20th Anniversary Encore Series: Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
Stone Brewing

 

 

 

Cask, gravity dispense, at the GBBF 2008. ABV was said to be 9.5%. Pitch black colour, minimal head. Complex roasted aroma with notes of oak, dark chocolate, liquorice and tar. Intense flavour of cocoa / chocolate, figs(?) and coffee(?) - I have some difficulties reading my own handwriting here .... Warming mouthfeel, oaky and alcoholic notes. A great sipping beer.

2016 Vintage
22oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- pours jet black in color with a one-finger creamy khaki colored head that eventually reduces to a ring around the edge of the glass

S- smells of rich dark chocolate up front, with aromas of mocha cream, burnt marshmallows, black licorice, toffee, charred malt and a hint of espresso

T- bitter dark chocolate and roasted chocolate malts up front, followed by notes of anise, char, raisin & fig, toffee and a hint of coffee roast. The finish gives more bitter chocolate and char on the linger

M- medium body with moderate carbonation leads to a creamy mouthfeel and a chewy, warming finish

O- a solid oatmeal stout that has aged gracefully

A light as tangy smell. Almost like a peanut butter stout. More like a Reese's or a Twix. Definite wafer cookie smell in there. What's that Girl Scout cookie? The peanut butter one? Smells like that. And some chocolate peanut butter ice cream.

Palate is smooth and velvety. Good match for the flavor. That same strange lightheartedness comes through, Like a coconut Porter without the coconut, and a huskier aftertaste. Good foamy touch. Love that rough peanut butter and bitter chocolate. Not tasting the oatmeal. It gets washed away. But this is brilliant, maybe what Young's Double Chocolate Stout should have been.

From the not-very-well-aged bottle, it pours a very dark brown with a light brown head that slowly diminishes. Lacing. In the mouth, it is smooth feeling and dark chocolate flavored. Nice!

Bottled on 01/16/2016. Big bottle. 9.2%. Thick and creamy/velvety beer. Delicious dark chocolate. Bittersweet chocolate-liquorice oatmeal flavour profile. This is delish, just very expensive where I am but no regrets buying one bottle. Might buy another if I ever see it, especially with some age on it. One of the best stouts I've had.

an unexpected keg to find at a higher end italian restaurant with a big wine focus, i thought the sticker on the tap handle was wrong, but i was stoked when i learned this was the beer they were pouring, rad score! the beer almost looks nitro poured, the head is nearly two inches tall, dark tan colored, and creamy thick and rich, with great retention. the beer beneath it is coal black with a higher luster but not a ton of viscosity, pretty beer, weird with italian food, but had to do it! the aroma is heavy roast, burnt black coffee along with good espresso, earthy cocoa nibs and bitter baking chocolate, some oats and starchiness, and some hops that seems more bitter than anything else too, lightly herbal though for a dark brew like this, no sign of its alcohol, and served in a pint glass, so i had no idea! the flavor doesnt show the booze either, super well hidden here, and its actually not as bitter as it smells, some light milk chocolate richness to it and more coffee nuance as well. perhaps a hint of licorice too, but this is not overly complex, it doesnt need to be, the grain flavors it well, the hops add a pop at the end, and this is smooth and hearty and wintery and curiously drinkable. i cant believe the alcohol is so invisible, and i like the way the dark chocolate lingers on the swallow even though this is real dry for what it is. one of the better beers i have had from stone in a long time, a cool random keg to run into out there in the world, love when that happens! great stout, very american.

(draft)
A: pours dark black body with a thick, dark tan head
S: bitter, chocolate and coffee notes; some roasted and alcohol notes
T: somewhat bitter chocolate taste with a dry finish
M: medium bodied and pretty smooth
O: nice mouthfeel and taste combo; pretty good drinking stout.

3 & 1/2 years aged and could go 3 more ...Very straightforward to its name and just an exceptional (another) beer from Stone ...

 

 

 

Bottled on Jan. 2016, I;m getting big bakers chocolate, roasted malts & a creamy head due to the oatmeal. The beer is sort of thin for the style & I am detecting some pine which I would rather not want to detect in my imperial stout, but oh well. Cheers! A-

Poured from a bomber into a Dogfish Head tulip. Bottled January of 2016

L: Inky black pour with 1.5 fingers of foamy brown head. Great retention and lacing.

S: Bitter... dark chocolate, roast, and espresso.

