Big Sky Slow Elk Oatmeal Stout

Brewed by Big Sky Brewing Company
Style: Sweet Stout
Missoula, Montana USA

Cool! I’ve been looking for this limited release oatmeal stout for two years. Purchased a single 12-oz bottle at Cellars Wine & Spirits in St Paul. Minnesota. Pours a dark cola brown brew with a thick, lumpy beige head that has some nice retention and some spotty lacing. Aroma of toasted dark malt, some chocolate, oatmeal, a hint of lactose and very light coffee. Taste is medium to full bodied, with a toasted dark malt flavor with some caramel and toffee. Finish is semi sweet at first, some slight metallic texture and then a burnt dark grain aftertaste.

Bottle. Poured a deep brown color with a thin tan head that diminished to a layer. Aroma of chocolate malt, light roast, and some lactic cream. Flavor consists of moderate chocolate, some lightly roasted malt and a hint of coffee, and a lactic milkiness. Low carbonation and a bit thin on the palate. An alright sweet stout, but it is pretty basic and one dimensional. Thin compared to the big hitters of the style.

I guess this has been unretired. Pours a deep brown/black with a small creamy tan head that lasts. Roasted malt and coffee in the aroma, along with dark chocolate. Flavor is much the same, lighter than some, but still deeply roasted. Creamy on the palate. Very nice.

Notes from 2004 - Too bad this one isn’t around anymore. Found that out on my last trip through Montana. This is a really rich, and creamy take on this style, with chocolate coffee notes, roasted like it had been on the bottom of the pot for several hours, slightly burnt but not in a bad way. Rich oatmeal, along with caramel and toffee, and a dollop of cream to finish it all off. This was really tasty. I don’t understand why they stopped making it.

Pours a nice dark brown. Aromas of malts and chocolate. Flavors of oats, slight caramel, roasted malts and some slightly burnt chocolate tones. I wish they hadn’t retired this one.

I really enjoyed this beer, the dark appearnce the aroma all blend together and lead up to the great taste, there were some many flavors I had a hard time picking them out. I did not notice the smokiness that was mentioned in other reviews, but it could have been a flavor that I could not differentiate.

WOW what a great beer. I loved the smooth flavoerof this beer. I can even get a small amount of hops off the head. Had this with a campfire and a small shot of Jack Daniles and wow it was awesome. I loved this beer.

Dark brown, dissipating head. Stale coffee aroma, some sweet molasses. Similar flavors, very smooth and quick on the palate. Makes for a decent session stout, but better ones are easy to find.