Imperial Oatmeal Milkshake Stout
Rochester Mills Beer Co.

 

 

A- Pours quite thick, and is a rather dark brown color.....not as close to black as other stouts I know and enjoy, with muddy brown hues around the rim. The head is a tan leathery color, about two fingers thick to begin with, and without much retention at all, fizzling out within thirty seconds at best, into oblivion, making this look like it is simply a flat dark beverage. There is no way to tell what the carbonation is like, but the lacing gives off clues that this is a thick beer, with a heavy oil slick of a film covering the inside of the glass, even staining the glass temporarily a very light brown color. Interesting to say the least.

S- I find the overall aroma profile to be complex yet subtle. Definitive dry Earthy aromas provided by the steel cut oats used, a nice blend of mild and dark chocolates, cocoa powder, vanilla cream, almond nuttiness, muted mocha, robust malt sweetness (molasses, dark toffee), yeasty qualities and fresh out of the oven brown bread. The finish is smooth and silky, with chocolate truffle filling accenting more dry graininess. A fine smelling brew!

T- The flavors are wonderful here!......Superb dark chocolate right off the bat, with a milky chocolate that lingers around, showing up and then going into the background off and on. Freshly opened cocoa bitterness, mocha, vanilla bean richness, heavy cream, hints of licorice spice, caramel/brown sugar/toffee sweetness, dry grainy oats, muted dark fruit/rummy qualities, slightly charred wood, and just a tinge of alcohol zip. Underlying notes of yeast, beautiful toasty malts and a finish that has just enough bitterness to remind one that hops are used in the production.

M/O- This is full bodied and super creamy on the palate....I love how this caresses the palate with such delicacy, and with soft carbonation, the full flavors of this sweet stout all have a time to shine! I find this quite easy to drink, and paired with a 70% Raw chocolate bar, which I also happen to be enjoying, it makes a perfect pairing, with the heavy chocolate profile in the beer itself! The alcohol, although noted in the taste, never becomes overbearing at any point. Another winner from Rochester Mills and I look forward to enjoying this again in the future!

 

 

 

 

16 ounce can into tulip glass, best before 6/30/2020. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 2 finger fairly dense and rocky khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a large cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, cream, roasted nuts, toasted oats, biscuit, and dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of licorice, molasses, dark fruit, smoke, char, herbal, wood, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/black/roast/bready malts, lactose, cocoa, and light-moderate earthy hop/fruity yeast notes; with big strength. Taste of big milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, cream, roasted nuts, toasted oats, biscuit, and dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of licorice, molasses, dark fruit, smoke, char, herbal, wood, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Light herbal, grassy, woody, peppery, roast, charred bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, cream, roasted nuts, toasted oats, biscuit, dark/brown bread/crust, licorice, molasses, dark fruit, smoke, char, herbal, wood, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, lactose, cocoa, and light-moderate earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; with a great roast/lactose/hop bitter/sweet balance; with no cloying, acrid, astringent flavors after the finish. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/bready, and lightly slick/sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.5%. Overall this is an excellent imperial milk stout. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/black/roast/bready malts, lactose, cocoa, and light-moderate earthy hop/fruity yeast flavors; very smooth and easy to drink with the mellowly bitter/drying finish. Great soft/silky feel, and not overly bitter/charred. Great rich/well rounded malt, oats, lactose, and cocoa nib flavor complexity; with solid earthy hops and restrained fruity yeast. Light residual sweetness with lingering dryness. A very enjoyable offering, and spot on English style example as expected. No complaints.