Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

22 oz bottle pours a very black with a rich tan head, diminishing slowly. focused bitter and roasty aroma, with hints of cocoa and green hops, and a tiny bit of alcohol apparent in the nose. creamy oatmeal only appears in the body - dominated by roast and bitterness. tingly acidic finish of coffee and unsweetened cocoa, and unfortunately it’s mostly underwhelming. becomes harsh and it’s almost a chore to finish all 22 oz.

On tap at Oldsmar Tap House. Pours a dark black color with a tan one finger head that settles quickly with little glass lacing or retention. Aroma is roasted malt, oats, wheaty-grassy notes and some slight booziness. Flavor is sweet and malty with notes of raisins, molasses, toffee, ripe dark fruit. Full body with a lingering sweet and malty finish.

Objectively speaking: Intensely roasty imperial stout.
I like: Alcohol levels kept under control. Rich mouthfeel.
I dislike: I would prefer less intensity in the chocolate bitterness, it grows harsh and lasts with a burning impression despite the relatively well-hidden alcohol. Inky and tar-like aroma feels fairly brash. Not much fruity complexity at all.

bottle thanks to bhops. black with a huge 3 finger tan almost chocolate head. huge chocolate notes with roasted malts on the nose. at first the roastiness comes through and overpowers everything until the end when the chocolate works it’s magic.

Bottle from River’s Bend. Poured a black color with an average creamy brown head that mostly lasted and produced good lacing. Heavy roasted malt and chocolate aroma. Medium to full body with a smooth texture. Good complex roasted flavor with a medium to heavy roasted bittersweet finish of long duration. Good complex standout brew.

Big thanks to jlozier for trading this to me. Decided to break this one out with a possible tropical storm brewing. Pours very heavy, opaque black color, very thin dark brown head and a spot of lacing here and there. Aroma is dark chocolate, roasted malts, oats, and a little bit of alcohol which blends nicely together. This is full-bodied, rich and chewy but with excellent drinkability. Bitter unsweetened dark chocolate flavor up front with some bold coffee beans then roasted malts and a generous dose of molasses following. Finishes bitter and a bit dry. Aftertaste is bitter coffee. A well-rounded Imperial Stout. Nicely done Stone and thanks again jlozier!

Poured from a bottle into a large brandy snifter. The head was rather thin and short lived but that doesn’t bother me all that much. The wonderful smell of coffee and chocolate bellowed thickly from the glass. The palate was silky smooth and full bodied. Exactly what I look for in a beer. It had a rather bitter flavor. It wasn’t like the harsh bitterness of overly hoppy beer, but the well-balanced sweet bitterness of dark chocolate and coffee. The chocolatey after taste really stays on the tongue long after drinking. This is one of my top 5 favorite beers.

Pours a dark brown color with thick light brown ehad. Aroma is bitter chocolate, oatmeal, malt and light hop fragrance. taste is bitter chocolate, earthy malt, light coffee and some milk sugar. It’s mildly carbonated and the aftertaste is really mellow and bitter. The alcohol is well hidden but this impy just doesn’t do it for me. It’s good, but not great.