Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

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

Bitter is a fitting label. This one has a bite in the finish that is nothing but bitter. Aroma is of roasted malt, maybe some subtle dark chocolate lingering there, and alcohol. Mouthfeel is harsh out of the fridge, but mellows as it warms. High very tight bubbles in the carbonation. Flavor is bitterness, charred meat, licorice, ash. Jet black in color with a thin tan head that dissipates quickly. I love how complex this beer is, just not sure it has what I want to find. I wish it were sweeter with more of the chocolate and oatmeal smoothness coming through.

Bottle, from a case purchased at the Beeryard (Wayne, PA). Pours very deep brown, nearly opaque, capped with a big tan head. Aroma of roasted chocolate malt, baker’s chocolate, and smoke. Flavor is big and roasty, with dark chocolate, dark fruit, oatmeal, charcoal, and alcohol. Long roasted malt finish. Nice, big stout.

22 oz. Stone bomber. Beautiful black pour and much darker brown head than the picture there shows. Lovely aroma and flavor of chocolate, coffee, malts, hops. Beautiful and powerful imperial stout.

Poured completely opaque dark with a medium brown colored head. Smells of coffee, oatmeal, and alcohol. The taste is a good mix of coffee and chocolate and the alcohol is definitely apparent. The aftertaste is a bitter chocolate/coffee flavored. It’s heavy but definitely drinkable although the high alcohol will sure keep me sipping it. This is my first experience with a limited-release by stone (besides the Double-Bastard), and I look forward to see what they come up with in the future!

pitch black appearance covered with brown head, it has deep coffee aroma, slightly burnt, and chocolate flavor. full bodied, very delicious.

22 oz. bottle in trade from Snojerk321- if you don’t know who, you need to know. Served in tumbler- poured like motor oil out of a ’81 Chevy Citation, low-medium carbonation of tiny bubbles, whisps of thin tan wafers for a head. Aroma of a heavily roasted malt, dark chocolate, and hatred. Hits the mouth with a wide and heavy body, malt kicks you right in the nards and continues to pummel you, dark molasses and hard 24 hour old on a burner coffee comes in the middle, finish has a selection of fine hops that puts a tag on your toe and declares you clinically dead. It reminds me of drinking SA Triple Bock, the whining of narcissistic Obama supporters, and nipple twisting TINKER Bell fans that haven’t step foot in MI, let alone da you pee, eh! MUST... GET... MORE!!!!

pours straight black with a tannish head. Aroma of chocolate, and flavor of chocolate and oats, smooth drinking. Bitterness seems to come from the hops exclusively. Interesting beer.

22oz bomber. Pours motor oil black, with small tan head. Smells like chocolate, but doesn’t taste like it. Doesn’t stand out as decidedly chocolate, or distinctly oatmeal stout-ish. balanced beer, nice smooth finish, and quite strong at 9.2% Overall a nice beer, especially when warmed at the last stages.