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Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- From:
- Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Oatmeal Stout
Ranked #93 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 89
Ranked #10,527 - Avg:
- 4 | pDev: 9.75%
- Reviews:
- 709
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Nov 30, 2023
- Added:
- Nov 13, 2008
- Wants:
- 248
- Gots:
- 641
A decadent oatmeal stout. Velvet Merlin offers robust cocoa and espresso aromas with subtle American hop nuances. Rich dark chocolate and roasted coffee flavor with a creamy mouth feel and wonderfully dry finish create the perfect balance in this full-bodied stout. Ideal for sipping in the winter months or at the end of a meal.
Original name was "Velvet Merkin", but name was changed when it began to be bottled in 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfaqU30twwU&feature=youtube_gdata
Original name was "Velvet Merkin", but name was changed when it began to be bottled in 2010.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfaqU30twwU&feature=youtube_gdata
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BuckeyeNation:
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa
3.95/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Burnished walnut brown with burnt orange edges and a lack of opacity... which is no sin in beer of this style and ABV. The lovely looking lid of golden ecru colored foam that was created on the pour is becoming soft and creamy as it melts. Nice lace too.
A small percentage of bourbon barrel-aged Merlin was combined with non-bourbon barrel-aged Merlin to create Merlin. Make sense? There's almost no whiskey in the nose, just the usual roasted and chocolate notes of the style... but it's enough.
As always, my taste buds are more sensitive than my nose. Still, this is not beer that will scare away those who don't care for the taste of America's finest spirit. That particular characteristic is subtle, which is exactly what is needed in a 5.5% oatmeal stout that doesn't otherwise poleaxe your palate with malt flavor.
Specific flavors include bittersweet chocolate, charred coffee beans, burnt sugar, and a complementary tea leaf bitterness from U.S. Fuggles. Barely more than 3 months in the bottle ensures that this is still relatively balanced beer. More bourbon would've been a mistake.
The mouthfeel is the only (slight) disappointment. It's a fraction thin, doesn't hang on like it should, and the carbonation could add more lift and expansive creaminess. Not bad at all, it just doesn't keep pace with the other attributes.
Firestone Walker is a good-to-great craft brewery. Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout is closer to good than great, which is fine with me. Here's hoping this is a year-round release.
Jan 14, 2011A small percentage of bourbon barrel-aged Merlin was combined with non-bourbon barrel-aged Merlin to create Merlin. Make sense? There's almost no whiskey in the nose, just the usual roasted and chocolate notes of the style... but it's enough.
As always, my taste buds are more sensitive than my nose. Still, this is not beer that will scare away those who don't care for the taste of America's finest spirit. That particular characteristic is subtle, which is exactly what is needed in a 5.5% oatmeal stout that doesn't otherwise poleaxe your palate with malt flavor.
Specific flavors include bittersweet chocolate, charred coffee beans, burnt sugar, and a complementary tea leaf bitterness from U.S. Fuggles. Barely more than 3 months in the bottle ensures that this is still relatively balanced beer. More bourbon would've been a mistake.
The mouthfeel is the only (slight) disappointment. It's a fraction thin, doesn't hang on like it should, and the carbonation could add more lift and expansive creaminess. Not bad at all, it just doesn't keep pace with the other attributes.
Firestone Walker is a good-to-great craft brewery. Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout is closer to good than great, which is fine with me. Here's hoping this is a year-round release.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by stevoj from Idaho
4/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle from Boise Co-op. Nice mellow, woody aroma, superb smoky, chocolaty taste. Silky smooth body, sweet and smoky finish. All around great stout.
Nov 30, 2023Reviewed by Act25 from New Jersey
4.23/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
4.23/5 rDev +5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Now in cans. As fine a 5.5% velvety, flavorful Stout as can be found. Must blind test against Lefthand and the rest.
a) Massive lace over black body.
s/t) Enough roast to temper the sweet of chocolate, mocha, vanilla, prune. Some grass and hops also balance.
f) Velvet to core as good as any.
Feb 03, 2020a) Massive lace over black body.
s/t) Enough roast to temper the sweet of chocolate, mocha, vanilla, prune. Some grass and hops also balance.
f) Velvet to core as good as any.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
4.09/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
4.09/5 rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
Bottled 10/6/15; drank 10/28/15 @ the Yarchives.
Brown/black/purple appearance.
A rough pour yielded a HUGE tan head (careful pouring!); strong lace.
Oatmeal, cream & peanut butter notes in the nose; inviting!
Creamy medium thick mouthfeel. Oats, cream & faint milk chocolate flavors up front; peanut butter notes on the finish.
An easy to drink, flavorful fall treat. I'd have another.
Nov 23, 2019Brown/black/purple appearance.
A rough pour yielded a HUGE tan head (careful pouring!); strong lace.
Oatmeal, cream & peanut butter notes in the nose; inviting!
Creamy medium thick mouthfeel. Oats, cream & faint milk chocolate flavors up front; peanut butter notes on the finish.
An easy to drink, flavorful fall treat. I'd have another.
Reviewed by maddogruss from New Jersey
3.59/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.59/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
(nitro-tap)
A: pours dark body with reddish hues and a thick ear with good retention and lacing
S: subtle smelling beer, but not much to it
T: somewhat roasted toffee notes, but very light. Some roasted notes with a subtle, creamy, oaty aftertaste
M: medium bodied and pretty creamy; not too bad
O: ok mouthfeel and taste combo; ok overall, but nothing impressive.
Aug 09, 2019A: pours dark body with reddish hues and a thick ear with good retention and lacing
S: subtle smelling beer, but not much to it
T: somewhat roasted toffee notes, but very light. Some roasted notes with a subtle, creamy, oaty aftertaste
M: medium bodied and pretty creamy; not too bad
O: ok mouthfeel and taste combo; ok overall, but nothing impressive.
Reviewed by mintzmeet from Washington
3.55/5 rDev -11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.55/5 rDev -11.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Nice nitro stout! Very creamy. Not a whole lot of flavor, but excellent texture. Smooth taste of lightly toasted grains. Incredible head, beautiful lacing.
Jul 06, 2019Reviewed by DoctorZombies from Florida
4.26/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.26/5 rDev +6.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
2018 version. Pours black with ruby edges at 57 degrees; light tan cap; good retention; heavy ring, moderate lace; thin legs. Roast malt, bourbon, whiff of vanilla. Lite roast, chocolate, coffee. Medium body, moderate carbonation, no warmth. Drinks like a porter as it feels thin for an oatmeal stout; nicely balanced flavors, just wish it had more...
Jun 18, 2019Rated by Oh_Dark_Star from Washington
4.04/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tasty but a bit weak and thin
May 03, 2019
Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout from Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
89 out of
100 with
3131 ratings
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