Convict Hill Oatmeal Stout - Independence Brewing Co.

jmarsh123

Indiana

3.63/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with a light tan head.

Aroma features a ton of roasted malt a little sweet toffee and oats.

Flavor follows the nose. A short burst of initial toffee or chocolate sweetness followed by bitter roasted malts.

Mouthfeel nice and creamy with medium-low carbonation levels.

Pretty solid although nothing extra special. The roasted malts can be overpowering a times although the oatmeal gives it a good creamy texture.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 20:24:55 | More by jmarsh123

accordselux

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Got in a trade from Texasfan549. Thanks!

Poured it into a SA Perfect Pint glass. Left a large amount of rich, tan head, with a hint of orange coloring. It slowly settled into hills and valleys of foam. I like it already.

Smell: Smell the oats right away, with some dark chocolate and toffee sweetness.

Taste: Very roasty. It tastes more like coffee than chocolate, with a little bitterness of the finish. Not sure if that is from the hops or from acidity.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and thick- what i"m looking for in an oatmeal stout. I like that texture.

Overall: A decent oatmeal stout with high ABV. I don't like it as much as lower ABV Summit, or higher ABV Southern Tier Oat. I'd enjoy it in Texas, but not sure if I'd want to seek it out again. Great to try!

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2011 00:47:54 | More by accordselux

orangesol

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

My first Texas beer! Got this one as an extra in a recent trade with jenray. Poured into my NB Globe.

A - Pours pitch black with a small one finger tall tan head leaving minimal lacing down the glass.

S - Smells of rich coffee, chocolate, dark roasted malt, and a touch of booze. Not overly complex yet enjoyable none the less.

T - Starts off with a big dose of dark roast and coffee grounds that linger throughout the sip. Some chocolatey sweetness creeps in after the roast dies down a touch but it doesn't stick around for very long. Finish is pretty roasty with a small alcohol burn.

M - Heavy body and flavor with moderate carbonation. Dark, roasty, feel that clings to the pallet after each sip.

O - Not too bad. It was fairly well balanced and easy to drink. This one really hit the spot on a cold night like tonight.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2011 04:24:54 | More by orangesol

kemoarps

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a midnight black with a foamy finger and a half cappuccino head. Head retention is decent.

The nose is primarily composed of burnt malts and a little cocoa. There might even be a little charcoal in there, but overall it's less pronounced than I expected.

The prominent taste here is the burnt malts, with roast chocolate, espresso and a light sweetness wafting across the middle act.

I actually expected this brew to be a little thicker. It's not watery by any means, but I don't know I guess I had my heart set on some motor oil or something. It's got a chewy creaminess to it and goes down smoothly, though, personally, I could have done with a little lighter carbonation.

Overall I would definitely recommend trying this, especially if this is the kind of thing you like. I am sad it is not available in my area (yet...?), and will long for more when it is gone. Check it out and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2011 02:13:00 | More by kemoarps

shivtim

Georgia

3.33/5  rDev -15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to a buddy for bringing this back for me from a trip to Texas.

Design reminds me of Jailhouse Breakout Stout.
Poured into a pint glass. Thick brown/black, with a huge creamy mocha head. Like a dark rootbeer float. Head lasts and lasts.

Nose is sweet malts. Slightly nutty and a bit toasty. Gentle hint of vanilla.

Taste is dry roasted malts and molasses. Ashy. Not very complex.

Pretty good mouthfeel.

Overall a decent oatmeal stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2011 00:57:00 | More by shivtim

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.3/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into a chalice.

Appearance - Pretty dark body with a substantial khaki head on. Almost overflowed my glass. Retention is phenomenal. Lacing is decent.

Smell - Sweet caramel smell first, followed by a chocolate roasted malt aroma. Not a strong smell and not really stout-smelling.

Taste - Very oatmeal-forward. So much oatmeal that a lot of the stout characteristics are lost. Nevertheless, there's a hint of coffee at the start and some milk chocolate in the middle. Lots of oatmeal in the finish and a hefty bitterness as well.

Mouthfeel - Doesn't taste as thick or heavy as I'd expect from 8.5%. High in carbonation, too. Really, it feels too light as a result. Bitter finish is never my favorite in a stout like this, either.

Overall - It's certainly not bad. I am enjoying it, but I wouldn't say it's anything special. The same stout that your local brewery is making right now.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 02:01:22 | More by Alieniloquium

dubinsky

California

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Got this as an extra in a trade a while back and cant recall from who. Sorry.

