Oatmeal Stout
Akasha Brewing Company

Finding their footing with classic beer styles, the Akasha team treads in the dark end of the pool with an Oatmeal stout with the somber roastedness and effortless drinkability that would make many an Englishman proud.

Dark brown and with slight translucence, the beer's delicate creme swirl is enough to release a robust perfume of coffee grounds, caramel, macadamia and milk chocolate. Malty to taste, those caramel, soft nutty sweetness, chocolate and coffee flavors carry over nicely from scent to taste.

As the sweetness begins to drift, the beer's darker and more earthy charm carries the load. Heavy toast, kona-type nutty coffee, roasting pecan, toasted cocoa nib and gently over-cooked caramel become savory and almost peppery as the soft carbonation lifts the waning sweetness and ushers in a drinkably toasty finish.

Full but utilizing a great deal of restraint, the beer's cask-like carbonation is fast-fleeting a leaves a thinness and watery character nearing finish. Exposing a hint of roast-derived astringency, the late textures are that of grape seed, apple skin and spent coffee grounds.

On tap at the brewery. Look is pitch black, tan head that goes away quickly. Smell is roasty malts, not much else. Taste is roasted coffee and well balanced bitter. Very smooth from the oatmeal. Feel is a bit thin, but that is a light knock. Basic stouts don't usually resonate with me, but this one is stellar. Highly recommended