pour it, but sits in the glass an opaque, almost black color. The aroma has light notes of chocolate, roasted barley. Really what becomes noticeable as I dig around in the aroma is a nice, toasty grain character that is a mix of biscuit malt, toasted grain, and a touch of browned grain husk aromatics.

The beer has a medium-full, soft, creamy mouthfeel to it up front. It is perceived as quite dry, with a solid backdrop of burnt grain acidity that does not quite meld with the rest of the beer. Roasted grain notes of espresso are noticeable especially at the forefront, but then again in the finish where a nice toasted grain character takes hold as well. As I work my way through this beer it becomes quite a bit lighter and not nearly as creamy as it first seemed. The acidity seems to have softened a bit as well, but I wonder if this is the reason it lost it fullness. The beer definitely finishes with a bit of astringency that seems to be a mix of burnt acidity, and harsh roast grain husk flavors. This is not a bad beer, it is just a touch out of balance; cutting back on the dark grain would help, or using a smoother variety might help as well.
May 02, 2007
Photo of brewandbbq
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Vintage 2005

Pours opaque black with a dense, thick, dark tan head. The batter-like foam rose to over an inch, and fell slowly to the surface. Remnants of clingy froth failed to stay on the walls of the glass, and only a trace of lacework remained as a result.
Aromatics are a nice blend of coffee and dark chocolate. Slightly acrid and heavily roasted, with a mild creamy note. Drizzeled caramel and chocolate syrup come forward in the end.
The mouthfeel is a bit spritzy and some overcarbonation keeps the brew from having any creaminess. Not a thick as I had hoped.
The pallet is laden with dark chocolate and burnt caramel. A strong espresso note follows through along with a generous dose of roasted malts and a hint of smoke.
Finishes slightly warming with a lingering bitter chocolate bite.
Lacking a lot of character that is eluded to by the moniker "breakfast stout".
Mar 07, 2007
Photo of Greenfloyd
Reviewed by Greenfloyd from California

4.12/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This tasty breakfast stout does pair incredibly well a plate of smoked meat, eggs, etc. This beer poured a very dark chocolate, with a coffee like, quickly dissipating head. The nose starts with strong chocolate malt with hints of caramel. The taste is darker chocolate, with light espresso tones, and a subtle underlying smokiness that pairs great with bacon, ham, pork chops, smoked fish, etc. The mouth feel is pleasant, not overtly heavy as a typical oatmeal stout can be, making it a bit more food friendly. Pairs with all the food mentioned above, but can be perfect with smoked cheddar and apples...Enjoy
Jan 21, 2007
Photo of dblinkhorn
Reviewed by dblinkhorn from California

3.53/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a 22oz bottle into a snifter glass.

Appearance - Pours with a thin tan head that is quite creamy. However it quickly dissipates to a thin coating of patchy lace atop the brew and a thin ring of head around the glass edge. Decent is lacing as you drink this beer. It is opaque black in color even when held up to light.

Smell - Oily and bitter hops up front with some interesting "fresh" spiciness behind this but of little strength. Some cream scents coming in as well, and notes of fresh-ground coffee and bitter chocolate. Some wood aromas...smells similar to some oak-aged beers. A full roasted malt aroma as a foundation with some slight earth tones. Little alcohol on the nose.

Taste - Creamy roasted malt up front, with thick and oily bittering hops behind this that coat your tongue nicely. Oats in the middle with slight traces of corriander for spice and hints of chocolate and espresso. Finishes with some biting alcohol, still subdued though, and some moderate earthiness no doubt from the oats. A foundation of rich roasted malts ties it together nicely. The aftertaste has a spike in alcohol as you get a nice warming aromatic alcohol as you swallow, along with rising earthiness and some lingering hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel - Interesting here. It starts off quite full-bodied with a burst of fizzy but not unpleasant carbonation. The carbonation quickly dies down to a very pleasant level, but the mouthfeel seems to thin out substantially after it initially enters your mouth. I prefer my stouts (especially oatmeal stouts) to have a full and smooth body. While it is very smooth, the mouthfeel is just a touch thin in my opinion.

Drinkability - Little alchohol at all except a bit of warming after you swallow. Average strength flavors for this style. Overall it has average drinkability for an oatmeal stout.

A good outmeal stout here. It has an interesting mouthfeel that seems to change significantly the longer you roll the beer around in your mouth (I mean substiantially more than most beers do). Still it has good flavor and a nice body overall. Definitely recommended.
Nov 12, 2006
Photo of clickpush
Reviewed by clickpush from Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pour: 22oz bottle to tulip glass. Extremely dark body with tons of bubbles and a two and a half finger dark tan head that sticks a bit to the glass during its slow fall to the beer with some cave like lumps forming before a bit of lacing.

Nose: First impression is of celery. Further on more conventional stout smells of chocolate malts. A bit on the faint side, but sweet, delicious, and inviting.

