Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

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

THOUGHTS: A great beer. One of the darkest I’ve ever had. It didn’t hide the alcohol, but it isn’t harsh. Stone makes some of the best anniversary ales around. Not super complex, but who cares when simplicity is this good. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured an opaque black with an average, tan head that mostly diminished and left good lacing. The aroma was mostly alcohol, heavy mild coffee and lighter dark chocolate. The initial flavor was moderately sweet and lightly acidic and bitter; while the finish was heavily sweet and moderately bitter with and average to long duration. There was coffee, milk chocolate, dark fruit and alcohol. The full body was creamy with fizzy carbonation and a light to moderate alcoholic finish

Black as night pour, fluffy head, lacing...all that good stuff. The aroma reflected the flavor...huge in all regards! Loads of dark chocolate flavors, tons of roast and a noticeable sweet oatmeal flavor. Sweetness not overdone and a nice dry mouthfeel. Rich creamy somewhat chalky mouthfeel. I don’t know about the criticism of "harsh". This was less harsh than Ten Fidy. I love both beers!

Appearance: Pours an inky black body with a tall, though collapsing, dark tan head. Smell: Malty aroma smelling of freshly pulled espresso and dark chocolate sauce, with accompanying notes of prune skins, soot, and rubbing alcohol. Taste: Thick, luscious maltiness with a sharp taste of espresso and burnt cocoa nibs. Light trace of fruitiness midway. Coarse, roasty tar component, maybe a touch of creosote. Very minor yeastiness. A bit hot on the roasty, creme da cacao finish. Mouthfeel: Full-bodied. Medium carbonation. Rather chewy mouthfeel. Drinkability: Paired well enough with the movie "Ben-Hur". An epic brew for an epic film. A little harsh and rough around the edges at this present stage, but hopefully some time spent mellowing in the cellar will do wonders for it.

Godd stuff. Pours a beautiful dark brown with a nice nutty head. Flavor is very tart and bitter, with hops and malt, nicely creamy to finish.

Aroma:chocolate and coffe aroma,light smoke... Appearance:dark good brown head... Flavor:light chocolate,light smoked and light coffe..Light for 9.2%

22 ounce bottle split in Duvel glass. Black with lasting flat brown head. Chocolate coffee port earth aroma. Chocolate covered fig sweetness, earthy, with underlying hop flavor and bitterness. Full body, low carb, amazing soft mouthfeel, maybe because it’s pretty warm. Well-disguised alcohol. Complex and wholesome. Definitely excellent!

22 oz. bottle - pours oily black with a thick tan head that fades quickly; roasty aromas hit first with a touch of smoke; as expected, much more bitter than sweet; chocolate comes out more in the flavors than the aromas; quite hot, strong and syrupy; a strong impy for sure, just not the most flavorful as it is a little overwhelmed at the moment; decent and hope it gets better

Bottle. Pours black with a light brown film on top.Aroma of malted hops and chocolate. Thick and creamy to the palate. Flavor has a chocolate start , carmalized barley middle and a bitter chocolate finish. This is a nice beer.