A – Pours fairly thin and is jet black. As the pour finished it produced a nice thin dark beige head that quickly faded, receding to the sides of the glass. No real retention or lace to speak of.

S – The aroma is fairly mild with coffee, sweet milk and bittersweet chocolate, roasted oat and malts all present. There is a slight sweet smell that is a bit caramel and vanilla.

T – The taste really follows the nose. Fairly sweet with very prominent roasted malts and oats. There is also a very strong coffee flavor that is bitter up front but finishes fairly sweet with falvors of caramel, molases and brown sugar.

M – Heavier mouth feel than I expected from the pour. Medium/ medium-heavy mouthfeel with nice tight carbonation. The beer is very luxurious tasting and is very smooth and creamy.

O - This is a pretty good stout. I have never heard of it or the brewery and am really pleased with this extra. Its a high quality, highly drinkable and very well balanced/crafted beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 02:12:42 | More by dubinsky

Scrumtralecent

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Extra from Texasfan549, finally cold enough outside to enjoy it. Poured from a bottle into a snifter.

A - Pours black with a nice tan head that lingers for a bit.

S - Plenty of oatmeal in this smell, with a chocolaty roasted malt background. Smells very thick and hearty, hoping the beer follows through.

T - Plenty of roasty malt in there with that oatmeal creating a looming dark presence in the backend of the taste. The oatmeal is a little too much of the show I feel, slightly one dimensional. Get a peanut like taste after a while from all the oatmeal. Little off putting but but not a bad taste overall.

M - Thick and hearty just like the smell implied. Beer sits real heavy for an oatmeal stout, feels like an imperial oatmeal stout.

O - Perfect for a cold night like tonight. This beer is pretty unrelenting in oatmeal and malt, giving a dry but heavy stout. Given another 30 degree night, I would have another.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 05:55:50 | More by Scrumtralecent

brentk56

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours with a massive head (thought it might be infected) that just sits there on top of the obsidian liquid; tight bubbles and great retention

Smell: Dark chocolate with prunes with hints of maple syrup and coffee

Taste: Massive dark chocolate flavors, up front, with the prune and maple sugar elements arriving by mid-palate; after the swallow, the oats add another dimension; just a vague hint of coffee in the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body, with the requisite creaminess, but a bit too much carbonation underneath for the style

Overall: Noting the comments of others on this, recent bottlings seem to be lacking in a bit of carbonation but I did find a review (from about a year ago, which is how long I have held onto this bottle) that complained of over-carbonation; the flavors are good, however, and I am sure an appropriately carbonated version would be highly rated

Thanks, FreeVerse, for the opportunity

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2011 17:58:17 | More by brentk56

Retail1LO

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Received a few bottles of this in a trade. Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass. I initially started pouring this down the side to keep the head in check, then poured straight down the center for the last 3rd of the pour to get the desired crown. However, this beer generated but a few columns of fizz. Otherwise, it's perfectly opaque like just about every other stout on earth. The smell is the best part of this beer by far. Chocolate, a bit of tofffee and/or caramel, and a roasted grainy scent that is just terrific. The taste isn't quite up to par with the bouquet, however. It's quite bitter with a heavy dose of black coffee dominating the flavor profile. Charred oak with a bit smokiness as well. The mouthfeel is the low point. It's very very thin, and heavily carbonated. It doesn't have the dense creaminess I prefer in my stouts. Letting it rest on your tongue is like having an 9-volt battery in contact with its tip. Not a pleasant feel at all. Overall, not a stout I plan on revisiting. I'll give the remaining bottles away as extras so others can tick this and form their own opinions.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2011 00:41:15 | More by Retail1LO

roodie

Texas

3.43/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass

A: pours a dark brown/cola black with scant dark brown head, no retention, faint lacing. Very fizzy on the surface

S: hints of cola, but a bit chalky. some light vanilla, but not that appetizing. roasted malts add some smoky aspects

T: much of the same as above, but vanilla a bit more pronounced, making it sweeter and mellows out the cola/chalk.

M: thin, light carbonation adds some pleasant fizzy vanilla cola aftertaste.

O: Not bad, not my favorite style, but this seems about average from my perspective of the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 02:44:49 | More by roodie

StoneBrewFanatic

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours jet black into my snifter with two fingers of dense tan head that has great retention and sticky lacing.

