Big Boat Oatmeal Stout - Fitger's Brewhouse

bmike86

Iowa

4.8/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I picked up a growler from Fitger’s in Duluth.

Appearance --- thin beige head, possibly black in color or the darkest brown imaginable

Smell --- coffee and cocoa, with roasted malt

Taste --- ever so slightly bitter, with blends of what appeared to be coffee, chocolate, caramel, cream, possibly vanilla, and roasted sweet malts.

Mouth feel --- Medium bodied, some carbonation, very smooth feel that is well blended

Overall --- oatmeal stout is easily my favorite style of beer, and this is up there with the best of them. i was/am incredibly impressed with how great it tastes from the growler, and i look forward to trying it on tap one day! luckily i live in Minnesota, but the only negative I see is accessibility to Fitger’s plethora of beers. outside of visiting Duluth, good luck finding any. i highly recommend trying some, if ever possible

Serving type: growler

06-18-2012 06:47:03 | More by bmike86

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cask and regular side by side

Pours a tan head. Color is a dark copper brown nearing black. Lots of lace.

Aroma: rich with chocolate and cocoa. Caramel with the coffee and roast. Cask version is creamier.

Taste: creamy chocolate with roasted malts. Coffee flavors. Malty and dry. Cask version is much more rounded out. The flavors blend together so much better.

Mouthfeel: roasted and smooth. Medium bodied with a fine amount of carbonation. Ends dry.

Overall, I enjoyed the cask version better. So my scores reflect the cask. Really enjoyable beer.

Serving type: cask

05-12-2012 17:54:54 | More by mothman

maximum12

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Sampled on tap at Fitger's & man, I'd forgotten how good the beer is here.

Pour is stately black, second most head of the night. Nose is present & lovely, chocolate, rich malts.

Big Boat Oatmeal Stout is one of the best oatmeal stouts I've had to date. The chocolate in the beer is overwhelming just to the tipping point of too much, great roasty edge to take the edge off that & the sweet malts. Fantastic smoothness that just goes on for ages, & aids in wanting to take this one on for a long session.

What an excellent beer to have in regular rotation. Not so big you can't drive around afterwards, but with a massive taste profile. Just lovely.

Serving type: on-tap

03-30-2012 13:55:01 | More by maximum12

MBrausen

Minnesota

3.53/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured on-tap at Fitger’s Brewery

A. Pours a dark black, 3mm mocha head, even after 10 minutes it still had a nice 1mm thick layer on top.

S. Smells of lots of oatmeal, slight chocolate, and rich roasted grain.

T. Tastes of oatmeal, lactose, some rich coffee and a buttery soft finish.

M. Medium-thich body, mild carbonation, slightly chewy and silky wet finish.

O. A solid beer. A hearty rich beer with lots of falvor, stron oatmeal presents, but not overbearing. Well bodied and thick. A nice rounded stout, but nothing that pops and really makes you love it. But easy to drink and fills you up.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2012 20:36:45 | More by MBrausen

gatornation

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

on tap at the brewhouse

A-pours a very dark brown color with a khaki head nice lacing

S- roasted malts and chocolate with oats and bread,mild fruit with some earthy notes

T- roasted malts,coffee,sweet malts and toffee,i also get some rolled oats and a touch of cream

M- was creamy smooth ,medium carbonation,vevet texture with full flavor of a stout

O- excellent stuff

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2011 01:50:47 | More by gatornation

ForWhatAlesYou

Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Duluth brew house in a small sampler glass.

Deep and think brown in color. Small whitish head.

Chalkiness in the aroma.

Smoke and charcoal appear in both the aroma and flavor.

Other flavors include savory, umami, dark bitter.

Thick oat mouthfeel. Really nice.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2011 21:45:33 | More by ForWhatAlesYou

mwilbur

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured on tap at the brewpub into pint glass.
A: Pours pitch black with hint of tan head. Very inviting.
S: Deep, dark chocolate malt, cream, molasses, and nitro.
T: Wonderful medium roast coffee, dark chocolate, thick cream, and caramel malt amalgam. Tremendous.
M: Nice nitro feel. Medium body. Feels thicker than it drinks. Thick, smooth, creamy...Excellent feel.
D: The definition of drinkability! One of my new favorite stouts. Go to the brewpub right now and have one!

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-05-2011 00:19:23 | More by mwilbur

msjacilynn

Minnesota

3.88/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: black with a creamy brown head. excellent lacing.

S: big roasty aroma with a hint of chocolate and coffee.

T: creamy roasted malts give way to a sweet middle and bitter-coffee aftertaste.

