Mendocino Winter Ale (06/07 - Oatmeal Stout)

Formerly brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Style: Sweet Stout
Saratoga Springs, New York USA

Bottle shared with HogTownHarry & biegaman -- courtesy of HogTownHarry. Pours dark brown, almost black with an average size creamy light-brown head -- nice! Aroma of roasted malt with hints of coffee and chocolate and oddly enough some cardamom. Flavour is caramelly and roasty with some chocolate, coffee, oats and a light bitter finish. Medium bodied. A very good, enjoyable Stout.

Bottle from Tom and served in my Great Lakes snifter: A nearly opaque with a initial heavy tan head which lasts for the most part leaves wonderful strings of lacing. The aroma has notes of liquorice, molasses, chocolate malt, cookie dough, old coffee, and a notes of EKG hops. The taste displays a rich chocolate layer over an addition of coffee and flowery hops. The finish has a major note of smoked aka burnt malt and a overplay of some liquorice twang. The mouth feel is medium-bodied but the carbonation makes it feel thinner. The bone dry and ashy finish. Strictly a middle-of-road stout, drinkable but left wanting more.

Bottle (12oz). Shared with blankboy and biegaman, my bottle via trade with Degarth. Poured thick, oily black, average creamy tan head. Deep roast malt aroma, soft coffee and nut bitterness, some funk to the hop character, almost like chocolate milk - rich, not sweet, but very malty, hints of porcini mushroom and cardomon as it warms. Taste is very dry and very bitter, sweetened milky coffee trying to come through, but a decently long bitter finish. Very thick and creamy body, some astringency, mild alcohol presence - pretty long bitter finish riding on top of the caramel - pretty freakin’ nice.

poured from a 12oz. bottle into a tulip pint A: Pours a ruby-tinged, inky, black, with a 1-finger, rich, creamy, dark tan head. Head mostly goes away quickly, but a nice ring of foam & lacing sticks with the beer to the finish. S: Rich wafts of cocoa, cookie dough, and maple brown sugar make their presence known right away. Very malted aromas. T/M: Big, chocolately sweetness up front, nice roasted bitterness on the finish, very burnt coffee-ish, which stays with me for minutes. Lots of dark fruit sprinkled throughout too, namely raisins, cherries & plums. Each sip feels like a slightly carbonated raspberry chocolate root beer float. D: I loved this beer, and would like to find a few more! Recommended.

black body w/ brown head. dry roasted coffee aroma with heavy chocolate milk finish...flavor of chocolate, coffee, caramel, and nuts...slightly bitter finish

12 oz. via trade with OhioDad - Pours a dark brown color with a one and half finger thick tan head. Nice lacing. Aroma is roasted malt, light smokiness, and light brown sugar. Has a light smokey and roasted malt flavor. Light bitterness. A smooth, slightly dry, medium to full bodied beer. Very nice. Thanks Scott.

Bottle: Dark brown pour with a smaller tan head, no real lacing. Nose of roasted malt, vanilla, very sugary sweet. Taste is more roast, hints of coffee, vanilla, and cocoa. Well balanced in flavor, just a little lighter bodied expected. Thanks IndianaRed for sharing.

Bottle: Pours a dark black color, nice thin tan head. The nose is rich with sweet molasses, maple and chocolate, very sweet and malty with light roast and plenty of the maillard type stuff. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. Nice roasty sweet flavor that rings of a well balance cappucino. Nice vanilla and maple notes in the finish. All around super tasty. Thanks IndianaRed for sharing this one.