S - Big Roasted malts, milky sweet chocolate, espresso, oats and a touch of vanilla.

T - Like the nose, big roasted malts, sweet chocolate and oats, bitter espresso, brown sugar and vanilla. It almost has an Irish cream type quality to it.

M - Very smooth and creamy, really coats the palate and is very well balanced.

O - This is a diamond in the rough that totally deserves more credit than it gets! Awesome oatmeal stout that comes in a 4pk for the same price as a bomber of something comparable.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2011 00:14:49 | More by StoneBrewFanatic

chocosushi

Oklahoma

3.73/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

4oz->Sam Smith 1/2 Nonic
A ~ Pours black with a maroon hue. Head is sparse, but very dark (again, in a "red" way)

S ~ Baked Apples, grape juice, vanilla extract, Quaker Oats, lactose...some herbal notes.

A ~ Burnt espresso & Hershey's Baking Chocolate dominate the palette with very ashy malts close behind. There is somewhat of a hop backbone that is very organic & resinous tasting. Malted milk & frozen yogurt are in the mix. There is an ester note that I cannot identify, but it reminds me of dried cherries & currants. There's a splash of whiskey in the flavor as well.

M ~ Sticky & Sweet but with a good amount of burnt malt to back it up. Not the smoothest Oatmeal Stout in terms of carbonation, but it still has the lush feel on the sides & tip of the tounge. Hop bitterness is moderate, with contributing bitterness from the malt. There is some booze on the throat.

D ~ Great to see a high ABV Oatmeal Stout readily In available in 4-packs. Thanks to Brad for hookin' up one of my wants. This'll be a great Wintry brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 04:11:07 | More by chocosushi

Humulus85

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to tjkinate for this one...

Poured from a 12oz bottle into my Surly pint glass. Produced a nice two finger, dark khaki, head that dissipated disappointedly quickly and left virtually no lacing. Nice, virtually opaque, black color, typical of the style.

Smells off strong roasted malt; coffee and cocoa notes with some bread and a bit of booze that tingles the nostrils.

Tastes like your typical Oatmeal Stout upfront, with roasted coffee and chocolate malt, but it really isn't very sweet. There's a welcome hop backing to the beer, that along with touch of booze at the finish, actually makes this a pretty decent tasting brew.

Mouthfeel is right on for the style; a light body for how much flavor it has, good carbonation, and relatively dry. This is a true session stout.

Overall this is a solid offering from Independence Brewing Co. I'm not familiar enough with Stouts to offer improvements, but with the exception of it's superior drinkability, nothing really stood out to me as exceptional. I would still take this over a regular Guinness any day. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 05:58:56 | More by Humulus85

coreyfmcdonald

Georgia

3.55/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Absolutely pitch black with no light shining through whatsoever when held to the light. Thick, dark head forms at first, then comes down to a thin ring. Looks very nice.

S: Lots of oats with a faint roastiness in the back. Average.

T: Tastes similar to smell, but much more intense. Some slight vanilla sweetness with a lot of oat flavor. A bit of oxidation as well, but I'm not sure of the age of the beer.

M: Mouthfeel is thick with good carbonation. Very good.

O: This beer is solid, but uninteresting.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 21:47:47 | More by coreyfmcdonald

mattboyer182

Indiana

3.8/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - pours pitch black with a thin dark brown head that dissipates very quickly.

S - I smell chocolates and bourbon. Maybe a slight alcohol scent.

T - first thing I felt was this beer was kind of bland for what it should be. It's got small chocolate notes but I can't really taste much else.

M - medium bodied and highly carbonated.

O - it's not that bad but it lacks complexity that makes good beer what it is.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 03:40:57 | More by mattboyer182

sea206

Washington

4.22/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I enjoyed it from the bottle this evening with Camembert and dried Scallops and dried Salmon.
Very dark; black.
Toasty smell. Smooth, easy to drink, dark chocolaty yet creamy, hint of banana and orange peel. Best Stout I've had, I will seek this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 02:04:43 | More by sea206

tjkinate

Texas

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The best offering I have had from Independence so far and I love that I could buy 4 good stouts for under $10.

A: The brew pours dark as night producing a mild head that dissipates as rapidly as it forms. Did exhibit some lacing.

S: Rich, earthy, and chocolate malts blend great with the hoppy undertones.

