Hops Lumberjack Oatmeal Stout
Hops Grillhouse & Brewery

Maybe I just haven't had a stout in a long time, but this one seemed pretty good to me. Roasty with lots of milk-sugar sweetness up front; it wasn't Founders Breakfast Stout in terms of intensity of flavor or mouthfeel, but it was still pretty good.

It was dark with not much head and a pretty thin body. Aroma was pretty faint, but was heavily roasty. Flavor was roasty, with a very prominent up-front sweetness. Mouthfeel was definitely too thin for the style, but was still not watery. Pretty good.

I got a draft of this for a $1 at the Hops Grillhouse in Matthews, NC...a decent beer at a great price...not overpaying certainly aids my impressions of this beer. Still, even if it were $3, I'd have it again. $4, and maybe I'd choose something else.

Had this at the Hops in Pampano Beach, FL. Very dark brown color, bordering on black. Creamy beige head leaves a nice coating and good lacing.

Smells terrific. Chocolately malts, sweet oatmeal and mild coffee nose. Reminiscent of a latte.

Whoa. This one is far and away the best beer I have had here. Flavors blend together nicely. More of a roasty coffee flavor mixed with hints of chocolate and oatmeal. Creamy mouthfeel. A slight astringency is the only issue I have with this one. Very delicious, well worth seeking out...might be one of the best chain brewpub beers I have had.

Smells of vanilla. Tastes of vanilla. The vanilla flavor is in no way overpowering, which is good, but I think the beer might be better without it. Also, the mouthfeel is a little thin.

I was taken aback by the vanilla flavor of this beer. It reminds me of Ravell or the Stoney Creek Vanilla Porter. This would have been better if I was aware of the fact beforehand. Then, I would not have ordered it, as I was not in the mood for a beer with a distinct vanilla flavor at the time, although I do enjoy a good vanilla porter/stout when the moment is right.

Tried at Hops in Manchester, CT. Holy geez....what a damn FINE oatmeal stout!!!! I didn't know what to expect, since I've had mediocre at best beers from Hops, but this was outstanding.
Big black roasty looking ale, with a tight nitro head. Sticky and plenty of ladder like lacing. Looking good so far.
Aroma is big and bold, with an incredibly rich maltiness. Lots of chocolate and coffee. Not much in the way of hops.
Flavor is powerful, almost decadent. The beer just stick to your tongue and makes you ache for more. Soft bittersweet roastiness, with a touch of lactic sourness and almost milky viscosity. The most body I've ever seen on a stout, by far. I'd say it was full bodied. Very fine light carbonation, leaving nothing in the way of the flavor. It's almost a dessert beer. Insanely good. My only complaint is that it's filtered, and I think the color would be more impressive if it was completely opaque. I'd like that yeasty fullness, too. Very solid oatmeal stout.

Nearly black with a tan head that faded slowly. Roasted malts and a bit of cooking chocolate on the nose. Rich sweet malts with a lingering bitterness. Smooth across the tongue and just thick enough. Very drinkable. By far HOPS' best offering in the numerous times I've been there.

Pleasant aroma and well-balanced. This stout doesn't try to be too complex and is easy to drink. This is definitely a good brew for a chain restaurant and their best offering. Hops teeters on the edge of brewpub and chain restaurant but this is a step in the right direction.