Mouth: Very bitter - much more so than the aroma would imply. Light caramel flavor but the malts feel like they may have been roasted just a bit too long - the back characters are burnt up, like straight carbon, and it covers the hops up to the point that they're indistinguishable. Mouthfeel is nice with a consistent strong presence of carbonation. Drinkability isn't as difficult as the flavor sounds, but really not that enjoyable.
Nov 09, 2006
Photo of IntriqKen
Reviewed by IntriqKen from California

4.32/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours almost black with a hint of amber in the glass.
Tall two finger tan head that lasts and becomes sticky lacing in time.
Aromas are coffee, chocolate, very light hops on the end.
Taste is unsweetened chocolate and coffee...a bread-like taste in the middle....then again, lightly bitter hops. It's really nice the way this oatmeal stout doesn't smash you in the face with sweetness. It's full and rich and chewy without anything cloying.
Aftertaste is a little chocolate and coffee...again, nothing sweet, and nicely drying.
A little alcohol warmth in the aftertaste seems to warm my chest to my belly. Again, nice.
I'll buy this again and am glad I picked up two bottles tonight.
Sep 16, 2006
Photo of jackorain
Reviewed by jackorain from Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
22 oz. bottle, poured into pint glass. Label on this one is not very appealing. The multitude of colors is not very eye appealing, maybe eye catching though, hence.

A-Thick black pour nearly opaque a little light get through around the bottom of the glass showing a brown translucency. Very foamy head, 1/2 the glass on a proper pour. Bicolor tan and off-white head, fairly decent staying power. The foamy pour keeps this A from rating higher.

S-not much aroma, a little malt a little unidentifiable hop and some grains, I guess oats

T-Very roasted, almost burnt, malt. Charcoal, oats, bitter green hop finish. Didn't seem all that balanced at first but as it warmed up the flavors began to meld quite nicely and secondary flavors of coffee and chocolate came through finally pushing past the intense roasted flavor.

M- a little too carbonated for my stout tastes, medium body, coats palate nicely.

D-Better than average, however, after the flavours melded, I don't think I could go back to a fridge cold 2nd bottle.

Overall, this beer started out very disappointing but its flavor profile changed very dramatically as it warmed up closer to room temp. This one I would recommend drinking only slightly cooler than wine cellar temperature
Aug 05, 2006
Photo of PeatReek
Reviewed by PeatReek from California

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
22 oz bomber. Pours with ungodly gobs of foam; seriously about 2/3 of the glass, with a standard pour. The aroma has a nice malty sweetness, slightly caramely with more than a hint of raisin. After the foam subsides a bit I top it off and take a sip -- the very initial attack is more of the same raisiny sweet flavor I smelled, but then the huge roast bomb explodes. Lots of dark chocolate and coffee overtones here. It's unfortunately thin for an oatmeal beer, and the bitterness is someone stronger than ideal; I'd really like the huge roasty flavor to shine through here, even at the risk of making it a little sweet.
Jul 21, 2006
Photo of AaronHomoya
Reviewed by AaronHomoya from Indiana

3.82/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Dark brown, almost black with a creamy khaki head. Sweet, chocolate aromas with a hint of alcohol smell. Taste is similarly malty, roasted dark with chocolate flavors. Smooth, pretty good mouthfeel. Pretty drinkable and an all-around good beer. A good oatmeal stout, but not anything exceptionally better than many other good craft examples.
May 08, 2006
Photo of objectivemonkey
Reviewed by objectivemonkey from Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Pours a nice dark black with a ruby ring around the bottom, good tannish head, shrinking a little too fast, bubbly lacing down the glass. The aroma is lovely, with darkish chocolate, roasted malt, and a heavenly brown sugar. Lovely. Delicious taste is again full of roasted malt, a kind of fudge-like chocolate, right in between sweet and bitter. But then there is a light and airy hop to the back end coinciding with the lighter body that is very appropriate for that 'breakfast' idea. I'd have this with eggs and bacon! A really good stout for when you don't want a soup-thick malty beast.
Apr 16, 2006
Photo of isubsmith
Reviewed by isubsmith from Minnesota

4.29/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Appearance: Inky, opaque black. Vigorous brown/tan spongy head that quickly filled the glass from a good pour. Dissipated slowly, with a wee bit sticking around the entire time.

Nose: Sweet, brown sugar and lactose notes - almost like the instant maple and brown sugar oatmeal stuff. Chocolate. Coffee. All around - sort of like a chocolate mocha with brown sugar. I really liked it. Subtle hops off in the distance.

Taste: Similar to the nose but in reverse. More of the bitter coffee and dark chocolate tastes. Much more hops on the finish. More oats now. Some of the sweetness from the nose, but I had hoped for a little more.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, medium bite from the carbonation. Smooth

Quite drinkable. Very nice. Next time I am in CA hopefully I can get some more of this.
Feb 17, 2006
Photo of Jredner
Reviewed by Jredner from Florida

3/5  rDev -23.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Aroma of malt. Some mild soy sauce hit me too. Deep black in head. Very small mocha head. Initially sweet, but then becomes bitter then mildly salty in turn. Very smooth and the bitterness lingers longer than any of the other flavors. Seems to me it has a lot less choclate flavor and sweetness than the best Sweet Stouts I have had. The salty flavor reminds me of some of the English style Imperial stouts.
Jan 28, 2006
Oatmeal Breakfast Stout from Hoptown Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 38 ratings