Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

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

22 oz. bottle. Pours a deep dark brown color with garnet highlights and a medium dark tan head with good retention. The aroma is dark chocolate, molasses, oatmeal, a hint of dark fruits, and cocoa powder. The flavor is bitter dark chocolate. Hey, the title warned us all. Roasted malts, molasses, oatmeal, and alcohol are also present. This is at times a little hot, but I enjoy it very much. Medium-full bodied and one that I hope tastes as good with a little age on it.

Got the last bottle at Mustard Seed on Route 18 in Montrose Ohio. Pour is a thick black with a dark brown head. Aroma is really dry, it warms up to some subtle chocolate bits and a little bit of...oatmeal? Flavor is amazing. Its well balanced between bittersweet chocolate and the smoothness of an oatmeal stout. Thankfully this has a minimal hop profile, keeping the meat and potatoes of the beer- the chocolate and oatmeal- right in the front lines of flavor. The dryness of the beer really makes this amazing. Smooth, sweet, bitter, dry, rich. Just delicious. Too bad this was the last bottle I have seen anywhere.

Bottle from canals in mt.holly. Split with DeputyAndy and JRedmond. Pours black with tan head.. very inviting. Tastes similair to a russian imperial stout but with more cocoa. Good but would prefer a southern tier blackwater series.

On tap at the Ginger Man NYC. Dark tan/burnt umber thin creamy head, black body. aroma is strong molasses, roasted oatmeal malt, licorice, and hot antifreeze. Flavor is licorice, coffee roasted malt, a little bit of vodka. Bitter, leafy and woody hop aftertaste.

22oz bottle shared by tjthresh. Aroma of roast,ash, cocoa, lactose, alcohol, light floral hops. Dark color with tan head. Taste is roast, cocoa, faint herbal, earthy, and light citrus hops, and lighter dark fruits. Nice mouthfeel. This is pretty tasty.

Pours an opache black with a coarse tan head. Aroma is lightly sweet chocolate, vanilla and a bit earthy. Flavor is smooth chocolate, some roasted and black malt bitterness and acidity with just a hint of alcohol. Finishes nice and bitter chocolate Long. Medium to full bodied, silky smooth texture. This one will no doubt improve with age.

DEEP black and full flavored with chocolate and i think blackberry brandy. somewhat fragrant yeasty,, smooth and satisfying the bitter chocolate was perfect to accentuate and appease the hop head in me. alcohol is evident and appreciated i did enjoy this beer and it’s well balanced approach to flavored brew. a success!

Bomber. Pours dark brown, opaque, and with a medium sized tan head. Aroma is full of bittersweet chocolate, some cocoa, and roasted malt. Flavor starts a bit harsh: oatmeal is there, but bitter chocolate dominates. When it warms however it improves. More sweetness comes through, especially a nice molasses note, along with more toasted wood and roasts. Finish still shows astringency a bit more pressing than I would like, probably from the alcohol and roasts. Pretty tasty overall, though flawed.