Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

The pour was expectedly dark with an off-white head that was creamy and produced good lacing. The aroma was lots of dry baking chocolate, roasted malt and light sweetness. The flavor was dry, dark chocolate with toasted oats. The mouthfeel was bone ass dry. Nice. Could have used a touch more sweetness in the flavor to balance it out, but overall it was very good.

Thanks a lot Mark. The body is perfectly black with a surprisingly dark brown sugar color. The aroma is massive with dark chocolate and raisins. There is a persistent musky note throughout. The taste is strong brewed coffee with some bitter cocoa. As I drink more, the bitterness is slightly balanced with some molasses, but then it gets overwhelmed in the finish. A good beer for those that like bitterness from a source other than hops or coffee.

Bottle black pour was much more viscous than I was expecting. Aroma of cocoa, smoked meat, some vanilla, earth and smoke. Almost smells barrel aged. I really liked the aroma, much more than I would have thought. Sort of a mishmash of components. Some smoked elements Imperial Stouts Baltic Porter and sweet stout. The flavor didnt match up to the fantastic aroma. Not very bitter in the finish. The flavor oscillated between smoky malt, cocoa and vanilla/milk/sweetness. Not sure how much I like this. It is definitely good, but not great. Would have liked some more bitterness.

Pours black with a thick brown head. Smells more toasted and smoked than sweet or bitter chocolate. Slight alcohol smell, too. Taste is smooth and creamy and more sweet chocolate than bitter. Surprisingly easy drinking and just sweet enough.

Bottle. Pours black with a small, frothy, dark brown head, mostly diminishing with spare lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (molasses, chocolate, toffee), heavy hops (flowers, perfume, pine), average yeast (leather) with notes of raisin, plum, smoke, tar, and vanilla. Full bodied, oily texture, lively carbonation, and a bitter finish. Long duration, heavy sweetness and bitterness, moderate acidity.

Bomber. Pours a black color with a nice creamy, light-brown head, good lacing. Very good looking pour. Aroma is mainly roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, and a touch of fruit. Flavor is similar, maybe plum, chocolate, a bit boozy as it warms. Bitter chocolaty finish. Decent body, a bit watery. Pretty rich, and a little too alcoholic as it warms. Very good beer nonetheless.

Syrup. Liquid coal in color. Bold cherry taste that is much stronger than the chocolate notes (although it might have partially come from the chocolate). A fantastic beer from a company that knows how to make imperial stouts. I think this one needs to sit for a while as the alcohol flavor takes away from the greatness.

Growler from Stone courtesy of Homerwants beer. Pours pitch black with a 1 inch tan head. Aroma is of chocolate, malt and oatmeal. You get a taste of alcohol up front, followed by a smooth coffee and chocolate finish. Tastes pretty much the same as it does out of the bottle. Heard some opinions that it would be much better aged. Testing that theory, but definitely drinkable now.