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Back Road Stout
Millstream Brewing Company
- From:
- Millstream Brewing Company
- Iowa, United States
- Style:
- Oatmeal Stout
Ranked #223 - ABV:
- 6.7%
- Score:
- 83
Ranked #23,433 - Avg:
- 3.69 | pDev: 12.2%
- Reviews:
- 181
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 31, 2024
- Added:
- Jun 19, 2010
- Wants:
- 10
- Gots:
- 40
The 'oatmeal' in the name is due the 5% oatmeal in the the grist of this brew. Oats give beer a real thick mouthfeel, something definitely desirable in a stout! Black malt and roasted barley give the beer its color, and coffee-like flavors. If you like thick full-bodied & smooth stout, this beer is for you!
22 IBU
22 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by pwoods:
Reviewed by pwoods from Ohio
4/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
12oz. stubby brown bottle, twist off cap, poured into an imperial pint.
A: Pours pitch black with nearly no light on the edges. A finger or so of dark khaki head forms and holds for a bit. No lacing.
S: Some nice debittered malts aroma. Very light sweetness behind a dry maltiness. No hops.
T/M: Nice maltiness without any sharp bitterness. Very light chocolate in the back, probably what lends the sweetness in the nose. Some cereal grains. Nothing overdone here, and that's how it should be. Body is medium to medium light with smooth carbonation. Glad they didn't nitro this.
D: Very drinkable. ABV is probably 4 - 5%, making this crushable. The flavor is good but I'd like to see just a little something else... something light to boost the complexity a bit.
Jun 10, 2010A: Pours pitch black with nearly no light on the edges. A finger or so of dark khaki head forms and holds for a bit. No lacing.
S: Some nice debittered malts aroma. Very light sweetness behind a dry maltiness. No hops.
T/M: Nice maltiness without any sharp bitterness. Very light chocolate in the back, probably what lends the sweetness in the nose. Some cereal grains. Nothing overdone here, and that's how it should be. Body is medium to medium light with smooth carbonation. Glad they didn't nitro this.
D: Very drinkable. ABV is probably 4 - 5%, making this crushable. The flavor is good but I'd like to see just a little something else... something light to boost the complexity a bit.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Jmsandberg17 from Missouri
3.75/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
12oz can pours an extremely deep brown-black with a thin layer of light brown-colored head that disappears quickly. Smells of dark roasted malts, chocolate, coffee, and syrup. Very rich dark malt flavor with tons of coffee, dark chocolate, and burnt malt. Subtle sweetness with a touch of alcohol flavor and a slightly sour finish that is followed by a moderate amount of burnt bitterness. Full-bodied with a smooth, almost syrupy mouthfeel with a little carbonation and a bittersweet aftertaste.
This was a good stout. A bit heavier on the bitterness and the char and coffee flavors than I'm accustomed to for an oatmeal stout, but it was still pretty nice. Would consider buying again.
Sep 23, 2023This was a good stout. A bit heavier on the bitterness and the char and coffee flavors than I'm accustomed to for an oatmeal stout, but it was still pretty nice. Would consider buying again.
Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin
3.94/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pours pitch black with a fluffy light brown head. Smells of bright fruit and slight chocolate. Tastes of chocolate and slight fruit. Beer is medium bodied yet easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.
Oct 08, 2022Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois
3.78/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
3.78/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Bought from Micro-Brewed Club, I'm becoming impressed by their selections. They must have to drink a lot of beer to find the good ones.
In comparing peers, I try to have a primary rule for each style. And if a brew gets that primary Rule right, I usually end up giving it an above average rating. For an Oatmeal Stout, it must be soft in the mouth. Back Road is deliciously soft. And I rate it above its peer's average. Rule holds.
I gave this a good hard pour into my Samuel Smith nonic and foam and lace held for the duration. Smells are average. Tastes are full, balanced, yummy. Feel is as good as best.
As for my micro-review of Millstream... I'm impressed by their longevity. Their website claims they are 35 years old. This is pretty old to have survived that far from culture... but I accept 35 as truth. While not too much more than community brewers (other than longevity), Millstream gets very high Overall Hugs for not giving up on their mission of bringing culture to a remote place.
May 17, 2022In comparing peers, I try to have a primary rule for each style. And if a brew gets that primary Rule right, I usually end up giving it an above average rating. For an Oatmeal Stout, it must be soft in the mouth. Back Road is deliciously soft. And I rate it above its peer's average. Rule holds.
