Muddy Valley Oatmeal Stout
Golden Valley Brewery and Pub

a million years ago when i was first getting into craft, this is the precise sort of thing i sought out and got fired up about, a no frills roasty low alcohol creamy from the oats stout that drinks and drinks, early craft memories abound with beers like this, and it was sort of nostalgic to drink this, even for the first time. they were having some kind of sale on bombers when we visited the brewery, seriously i think they were all three bucks or something absurd, so this even felt like a million years ago with the pricing, incredible value! the beer is solid but not amazing, which was kind of my impression of all the beers here. deep dark brown just short of black, with a creamy khaki head that i could see being especially sexy on nitro, but its fine from the bottle too, good lace and retention. the nose is a little bit astringent, like its either aging or the ferment was a little stressed, but there is a lot of roast here, charcoal and dark coffee character, light raisin fruitiness in the middle too, the oats are obvious, and this feels cozy for not being strong. its round and smooth on the palate, on the drier side, with a little bit of a yeast element and a lot of minerality. dark cocoa, molasses, and burnt toast. its long and pleasant, maybe ever so slightly thinning as it warms, and overall seems decently well done but just a touch cheap and unvarnished. a nice nightcap, old school. it was good to get acquainted with golden valley on our trip, neat spot, great food, dynamic beer list, fantastic value.

 

 

 

Nitro poured pint, though enjoyed in the middle of summer on their patio.

Sweet brown sugar, cocoa, and coffee in the aroma.

Smooth nitro feel, which just barely keeps the intense roasty and rich coffee and cream in check. Burnt sugar, brown sugar/molassas and rich chocolate finish it out. The oatmeal shows itself as the smoothing light airy companion to the nitrogen. As with most OStouts, I cant really taste oatmeal, per se, but I can feel it and it's effects on the fermentation/yeast.

THere is just the faintest dry astringent and alchol presence to balance this out and keep it from giving the sweet milk stout vibe.

I regard this as Golden Valley’s preeminent, showcase beer. It is an utterly magnificent creation; perhaps the best oatmeal stout I’ve ever had. The taste is like toffee ice cream with a splash of Kahlúa. There’s also a subtle nutty flavor that lends an intriguing compliment. Simply amazing.

All the expected properties of a nitro pour are present such as a prodigious display of lace and a luxurious silken mouthfeel. The body is solid black with a feathery enduring head. The aroma is the most profoundly toffeeish I’ve ever encountered.

Muddy Valley Oatmeal Stout just about brings a tear to my eye. The pint I drank was especially fresh with a luscious outpouring of cream in both the taste and mouthfeel. Uncommonly fabulous in every way.