Ipswich Oatmeal Stout
Ipswich Ale Brewery

Can into pint glass at Pho Hien Vuong, did not check can dating. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 2 finger dense and rocky tan head with great head retention and soapy lacing on the glass. Aromas and flavors of big dark chocolate, cocoa, dark roast coffee, nuts, dark bread crust, toast, wood, peppercorn, pine, smoke, char, herbal, grass, yeast earth. Medium pine rind char bitter finish. medium carb and medium plus body. Very creamy silky bready malts lingering sticky/resin/chalky drying. No acrid astringency. Very rich and balanced stout. Spot on English style. One of the best I've had I've had in the style. Fantastic all around.

Pours very dark brown with ruby at the edges. A one-finger tan head starts frothy and dissipates to a lingering coating.

Off the pour I get a chocolate, a hint of coffee, and an underlying old ashtray vibe. I don't get much more as it warms, but that's probably my nose acting up.

This starts deceptively simple; a little cocoa, a little black bread. As it warms--in the glass or on the palate--baker's chocolate comes through, then bold roast coffee, woody hops, and toasted black bread. Finishes with big woody hop and char bitterness that lingers through a long finish.

Moderate carb and oats let this dance on the tongue before becoming smooth and frothy. Slightly lighter bodied than I'd find ideal with those big flavors.

Overall, a fantastic oatmeal stout that's a showcase for the style.

 

Pours darkest of browns, lightly browned head; thick sustaining bubbled cap sticks around nicely.

Nose has a very slight yeasty note; char, woody character, some dark and rich chocolate in the mix.

Taste is dominated by roasted malts; roast, char, espresso; then comes the american hop character; grapefruit skin like, some woody and earthy character also shows; perhaps some perceive light smokiness on the finish; almost just like campfire ashy.

Body is medium; oat is evident, silky and smooth, great hit of strong bitterness as this one goes down.

 

 

Poured from a can into a pint glass
Appearance – The beer pours a deep brown color with a small head of light brown head. The head has a decent level of retention, fading slowly over time and leaving a light level of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is strong of a roasted malt and oaty smell mixed with some coffee and a bit of brown sugar. Along with these smells comes notes of fudge and crème. Other light notes of brown bread and caramel are there as well, giving a dark and roasty smell overall.
Taste – The taste begins with a very roasty and toasty flavor mixed with lots of coffee and some nice oat flavors. Other flavors of toast and roast as well as some caramel and cocoa are there as well. There is a bit of a brownie like flavor as well as some notes of nuttiness. Toward the end the sweetness and roastiness increase a bit, leaving one with a rather dark and roasty taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is thick and chewy with a moderate carbonation. For the big rich flavors the feel is good and makes for a nice slow sipper.
Overall – A decent oatmeal stout nice for a cooler fall day. Rich in flavor and very representative of the style.

 

 

 

 

From a can from Beer of the Month. Pours a thick, dark brown with a sizeable head. You can smell the roasted malt, and the taste is even more dominant. Also a good bit of roasted chocolate. A very flavorful beer. I drank it side by side with a Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, which is smoother with a vanilla sweetness. But Ipswich held its own - and was its own version of stout.

 

I gave a mixed review to a previous sample of this beer; it turns out that was an improperly-stored sample. This is my updated rave review for Ipswich Oatmeal Stout:

This brew is black and viscous, with an expansive, lingering tan head.

The aroma is rich and earthy. Something about the nose also makes me want to describe it as creamy.

The texture of the brew is creamy, too. The carbonation level is perfect.

The beer abounds in delicious semisweet chocolate flavors. The finish is long, with malt and hop flavors melding beautifully.

This is a glorious beer, with some of the richness of an imperial stout but more drinkability. This is very possibly my favorite stout!

 

I am trying this beer off the tapper at the brewery as part of the "Classic" four sample flight. It poured a dark opaque with nice tan cascading head that left a spotty lace. The scent had subtle malt and roast notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink. There was a subtle sweet roast and chocolate malt base with hints of coffee presence. The mouthfeel was smooth in body with good carbonation. Overall it was a great beer.