M: thick and well carbonated. although pay attention to the date on your growler, recently went just a day or two over that and it was pretty flat.

D: great beer on a winter's eve...easy drinking for stout lovers but be careful for that ABV!

Serving type: growler

02-28-2011 19:40:10 | More by msjacilynn

bishopdc0

Maine

3.7/5  rDev -10.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The aroma is malt and full of roasted coffee and chocolate.... the look is dark black with a lite tan head that dissipates the roasted flavor remains. The tastes starts with a smooth malt the carbonation never is abrasive but it noticeable slightly unusual for an oatmeal stout. It tastes like chocolate covered coffee. It was exactly what I wanted in a chocolate stout a little much for an oatmeal however

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-18-2010 20:44:45 | More by bishopdc0

blackie

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a: shaker pint, the color is a deep, dark brown with a low but consistent nitro head

s: lots of dark chocolate, roasted barley, and dark fruits for a big stout base, some sweetness with a coffee char aroma, earthy hops, big and bold

m: carbonation is light and silky per the nitro serving style, full bodied, smooth

t: full dark chocolate and roasted barley backbone, some darker fruits, moderately sweet with an earthy hop flavor, lots of coffee roast coming out in the finish, the roast runs through each sip, extending strongly after the swallow as a moderate bitterness creeps in

d: a great stout, easily drinkable

pint at the brewpub

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-31-2010 17:08:20 | More by blackie

dirtylou

Washington

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

nitro-tap at the brewpub

cellphone notes

appearance: served in a standard pint - glorious creamy nitro-tap pour, very dark - almost black, creamy light tan head with strong retention

smell: roasted malt, dry chocolate, touch of cream

taste: sometimes a nitro-tap can dilute flavors but not here - strong waves of chocolate, oats and cream provide for a full flavored stout. Cocoa powder, light coffee and roasted malt are executed perfectly here.

mouthfeel: super-creamy and delicious

drinkability: solid.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-25-2010 01:49:24 | More by dirtylou

jsc331

Minnesota

4.55/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This is a full bodied very smooth black oatmeal stout. In fact smoother than almost any oatmeal stout I have ever had.

It has no bitter after notes, though you can taste the carmel flavor after each sip. It has a nice kick.. which I appreciate, so you don't have to drink a case of it to feel a hit.

The only real negative is you have to go to Duluth Minnesota to find it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-01-2010 17:54:59 | More by jsc331

garymuchow

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I've had this several years ago, but don't recall liking it as much as I did this time.
Nitro aroma with some soft roast flavors.
Classic looking beer with smaller head that was dense and clingy. Opaque and black as night.
Really enjoyed how the roast flavor increased as warmed, but never anything near excessive. Chocolate. Balancing flavors of sweetness and a tad of sourness.
Smooth and creamy feel and on the lighter side of a moderate body.
This is such a good drinker. Very impressive beer.

Serving type: nitro-tap

06-14-2010 00:25:06 | More by garymuchow

zeff80

Missouri

4.2/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured an opaque, jet black color with a thick, one-finger head of light brown foam. It left soapy rings of lace down the sides of the pint glass.

S - It smelled of roasted oats, chocolate and coffee. There was a mild floral nose, too.

T - It tasted of bitter chocolate malts with oatmeal, toffee and coffee. There was a slight citrus taste from the hops.

M - It was soft and creamy with a dry finish. A medium-bodied stout.

D - This and the El Nino are their best beers from their regular line-up. It's hard to turn down the chance to order this one off the menu.

Serving type: on-tap

01-02-2010 02:22:40 | More by zeff80

joepais

Maine

3.93/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A big thanks to HogWildLiquor for sending along this treat. Growler poured into a pint glass produced a finger worth of tan head that didn't last long, this is due to the growler I think. The body of the brew was the typical stout black in color
Aromas of sweet chocolate are big on this brew. Followed by some nice oatmeal sweetness filling my nose.

The flavor is a mirror of the nose, sweet milk chocolate and nice sweet grains. The feel in my mouth is medium to heavy with not to much carbonation, which I chalk up to the growler again.

A very sesionable stout I easily kicked the growler in a solid day. I think this is a good oatmeal stout it easily can hang with the big boys in this style. Well worth the try I would love to revisit this sometime strait from the tap.