T/F: Follows the nose. Medium bodied and creamy mouthfeel. Sweet sugars and bitter roast character melds nicely with the dark chocolate. Coffee and chicory in the background adding some depth. Dark fruit... burned raisin and prune. Fairly balanced, but the bitter overshadows the sweet. Well carbonated.

O: An awesome bitter chocolate stout. Flavorful and drinkable... really solid beer and worth of Stone's 20th Anniversary celebration.

 

 

A: Poured into an oversized wine glass to a black beer topped by a dense finger and a half of light tan head which retains well and leaves excellent lacing
S: Smells of chocolate and roasted malts with a hint of coffee
T: Taste is chocolate and roasted malts with some nice coffee notes. Good roasty quality with a lot of chocolate going on. Swallow is more bitter chocolate, roasted malts, slight smoke and charred wood along with some slight lingering coffee.
M: This beer is very thick and slightly silky on the palate. Carbonation is adequate for the style and just below prickly while the beer has a drying finish.
O: Overall this is a really awesome beer. I'm happy they brought it back for an encore as it drinks well and has great flavors for the ABV. Definitely worth a try if you like the style.

 

Bottled Jan 2016...so 2 years aging...couldn't wait any longer.

Poured dark brown/black. Thick fluffy dark brown head. Looks good.
Smell...Pretty normal chocolate stout smell.
Taste. DELICIOUS. Well balanced. Initial sweet, followed by bitter end and after. Bakers chocolate/roasty malt. Alcohol was not over the top (could be the age).
Feel = Bitter chocolate aftertaste. Mouthfeel little slick. Not heavy like oatmeal stouts. Not sure if it is what it is supposed to be but it suits it for me.
Overall I wish I had purchased more bottles. This one is definitely a great beer. Wish it was not retired.

 

Bottled 2016, cellared for a year or more.

Look is a nice dark black brown with a thick brown head.
Smells of dark chocolate, roasted malt and a hint of alcohol sweetness.
Tastes great, lots of bitter black chocolate and roast barley, cocoa and dark caramel.
Feels full and thick, smooth with a firm bitterness. Well rounded, all the roasty flavors blending well together.

Overall excellent, glad I could drink this one! I didn't get to try it fresh but I think the extra year aging made it even more smooth and mellow.

 

 

 

Poured an opaque, jet-black color with a large, light brown head of foam. It smelled of roasted oats, chocolate and pine. Nice bitter dark chocolate flavor with strong roasty notes and hints of coffee.

 

Ebony with sticky tan legs. 4
Chocolate-covered figs with smoke. 4
Black bread, prune, licorice, meat juice, black currant, dark Baker’s chocolate and tightening bitter finish. 4
Full, sticky, some heat. 4

Not much head. Umami - not getting the chocolate. It sure is bitter, though.
Middle of the road. 4

 

 

 

 

 

650ml bottle poured into a snifter. This one is Jan-16 release and consumed Jun-17, so, 1.6 year in aging.

Crude black in color with no light shall pass, the pour builds up thick dark brown head that well retains itself with good retention before slowly collapsing to a long-lasting bubble film atop and leaving some lacing patch and spot on the glass-side.

Very rich malty in a nose, it extends and provides the aromas of rich cocoa, bitter chocolate, slight coffee, some caramel, toffee, roasted and toasted, dark bread, burnt sugar, smooth and sweet oats as well as intense licorice. There is also a hint of fruity ester from yeast inside the several malty layers.

It is heavily roasted and toasted malt dominated and covered throughout the palate sensation. Then it is oat that lends its smoothness and sweetness as the backbone together with cocoa, bitter chocolate, slight coffee, some caramel, toffee, dark bread, burnt sugar, and rich herbal yet spice licorice as well as some fruity ester. The end is bitter that is wrapped up and lasting well by cocoa, chocolate, and roasted flavors.

Full body with smooth mouthfeel and slight sticky touch through the palate, the feeling is well-rounded with moderate carbonation that is proper to carry all the things well with a pleasantly dry finish.

Truly bitter from chocolate and cocoa to hold its name, it is also very rich roasted and toasted malt with a glimpse of licorice and fruity ester to increase the depth, good sipping brew.

 

 

 

L: Jet black color, one finger, brown head, superb lacing, no visible carbonation.

S: Sweet, oats, chocolate, coffee, alcohol. Nice!

T: Raisins, strong alcohol, sweet, dark chocolate, oats, coffee. Bitter on the back end.

F: Full bodied, thick, dense. Full flavored.

O: Good beer but the alcohol is too much for me. I would also prefer less raisins and more oats in the taste. Basically, if it tasted like it smelled, would be perfect :)