Organic Oatmeal Stout
Black Isle Brewery Co Ltd

 

 

 

 

The scotch ale wasn't bad, now the oatmeal stout one of my fav styles.

Pours a decent fluffy creamy a little darker colored head that fades at a med pace, nice messy lacing, dark pretty much black beer.

Nose classic oatmeal stout, lots of oatmeal, a little dry bitter roasted notes, raw porridge and oatmeal, a little nutty, toasty, some caramel notes, a little bitter baker's chocolate, pretty standard but wish the chocolate was bit more.

Taste brings more of the same, but there is a strange fruity like flavor I can't put my finger on, like organic matter thing I got a hint of on the nose, but more on the taste, but background. Mostly creamy oats, oatmeal and porridge again, a bit more of the bitter dark chocolate, toasted oats and a little caramel note, mild bitter roasty flavors and a hint of coffee, also a hint of fudge, a definitive raw oatmeal with dark chocolate chunks melted into it. Finish is a bit dry, a bit more of the mild spicy earthy hop presence, a bit sticky too, lingering dark chocolate oatmeal.

Mouth is med bod, a bit creamy although I expected more creaminess for the amount of oatmeal flavor, a bit chewy, decent carb.

Overall not bad, pretty classic for oatmeal stout, nothing off, nothing that makes this stand out too much either, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

 

 

 

Another half priced pick up from the House of 1,000 beers for around 5 bucks a bomber.

A - Only complaint is that it seems to be clearing faster than the scotch ale but it started with a nice 1/2 inch of mocha tinted head atop a very dark colored beer with little escapable light.
S - Semi sweet chocolates, cocoa powder and dry yeasts. Smells kind of smokey and oatmeal like.
T - Quite good chocolates are more sweet than bitter leading to mild oatmeal taste and a semi smokey finish. Roast factor is there but balanced.
M - Good body medium and slick but not creamy.

Overall not sure it would merit a repeat purchase but was well worth trying for $2.50 a pop.

 

A: [3.75] Beer is black with brown visible along the edges. The head is about 1 finger and is tan and creamy. The head really clings to the glass forming nice arcs. The head dissipates pretty quickly. The bottle lists the ABV (7.0%) and there is a date code that I think says this is best before Jan '16 (so I had a day to spare!)

S: [3.75] Hints of smoked meat. Dark fruits. Maybe some subtle molasses or brown sugar.

T: [3.25] Slight bitter cocoa up front. Followed by a lot of malt sweetness. The flavor is "compact" so start to finish seems pretty short. I am not getting any of the dark fruit or smoked meat from the nose. Overall it is very sweet.

M: [3.25] Medium body and low carbonation. The body is decent but not thick or sticky. There is really nothing lingering on the palate.

O: [3.50] 7% isn't in the barrel aged range but it is in the range where I'd expect a big more sophistication in the flavor profile. This is a decent stout but there is nothing noteworthy about it. I think they could have accomplished the same thing with lower ABV.

The Malty Pretentious Beer Glass turns a clear dark cola with auburn highlights (SRM 24-28), while a pancake batter kachi foam lingers above, releasing patchy lace with each sip.

The aroma opens with sweet malted milk chocolate, followed by roasted caramel and coffee ice-cream.

Licorice and molasses lead to pumpernickel, while the roasted malt bitterness balances against the sweetness. A lactose flavor lingers throughout the finish.

A smooth velvet texture and creamy medium to full body hold the alcohol in check.

This was one of those random shots in the dark that turned-out to be an unexpected treat. I think this would shine as part of a vanilla float, but enjoyed it while relaxing on a cool, sunny Autumn afternoon.

This was also the inaugural use of my Pretentious Beer Glass, Malty. While a bit goofy looking, I love the way this glass feels in the hand. Its weight also helps to moderate the temperature.

Appearance - In terms of appearances, Black Isle's Oatmeal Stout eschews the darker side in favor a cola-brown body with a cream head. Billowy and dense, the head fills the glass but quickly fades. As the glass tapers, flecks of ruby spot the color that impart a beautiful contrast.

Aroma - The nose is rich, robust, and heavily roasted, bordering on a little bitter or acrid. Think of a French-roast type of bitterness without the overt coffee aroma.

Taste - I can't place exactly what it is, but every Scottish beer I drink, whether it be in the states or from the pub itself in Scotland, has a defining characteristic that cuts through the rest of the flavors. I don't know if its the water or malt, but every dark beer I've had from Scotland has it. It even adds a twinge of metallic edge. It's not a bad note at all - in fact I quite like it - but I can't help but notice it in each sip. The rest of the beer has a pleasant bittersweet chocolate note, traces of espresso, and perhaps a touch of the oatmeal noted on the label. For the most part, the oats seem to do more in the mouthfeel than flavor.

Mouthfeel - The mouthfeel is lightly carbonated with a silky smooth texture. This beer feels like velvet on the palate as it glides past the tongue. It is just thick enough to leave a nice coating as well.

Closing Arguments - A pleasant, if not simple, beer. This is an easy drinker but I was expecting a bit more depth to the flavors.

500 ml bottle with a BB date of 9-2015; the ABV is listed as 7%..

Pours black with some faint highlights at the edges. Decent, semi-durable head.
Complex and flavorful for style. Slightly sweet with plenty of dark roasted malts.

One of the best oatmeal stouts I've had.

 

 

 

Nose of light roast & ash, chocolate, licorice, faint coffee. Taste cocoa, roasted malt, licorice, slight coffee & smokiness. Nice!