Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Formerly brewed at Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Escondido, California USA

From a 1 L growler filled at the brewery on 10/31/08. Aroma is dark fruit and roast, a little coffee. Opaque black with a small tan head. Roast character comes through in the flavor with coffee and dark chocolate, all in one blend. If I didn’t know there was chocolate in there I would assume it was from the grain bill. Bitterness is balanced but not overpowering. Thick and chewy, creamy, smooth. As it warms the chocolate character comes out more and blends nicely with the sweetness. Very nicely done.

Great especially for an oatmeal stout full flavor with good mouth feel and a not overly bitter finish.

Bottle ordered via Bottle Trek. Pours an opaque, black body with thin, dark brown head that quickly disappears. Aroma of chocolate, oatmeal, and lightly roasted malt along with a hint of leather and dark fruit. Flavor of roasted malts and dark chocolate along with a sweet wood and coffee undertone. Mouthfeel is smooth and thick, but not overly viscous. Bitter cocoa finish.

Not too much head, black as midnight with some tan lacing going on. Taste has coffee, chocolate, roasty, with some dark fruits. Smell is roast, toast, coffee, alcohol, and chocolate.

Draught at GABF 2008. Black - brown head. High chocolate, smooth body, coffee, roasted, cocoa, light sweetness, licorice, powerfull, berries, sharpness, hoppy. Lovely...... Again: #07 - Amerikaner Blind-Smagning 12-Jun-2009 hos Papsoe. Bottle. (7/4/8/4/15)

500ml bomber bottle. Thick black color, with an small but attractive orange-brown head. Pleasant chocolate aroma. Creamy and thick on the palate, certainly not overly bitter. In fact, the hops just minimally balance out the rich roasted and chocolate malt tastes. Very easy to drink for a beer of it’s strength. One of the best Chocolate Stouts I’ve had.

Pours a deep dark black with a tan head. Aroma is of chocolate and some fruit with a slight roastedness in the background. Flavor is dark chocolate and a mild hint of roasted malt.

Deep brown, nearly black, with a dark, dusky head that leaves tiny bead lacing all over the side of the glass. On the nose, a little leather, some savory herbs, like sage and thyme, but an overwhelming light chocolate. Bright palate, nice acidity, slick mouthfeel and a bitter chocolate finish that grows as you consume the beer. Flavors are peaty and leathery, like scotch, with the bitterness of chocolate nibs. There is no attempt to hide the alcohol on the beer, and that’s just fine with me, as it’s obviously done on purpose to heighten the bittering flavor and really matters on the palate. A very good beer -- I’m appreciative of the thought and effort that must have gone into making it.