Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

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

Pours black with a sizable, moderate tan head. Aroma is chocolate and java while the flavor has a major dark chocolate and coffee quality. Thick mouth feel. Really good beer!

Deep brown, nearly black, with a dark, dusky head that leaves tiny bead lacing all over the side of the glass. On the nose, a little leather, some savory herbs, like sage and thyme, but an overwhelming light chocolate. Bright palate, nice acidity, slick mouthfeel and a bitter chocolate finish that grows as you consume the beer. Flavors are peaty and leathery, like scotch, with the bitterness of chocolate nibs. There is no attempt to hide the alcohol on the beer, and that’s just fine with me, as it’s obviously done on purpose to heighten the bittering flavor and really matters on the palate. A very good beer -- I’m appreciative of the thought and effort that must have gone into making it.

This was extremely good. Nice bitter, roasted malt flavor with some smoke, oatmeal, dark chocolate, and bitter espresso with a bitter but almost creamy-smooth mouthfeel. Wish this was a year-round beer. YUM.

Bottle. Pours a great aggressive black with little head. Great sweet malt taste against the big boozy nature of the beer. Top to bottom a classic imperial stout. I don’t get the recent low ratings for this stout.

Tap at blind tiger. Pours as dark as dark can be with a thin brown head. The nose said chocolate milkshake that will make you feel good. Nice hop flavor tor a stout a bit fizzy, with a delicious bitter finish. Glad I got to have it on tap

From a 1 L growler filled at the brewery on 10/31/08. Aroma is dark fruit and roast, a little coffee. Opaque black with a small tan head. Roast character comes through in the flavor with coffee and dark chocolate, all in one blend. If I didn’t know there was chocolate in there I would assume it was from the grain bill. Bitterness is balanced but not overpowering. Thick and chewy, creamy, smooth. As it warms the chocolate character comes out more and blends nicely with the sweetness. Very nicely done.

22oz Bomber. Pours Like you would expect a stout from Stone to pour. Aromas of chocolate and some alcohol. Finishes dry, which I personally enjoyed. I think this is a great oatmeal stout, and would only get better in a year or so.

Served in tulip glasses for the whole family at dessert, the beer pours night black with about 2 finger tan head. Head retention is good, lacing is excellent. The aroma is impressive, it smells like roasted malt, semi-sweet chocolate, coffee, oats, caramel and some dark fruit. The taste is similar to the aroma, it tastes like semi-sweet chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, oats, caramel and molasses. Mouthfeel/body is full, it’s creamy, a bit oily and very, very smooth. Drinkability is very good too, it goes down very easy and the alcohol isn’t very noticable at all. Overall I think this is a very good beer. I’ll definitely have to keep some of this around.