Youngs Oatmeal Stout (London Stout)

Brewed by Wells & Youngs
Style: Stout
Bedford, England

500ml bottle sampled with Finn. Solid brownish foam. Smell of roasted grain. Grainy and earthy flavours with hints of coffee and chocolate. Not so sweet as the Double Chocolate Stout. A bit watery (served at perfect temperature at The Lamb, Bloomsbury 14.09.2006 and a bottle on my own at Calthorpe Arms 20.09.2006).

Young’s Oatmeal Stout 500 ml bottle Recent bottling, digested 09/06 Medium pour in an English pint glass Poured dark with mahogony outer edges with a fizzy mostly diminishing light brown head with not lacing. Smelt of moderate burnt toast and prunes Taste was upfront perfect blend of light chocolate sweetness, light coffee bitterness, light creamy acidity followed by a moderate bitter burnt finish on an average dry hoppy finish. Mouthfeel was light to medium bodied, watery, lively carbonated with light astringency. Overall, the perfect combinations of aromas and flavors definately give the beer an oatmeal quality, but the grain seems subdued and consequently overly hopped.

500ml bottle at home. This is a fantastic beer. Decent head. Very brown with chocolate and coffee taste. Oatmeal, indeed. An excellent, creamy stout.

Pours very dark with frothy tan head. Weak aroma of roasted malts. Flavor is moderate with roasted and burnt malts and not much else. If there’s some oatmeal in there somewhere then I’m not tasting it. I found the whole experience a bit disappointing. Average beer at best when there are now exceptional options at every decent bottle shop. Probably will never try it again.

Bottle poured into a snifter. Aroma is chocolate, coffee with milk, with no harsh or bitter aromas. Appearance is dark dark brown, almost black, with a medium tan head. Initially got a slight smokiness in the flavor, followed by coffee with milk, chocolate, and slightly grainy, no hops. Body is medium with moderate carbonation, with a grainy, dry finish. Very smooth and drinkable, surprisingly light.

(Bottled) Colour is dark brown, almost black, with ruby hints when seen through light, frothy pale brown head. Nose is leaning towards brown, with notes of smoke and tar, chocolate, coffee, liquorice and some hops in the background. Taste is roasted, fairly dry, with dark chocolate and liquorice. Well balanced citrussy hop character coming through in the finish, like bitter marmalade. Body is medium and very smooth. Well balanced and very tasty, but to be honest almost too balanced and smooth.

Bottle. Pretty, dark brown to pitch pour with a foamy, lacing brown head. Gorgeous to behold. Very alcoholic and winey odor, lightly fruity but not sweet. Light milk chocolate there as well, with a bittersour accent. Strong taste of strong roast, principally sour and bitter, rather dry. Lactose. Smooth, light feel. Light earthiness, and feels slightly thicker than the Double Chocolate I had last night, probably due to carbonation / slight increase in crispness. Dry finish, light roast aftertaste. There’s no oatmeal here anywhere. Light and pleasant with an assertive cumulative flavor, a nice one!

(Bottle) Pours dark brown with a light brown head. English fruitcake, chocolate and metal. Plumy and raisiny nose. Chocolate and light bitter, burned flavour. Creamy grain taste. Unsweetened plums and dark fruits. Light brown sugary taste. Light smokey, cocoa body and a light hoppy afterbitterness.