Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

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

bomber split with BossHossBikes. Pours inky black with a modest dark tan head. The aroma is lacking in strength, but is very nice. I especially enjoy the use of oats on this. An ashy, toasted oat quality is found along with definite chocolate and coffee. The mouthfeel on this is slick and oily, just perfect for the flavor profile. My favorite thing about this is the sharpness. It’s clean and delightful and accents any smokier qualities this beer may have. The finish is chocolaty and offsets everything harmoniously. If I dig deep enough, I find a stray piny hop here and there. This is really a delicious brew.

Bottle. So I pick this up after searching for awhile. Why? beacuase some people on ratebeer say it’s good? No, because it’s a Stone beer that I have never had before. Nice aroma of choclate and sweet malt. The flavor was so silky smooth with chocolate, malt and a touch of hops and oatmeal. This beer was so freaking smooth and drinkable. I loved it and see it aging for quite awhiile. I need to pick up some more.....soon.

Taster from tap at PP. Big fluffy foamy dark tan head. Some chocolate in the aroma, but tons of chocolate in the taste. Leans dry. Too dry for me. Nice level of hop bitterness.

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.

Bottle from secret santa, summer of 08. Thanks! Pours black with a tan lace. Nose is sugar, alcohol ,chocolate, light roast, raisins and coffee. Flavor is similar with a light smokey character and a very astringent and bitter finish. This beer was hard to drink at times and I poured out the last 1/3 of the bottle. It was very sad.

Bomber thanks to footbalm, bought at Lee’s Liquors. Pours a pure black color with a medium tan, almost light brown-reddish head. The aroma is tons of oatmeal, roasted notes, and a strong bourbon aspect. The taste is excellent; lots of roasted malt flavors, some bitter and milk chocolates, a large oat presence, and a lesser dark fruit aspect. Very good and a bit different than I’m used to, in a good way. A lot of alcohol warmth, and a slight bitterness in the finish. Quite milky and full flavored. Just damn good.

Bomber. Pours a pitch black with ½ finger tan head, even with an aggressive pour. Nose is cocoa, roasted coffee and chocolate muffins. Taste is dark chocolate, smoke, coffee, salty licorice and dark fruits with a bitter finish. Medium creamy mouth feel. Alcohol is hidden in the taste but you can certainly feel it as you drink it. A little bit off-kilter, but me likey.

22oz bottle-Pours a pitch black body with a nice big tan head. Aroma of bitterness, oatmeal, burnt malt, and slight alcohol. Taste of alcohol and more alcohol and then on the back end the roasted and slight oatmeal characteristics come out. I am very disappointed with this release. The alcohol is way too prominent.