I gave this a good hard pour into my Samuel Smith nonic and foam and lace held for the duration. Smells are average. Tastes are full, balanced, yummy. Feel is as good as best.
As for my micro-review of Millstream... I'm impressed by their longevity. Their website claims they are 35 years old. This is pretty old to have survived that far from culture... but I accept 35 as truth. While not too much more than community brewers (other than longevity), Millstream gets very high Overall Hugs for not giving up on their mission of bringing culture to a remote place.
Reviewed by Elemental19xx from Illinois
3.81/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.75
3.81/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.75
This is a very good oatmeal stout. The pour is a wonderful rich brown color with a nice head. On the nose it smells of chocolatey bread with mild coffee notes. The taste taste is coffee forward with malt, and cocoa powder undertones. The feel is thick but not as creamy as some stouts. The carbonation cuts through and is on the verge of being harsh but i kinda like it. I would not be downing a six pack, but 1 or 2 is great. I would certainly recommend this to a stout lover, not so much to someone who just drinks them once in a while.
Apr 16, 2021Reviewed by BFCarr from New Jersey
3.9/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.9/5 rDev +5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Pours deep brown/black with a whispy tan head that disappears quickly. Aroma is faint but there’s bits of coffee. Taste is roasted malts with really minimal bitterness. Feel is very full and smooth, oats doing their thing. Overall, it’s tasty and smooth, worth a try.
Aug 08, 2020Reviewed by akaizer from Virginia
3.71/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
From a bottle with a beer of the month club. Poured with a nice tan foam head that very quickly recedes away...leaving behind a very opaque dark brown brew. Scent is robust and malty with notes of cocoa, burnt toast, and dried cherry. Flavor is a bit sweeter than expected with an almost brown sugar flavor coming across. Plenty of cocoa bitterness throughout to help round it out. Perhaps even taste a touch of the dried fruit as well. Feel is surprisingly on the lighter side of medium bodied. Enjoyable, if a touch too sweet for my taste.
May 30, 2020Rated by rclangk from West Virginia
3.84/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
BOM 5/2020
BOM 1/2022
May 29, 2020BOM 1/2022
Reviewed by MNAle from Minnesota
3.74/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.74/5 rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Aroma of sweet caramel, hints of coffee. Fine carbonation bubbles rising.
Deep black color with a tall, thick rocky mottled tan head, with good retention, leaving stringy lacing and a pitted surface as it does recede.
Taste is roasted coffee and malts, sweetish. Minimally bitter in the middle and finish. Beginning taste is, as I said, slightly sweet, with this carrying through the middle, but the finish is moving toward (but not quite reaching) dry. Nice tasting, pleasant, and easy drinking.
Mouth feel is smooth with moderate body.
Overall, a nice, well-done oatmeal stout. If you like your stouts more to the somewhat sweet side, this one is for you.
Nov 25, 2019Deep black color with a tall, thick rocky mottled tan head, with good retention, leaving stringy lacing and a pitted surface as it does recede.
Taste is roasted coffee and malts, sweetish. Minimally bitter in the middle and finish. Beginning taste is, as I said, slightly sweet, with this carrying through the middle, but the finish is moving toward (but not quite reaching) dry. Nice tasting, pleasant, and easy drinking.
Mouth feel is smooth with moderate body.
Overall, a nice, well-done oatmeal stout. If you like your stouts more to the somewhat sweet side, this one is for you.
Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
3.66/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.66/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Had on tap. Very basic stout, look and feel were best aspects by far. Body is grainy black in appearance, with the feel being creamy, chewy yet decently light. Smell and taste are the same, malt, oat, barley and slight coffee. pretty bland, but drinks easy. Nothing wrong with this one, just boring
Jun 20, 2019Reviewed by KS_Augsburg from Illinois
3.85/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +4.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
I have to admit: got a thing for Oatmeal Stout. This one is a good example, bold flavor but not overly sweet. The Oat gives it a good backbone. Grain and Malt balance well with spice and other flavor components. Medium heavy, Medium weight, and would order again. On draft at Republic on Grand in Des Moines IA.
Apr 24, 2019
Back Road Stout from Millstream Brewing Company
Beer rating:
83 out of
100 with
384 ratings
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