Freestyle Series: Vanilla Oatmeal Stout
The Collingwood Brewery

 

odd vanilla and odd tasting but still quaffable. over roasted. watery .

Look: Rich dark brown. Pours with a solid 2 finger fluffy, pillowy tawny head. The head has great staying power still a good half finger at 5 minutes.

Smell: Very muted. Coccoa, and maybe a bit of burnt coffee. Could be more agressive.

Taste: Starts off a bit watery. Dominated by bakers chocolate through the middle and end. Suffers from low sweetness. Bitter with the dark bakers chocolate. I had hoped the vanilla would be more present. I didn't taste even a hint of it. It also had a bitter and metallic after taste.

Feel: Rich and round, as expected from an oatmeal stout. Light to Medium bodied with a bit of stickiness at the end.

I had high hopes given the looks, and staying power of the head, but found this beer a disappointment in the end. The promised vanilla was undetectable to me, and would have added a balenced softness that the dark chocolate flavours needed. This earns a B-

473 mL can from the LCBO; dated Dec 14 2020 and served barely chilled.

Pours an opaque, ebony black hue, topped with one finger of foamy, light tan-coloured head that falls apart within several minutes' time. Its remains include a tight, creamy collar and a filmy cap, as well as a lovely coat of even lace - lookin' pretty good so far, but it's not particularly aromatic. Roasted malts for the most part - hints of cocoa, coffee grounds and burnt grain, and maybe a faint twinge of vanilla.

It's a decent stout - a little low-key, but with a reasonably well balanced flavour profile. Roasted malts and toffee sweetness at the front end; I'm getting cocoa and coffee, with its relatively subtle vanilla character being relegated mostly to the back end. Hints of earthy hops and baker's chocolate precede a bittersweet (slightly more emphasis on 'sweet') aftertaste that lingers briefly along with a hint of vanilla cupcake. Medium in body, with low carbonation that limply slinks across the palate; feels silky-smooth on the tongue, making this stout quite satisfying to sip. The mouthfeel is my favourite aspect of this beer, and is a significant contributor to its high drinkability.

Final Grade: 3.81, a B+. Collingwood's Vanilla Oatmeal Stout made for an enjoyable quaff, if not an especially memorable one. This is not an amazing stout, but it does two things correctly, both of which I really appreciate. Firstly, it's got that generous, fulfilling texture that all worthwhile oatmeal stouts possess. Secondly, it doesn't go overboard on the vanilla - an ingredient which is best used sparingly IMO, otherwise it becomes cloying, possibly even dominating the beer if used sloppily enough. Ontario stout lovers should totally keep an eye out for this one while it's still available.

473 ml can from LCBO. Cost was about $3.50 CDN.

Appearance - Big tan head rests on top of very dark brown, near black brew, Good stayiong power and loads of lacing,

Smell - Mostly roasty, some chocolate, hints of vanilla. Nose if reasonably muted

Taste - Lots of roasty, subtle bit of chocolate and vanilla with a very small touch of wood and smoke.

Mouthfeel - Medium- full bodied, velvety texture, drinks easily and is slight on carbonation.

Overall - A solid oatmeal stout that has a nice added note of vanilla and smoke to add just a small layer of complexity.