Southern Tier Oat

Brewed by Southern Tier Brewing Company
Style: Imperial Stout
Lakewood, New York USA

Bouteille 650ml, courtoisie de Hogtownharry. De couleur noire et opaque. Nez de malt rôti, de chocolat noir et de chocolat au lait (légèrement lactique), léger d’alcool, de fruits (prunes, traces de cerises noires) et de café avec des notes de réglisse noire, de houblon herbeux et de mélasse. Ronde en bouche avec un pétillement moyen et une texture riche, crémeuse et moyennement sirupeuse. Goût fruité (prunes, moyen de dates, traces de cerises noires et de raisins) accompagné de notes de réglisse noire ainsi qu’un léger goût de crème et de chocolat au lait (très légèrement lactique) lors de l’entrée en bouche auquel se rajoute rapidement un goût moyen-amer de malt rôti (légèrement brûlé), moyen de chocolat noir, léger de mélasse sucrée et avec des notes de pain grillé (traces de sirop d’érable). Parallèlement, l’on retrouve un moyen goût d’alcool et un peu réchauffant jusqu’en finale, où il y a également une légère présence de houblon herbeux ainsi qu’un moyen goût de café espresso et de petites notes boisées (charbon de bois). Post-goût long et un peu sec, amer de rôti/ brûlé, d’alcool, de chocolat noir, de café, léger de houblon herbeux et avec des notes fruitées (pelures de prunes).

Bottle, 2007. Aroma of chocolate, rich malts, alcohol, hints of dark fruit, some chalkiness. Flavor the same and more, rich, rich, rich. Chocolate and malt character gets sweeter. It was definitely boozy, might be a turn off for some, but for me the booziness just went right along with that rich, sweet, robust character (although probably a good decision to knock it down to 11%). Fun stuff. 8-4-9-4-17/4.2

2008 bottle reveals a great deal of astringency, and conversely a great weakening of the other flavors. Oddly grassy. Weaker mouthfeel. Disappointing. 6-4-5-3-11/2.9 Current rating approximately averages the two vintages.

Bottle, 2007 batch. Poured a dark brown, with some nice dark tan head. Aroma of chocolate, faint oat. Taste of chocolate (same chocolate malt as in Choklat, tasted like tootsie rolls), dark fruits, alcohol, bitterness. Mouthfeel was thick, sticky, some burn in the finish from the alcohol. I really enjoyed this one!

Update 9/24/08: Batch 2008. Definitely not as good, perhaps it needed some age? Lots of hops and vegetables (asparagus). Only a slight hint of roasty malt goodness. Nothing like the 2007 batch. I didn’t change my rating but I am disappointed.

Very dark brown. There is an oily fullness to an otherwise full chocolate character. Light alcohol, a hint of wood. Really, it’s not as rounded nor complex as Boundary Bay’s take on the style.

Bottle. 2007 batch. Black-colored, almost completely opaque, with a small brown head that disappears right away. Aroma of roasted malt, some chocolate and espresso and a bit of alcohol. A slightly sweetish flavor at first, with a lot of roasted character, oatmeal, some licorice and coffee which soon turns very dry, quite bitter, with notes of hops and some alcohol in the finish. Medium to full body, quite creamy. Good.

Draft: Pitch black body that light dares not shine through. Nice brown head leaves some drippy lacing behind. Very bready malty aroma w/ some sweet dark fruitiness hanging around. Heavy malts dominate the flavor, but the alcohol is a little too prominent for my liking. Not too fond of the finish either, waaaay too bitter/burnt. Palate is very robust, just too much alcohol standing out.

Pours deep chocolate brown with a tan foamy head that dissipates quickly. Nose is chocolate and coffee, and just a hint of hops. Flavor is rich with a creamy mouthfeel and influences of espresso, chocolate, leather and an oak like accent. Touch of an alcohol burn throughout. Great brew.

Bottle. Pours a very deep black with a ruby tint and a good sized dark tan head. Aroma is ridiculously rich, with notes of charred malt, dark roasted coffee, molasses, and tobacco. Big mouthfeel. Flavour - damn, there’s a lot going on here - molasses, licorice, espresso, very dark chocolate, some hints of dark fruit and smoke, and a warm, bitter, and slightly boozy finish. Would score it a bit higher if the alcohol wasn’t so obvious in the end notes, but still, this is a pretty damn fine beer.