Howe Sound Diamond Head Oatmeal Stout

Brewed by Howe Sound Inn and Brewing Co.
Style: Stout
Squamish, Canada

Date: September 27, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: City Center Liquor, Surry, BC
Appearance: black, frothy tan head, lots of drippy lace
Aroma: rich chocolate aroma, light roasted, enriching carmel sweetness
Flavor: rich dark chocolate and roasted flavor, caramel sweetness adds richness, bittering from the roasted, long roasty finish
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 8/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 13/20
Rating: 3.2/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **+ /4

pours a jet black with a small khaki head, and very good lacing. smell is of cocoa, weak coffee, a touch of vanilla, and some roastiness. taste is a little watery, some sour malt, bakers chocolate, some some, and some roasted oats, end is dry and sour.

No, not THAT Diamond Head. This poured probably the darkest head I’ve ever seen, almost grey, and two pinky fingers thick. The body was impenetrably dark, and the aroma was surprisingly faint; there might’ve been some malt/coffee/dark chocolate going on but it was hard to discern. The taste was much, much more satisfying, with certainly some burnt coffee flavour. The aftertaste is okay as well, and the mouthfeel was not as thin as expected. This beer went well with a BBQ’d ribeye and pickled beets. Mmmmmmmmmmm! Kudos to Howe Sound for the 1-litre swing top bottle, too.

Black with tan head. mild coffee chocolate aroma. medium roasty and chocolate flavor. not very complex. dry finish Medium bodied. a decent stout. If you like stouts then definitely try this out, if not then maybe not. Nevertheless big props to howe sound for actually trying this style out. They have balls...unlike some of the microbreweries around here.

1 litre bottle with new artwork for 2009. Appearance: Almost completely opaque black with only slight hues of brown around the edges if you look closely. One finger dark beige head when poured into English pub style pint glass, which recedes more quickly than expected for the style, leaving a ring and not much lacing. Aroma: Roasted malt aromas of coffee and some chocolate, along with a rich treacly sweetness from the oatmeal. Taste: Very much like the aroma. Coffee and chocolate flavours are easily detectable, especially the coffee, and they are balanced by a masterful treacly sweetness from the oatmeal in this sweet stout. The balance is just right; the oatmeal does not overpower the bitterness of the roasted malt flavours, and the beer is nicely tempered with some hops to help smooth the flavour without creating a bitterness of their own. There is also some subtle vanilla here. Mouthfeel: Full bodied, rich, smooth, and creamy. Very silky with a dry finish. Drinkability: Very drinkable as a result of the cleverly brewed harmony between the malt, hops, and oatmeal. The treacle flavour entices the drinker back for more as this is what really makes this oatmeal stout stand out from many of its competitors. Excellent brew.

Rich dark roasted nose, thin bodied, rich dark brown. Creamy and soft, sessionable stout.

1L swingtop, shared with Parksy. Pours black with a brown foamy head. Rich cocoa and roast aroma, very inviting. same delivery on the palate, moderately full bodied, dry and roasty finish despite the sweetish entry. Really terrific!

Black colour with burgundy hints and thin tan head. Mild esspresso nose. Thin esspresso tatse with bitter coffee and warming alcohol finish