Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

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

Bottle. Rich, slightly smoky bitter dark chocolate. Some dry oak-like character. Oily, viscuous dark brown with a big foamy light brown head that leaves thin splotchy lacing. Dark chocolate dominates up front Finish is burnt toast char, dry and bitter. Slightly foamy, creamy, full bodied with a slight warming bite.

Draft in Boston at the sunset grill with Clark and the gang. Poured deep black with a medium sized tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted chocolate and mild coffee notes. Tastes of a almost burnt chocolate, dark chocolate, roasted coffee, mild oats, finishes a little creamy and dry (I didn’t think that was possible). I enjoyed this.

22 oz bottle. Opaque black in color with a medium sized light brown head. Aroma: chocolate, licorice, and tobacco, and alcohol, mild roast. Taste on this is still a bit green, roast, chocolate, licorice, molasses, a moderate amount of alcohol and oats. All the characteristics of a good RIS are there, they just don’t seem to integrate well yet. Moderate roasty and hoppy bitter finish. Full bodied, medium-full for the style. Good, and should get alot better with age.

Bottle. Pours black with tan head. Aroma is chocolate, coffee, bread. Flavor is cocoa, coffee, creamy, and malty. Rich finish with a little alcohol flavor.

Bomber. It’s good to see the 10th anniversary demon has been brought back on their newest. Pours a dark brown color with a medium chunky head. Aroma was the definitive bitter chocolate along with roasted dark malt. Taste added creamy oatmeal and just a hint of dark fruit. Pretty warm with alcohol. Medium-full body.

Bottled. Pours dark w/minimal tan/brown head. Aroma is bitter dark chocolates...some cerises as well. Taste is nice and sweet with a bit of a bitter kick. Well done Stone as usual.

22 oz bomber from Spirits Unlimited Toms River Rt 37. Pours blacker then a moonless night with a large thick mocha head. Boy do I love the look of a nice Impy Stout. Aroma on this one is still hop heavy with some pinapple notes mingling in with oatmeal and slight chocolate but mostly dominated by lots of roastiness and alcohol. Palate is smooth and full with some noticable warming on the back of my throat from the 9.2%. It sort of reminds me of when Rerun from What’s Hapening starts dancing. Big and full yet somehow smooth. Flavor has lots of burnt notes with only slight bitter chocolate being detectable. Good beer and I am curious to see how it will cellar.

Bottled. Pours an opaque dark brown with a medium tan head that settles into a ring. Fairly light aroma of roasted malt, a little chocolate and smoke. Nice slick mouthfeel coats the tongue with chocolate and oatsplus flavours of coffee. Finishes with a little warming alcohol. Good now but hopefully it will age and get better. Extra points for the creativity of bitter chocolate vs. hops.