The Rusty Nail
Fremont Brewing Company

Review: 2529
Name: The Rusty Nail
Brewery: Fremont Brewing
Location: Seattle, WA
Style: Barrel Aged Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 12.3%
Canned: 2021
Date: 22 December 2025
I am traveling for the holidays so that I would rate The Rusty Nail. I fondly remember back in 2018, when I was looking for this beer. I saw it on tap and had a minor freak-out. I love the anise and cinnamon in this beer. I am using a stemless tulip glass and serving the beer at 54 degrees. The pour created a frothy, foamy, creamy, two-fingered head with above-average retention. The slow dissipation left bits of lacing on the glass. The inky black beverage has dark mahogany hues, an SRM of 36, and is opaque. The beer's appearance is above average.
Nosing the glass, I smell chocolate, oatmeal, medium-roasted coffee, bourbon, oak, char, earthiness, caramel, toffee, molasses, leather, bready dark-roasted malts, anise, cinnamon, grassy notes, and raisins.
Sipping the beer: starts with bourbon, cinnamon, oatmeal, medium roasted coffee, char, oak, molasses, and earthiness. Another sip, and I notice anise, grassy notes, caramel, leather, raisins, and vanilla.
The mouthfeel is chewy, finishing thick and a bit warm. The body is heavy and has low carbonation.
Final Impression: The Rusty Nail is a fantastic beer, worth the hype if you love beers with anise and cinnamon. I enjoyed every sip of this beer, and I will continue to enjoy it whenever I get the chance.

Midnight black in color with brown around the rim. The aroma is of licorice, bourbon, and cinnamon. I’m tasting cinnamon, licorice, and bourbon. The mouth is sticky and chewy.

 

L: Pours a thick oily black color with a small tan head and no lacing the glass. Looks exactly what I expect from big boozy stout like this.

S: Some sweet milk chocolate, intermixed with some vanilla, a pleasant cinnamon, a light hint of licorice and balanced out by a nice hit of bourbon. Smells decadent and super inviting.

T: Rich milk chocolate blends with vanilla and a very pleasant cinnamon, a tickle of licorice on the tongue and a strong boozy Bourbon complete the package

F: Thick and silky smooth mouthfeel

O: This beer an amazing example of what a big stout should be.

This bottle was from 2018 and held up very well.

An excellent stout. Deep black pour with a medium‑sized, beige head. The aroma is rich and layered, featuring dark chocolate, cinnamon, bourbon, and a hint of licorice. The flavor is malty and soft on the palate, leading into a smooth, warming finish. A beautifully composed, indulgent stout.

 

 

 

22 ounce bottle into a snifter. The 2023 edition, had 4/5/25.

Pours an opaque dark brown, with a quarter inch foamy head and some tight foamy lacing. Aromas of roasted malt, chocolate, licorice, oak, some bourbon, some cinnamon and vanilla. Similar flavors: cinnamon, bourbon, roasted malt, chocolate, licorice as it warms, some vanilla and raisin. Smooth, a very good full body, well carbonated.

The cinnamon and licorice combination is kind of refreshing. The barrels are on the lighter side, but effective. This was certainly a treat, very enjoyable.

RFOB18 0450

 

Look - Dark brown/black color with a thin dark brown head that disappears rather quickly, but leaves some lacing on the sides of the glass, especially when swirled.

Smell - Cinnamon, chocolate, licorice, bourbon.

Taste - Pretty close to the nose - Cinnamon, licorice, bourbon and malt. Has a slight bitterness to me.

Feel - A nice creamy mouthfeel with good carbonation. Almost perfect except for the light bitterness.

Overall - A very good beer. I might not rate it as high as others, as I like sweeter stouts, but very good.

 

Look: It pours very dark brown with a brown head. It have very low head retention.

Smell: It has strong chocolate aromas with bourbon and some nuts. There are some earthly touches with some molasses. There are some very low sugary touches with cinnamon.

Taste: There are chocolate and cinnamon flavors with bourbon. There are some nuts in support with early touches. There are some smoky hints with dark fruits that feature plums and prunes.

Feel: It has a full body with strong alcohol warming. The smoky elements are subtle and really enhance the overall flavors.

Overall: A lot of strong complex flavors and considering the ABV, outstanding smoothness in the alcohol.

This is one delicious beer, if you like them strong, smooth and sweet. The bourbon flavor is the first thing you notice on aroma plus the alcohol and sweetness. The malt comes through and a hint of oatmeal. I didn't notice the cinnamon though. It pours without a head and a dark color. Had at Mahoney's Public House in Vancouver USA. Earlier Rating: 8/25/2020 Total Score: 4.2 This beer is really good if you like the licorice and smoke. I'm not a real fan of this beer, but my wife loves it. It's a little bit like Scotch whiskey. Very dark in color and no head to speak of, but has a lot going on with it.

 

22oz bottle picked up at Belmont Station in Portland, OR
Poured into a Bissell Brothers tulip

2018 release

O blown away- An incredible BA oatmeal stout! Full review to come

Review date: 09.01.18
Bottle date: 2018

Pours dark chocolate with slight khaki cap on drought in tulip glass (at Malibu Wine & Beer). Bold malty rich notes of chocolate and coffee, with malty rich bourbon cask flavors laced with subtle cinnamon spice, smoked barley and black licorice. Amazing imperial stout.