T: Similar to the smell, but instead of sweet like most stouts, the malts were mild and almost bitter. A welcome change of pace that blends easier with the floral hop background.

M: Seemed light, with mild carbonation, the type of stout that won't fill you up.

O: A solid beer and the perfect relaxer for the end of a hard day. Beer really is an amazing beverage and I feel this one adds character to the quickly expanding selection.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 00:09:38 | More by tjkinate

TheGordianKnot

Tennessee

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a tulip glass...

A- Pours very dark brown. Nice finger of dark tan head that settles too nothing quickly. The darker the brown of head on stouts, the more I like it; and this one is up there- however not much lacing or stability.

S- Fairly roasty with a strong coffee presence. Follows is a subtle dark chocolate aroma. Overall fairly light aroma.

T/M- Much more flavorful than the nose shows. Very roasty upfront followed by an oaty, grainy, sweet caramelly flavor and just an incredibly intense very very dark cocoa flavor. Well balanced and smooth everything. Body was very full bodied without being too heavy. So smooth.

O- Awesome oatmeal stout. Though the nose was a bit light, the beers taste was intense and enjoyed. Also this thing is 8.5%?! I could drink these all night having no idea... Definitely want more from this brewery now

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 20:18:18 | More by TheGordianKnot

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Courtesy of Twiggamortis420-- thanks brother.

Served in a tulip pint.

Super bitter chocolate. This isn't nearly as sweet as expected, this is QUITE a dry stout, but a nice medium-full body, creamy feel, and low carbonation really go a long way on this one.

Some roasty malts come into the picture, but for the most part the biggest component to this flavor profile is the bitter chocolate. It's nice that the mouthfeel tossed a saddle on this one-trick-pony and rode the drinkability up nicely.

Pretty dark body with a tan small head. Average retention and lacing.

Overall, a pretty decently drinkable little beer. Not blowing me away, but pleasant enough to drink again.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 03:19:25 | More by AleWatcher

HopsKeepDroppin

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz. bottle into Saint Arnold pint glass

A- I got a nice two finger light brown head on mine and some pretty nice lacing. The pour was pretty much down the center after reading some other reviews.

S- The roasted malts are the first thing that I notice until I get the oatmeal and almost a peppery chocolate smell.

T- The first thing that hits you is the roasted malt and almost a coffee like flavor. After a few minutes oatmeal invades your palate and hang around for a while.

M- It has a pretty high level of carbonation. Mouthfeel is a little bit heavy.

O- I really enjoyed this stout and the price is great. This beer has a lot of flavors. Roasted malt to a chocolate after-taste and then the oatmeal moves in.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2011 01:02:38 | More by HopsKeepDroppin

GrayHam

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown/black. Viscous pour with a minimal tan head.

S: Dominated by roast and chocolate. Slight malty sweetness in the background.

T: The chocolate comes through first, with roasty/coffee notes backing it up. Very slight sweetness in the finish.

M: Definitely oats in this one. Very silky, creamy mouthfeel. Makes for an easy drinking beer.

O: Probably my favorite locally made stout. Glad it's available year round.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 23:52:17 | More by GrayHam

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.8/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I appreciate trying more stuff from Texas that doesn't normally get up Northest. This one gre on me. Lots of roast, smoke, very lacey brown, chocolate.Lots of coffee in the finish. Not as thick as I would expect from the style.Very malty, and a good drinker.
SilverX's bottle.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 18:56:36 | More by northyorksammy

JMad

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I drank this from a pint glass...
The beer almost jumped out of the bottle when I opened it the color is opaqui dark brown, there was a lot of sediment in the bottle and in the glass, the head was huge light brown and was huge. It smells of roasted, dry, dark chocolate with a tmall amount of sourness. The taste has some dark fruits, molasses, dark chocolate, and a roasted bitterness. It feels thick, warming, and slightly dry. I cant help but think that there's something wrong with this bottle. I need to try it again, there were clumps of foamy sediment and the smell and taste was a little off.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2011 23:12:21 | More by JMad

slaphappysnark

California

3.93/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Many thanks to drummermattie02 for including this as an extra.

Pours a beautiful opaque near black, no light passing through, with a thin, quickly dissipating tan head. Smell is rich and almost briny, n a good way, and flavor matches almost note for note. Nicely carbonated, not quite chewy. I'd drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 04:24:03 | More by slaphappysnark