Serving type: growler

07-03-2009 00:20:01 | More by joepais

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pitch black color with a very very thin brown head. Nose is oats and kind of a chalky tone. Chocolate is there as well. Flavor is amazing. Nice thick malt tones. Touches of molasses and loads of chocolate malts . Thick, and thick after that, yet still very smooth. Feel is quite smooth on the liquid and the carbonation is lower. This is extremely easy to drink. An excellent oatmeal stout that many others could take a lesson from. (And just an FYI... I had a Founders Breakfast Stout right before this...and I'm still happy)

Serving type: growler

03-09-2009 18:11:34 | More by RblWthACoz

objectivemonkey

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A couple glasses into the growler I just brought back from my Duluth trip, pours a dark, opaque black, almost no head or lacing. Stock dark malts in the nose, some chocolates, just a tad of oatmeal and coffee. Taste is also good, quite a nice oatmeal stout, but not as smooth as you'd expect from the style. Nevertheless, still smooth and with good body.

Serving type: growler

02-27-2009 03:48:35 | More by objectivemonkey

supercolter

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is pretty good, dark blackish-red color. Nice head and lacing.
Smell really nice roasted coffee smell a hint of hops (not picking up any oatmeal). Taste is good, but the alcohol comes through and lowers this a bit. Mouthfeel is good. Very creamy as its on nitro baby. Drinkability is pretty good.

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-07-2008 03:44:27 | More by supercolter

Buebie

Minnesota

4.83/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This has been cellaring in my basement cellar at about 45 degrees for 5 months in the dark. Picked up a growler back in December 07'

Appearance: Black as night, thick creamy head 2-3 fingers deep Very slight redish glow held infront of a lamp, only around the edges of the glass. Thick lace drapes the walls of my glass.

Smell: Dark roast coffee hits hard, pick up some of the grain, dark malty sweetness. Some hoppy floral aroma, as if dry hopped. Very hard to pinpoint the hops with the dark roasted smell.
Also, while swirling a small amount in my glass and at the same time taking a wiff, I get a shot of vanilla.

Tast: Dark roast coffee, chocolate, cola, dark candi sugar, thick grainy notes from the steeping, toasted wood. Sweet, sour and medium to low carbonation. Hops slam your tounge after the swallow and linger with the malt.

Mouthfeel: Light, but thick, I know that doesnt make sense. Consistant with a russian imperial, without the syrupy weight.

Drikability: This is a great session beer to be enjoyed on a cold rainy day like today. If you cant handle dark robust flavor that lingers, this isnt for you. I was blown away that the hops were even able to make an appearance, this beer is very bold in dark roasty flavor. I caould drink this all day.

Serving type: growler

04-24-2008 19:37:57 | More by Buebie

beckje01

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Nice and black look with a great brown head.

S- Full malty nose, very nice

T- Good malt taste very nice, but when it comes to the end its a touch odd.

M- Nice thickness and good feeling in my mouth.

D- Drinkable if you don't slow down for a bit but if you tend notice the odd after taste which can be distracting if your not eating or drinking. But overall I would defiantly have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

01-12-2008 22:45:03 | More by beckje01

uwmgdman

Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This one was on a nitro-tap!

The appearance was a nice black color, ruby glow when held to a light and a thick, creamy tan head that left a nice lacing. The aroma was moderately roasted, a bit sweet, some chocolate. The flavor is rather roasty, chocolately, and some hop flavor and solid, medium hop bitterness. The nitro-tap I think enhances the naturally creamy mouthfeel, very pleasant. Overall I enjoyed this one quite a bit, a bit more hop flavor and bitterness than most Oatmeal Stouts, but I enjoyed. Recommended!

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-02-2007 18:19:10 | More by uwmgdman

shadow1961

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fitgers Brewhouse Big Boat Oatmeal Stout pours a dense finger of tan foam over an opaque
black brew. Carbonation seems moderate, and the nose is toasty with dark chocolate
and coffee notes. As expected, the flavor is big bold toasted malt, mocha, and espresso,
with just a touch of grassy hop in the finish. Mouthfeel is round and creamy.

Serving type: on-tap

09-10-2007 09:35:45 | More by shadow1961

benito

Oregon

3.85/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Black as midnight with a thin head that dissipates to a ring. The aromas are muted chocolate and roasted barley with a hint of tobacco; fortunately, there is nothing muted about the flavor of this brew: it is strong on chocolate, tar, roasted grains, coffee, and hazelnut. The flavors meld together well and are matched by a smooth mouthfeel and a dry, bitter finish. It's almost like a dark oatmeal IPA thanks to the burnt flavors that linger well after the finish.

This is one of Fitger's top brews and a must have for anyone visiting the brewhouse.

Serving type: growler

06-23-2007 23:00:26 | More by benito

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Great looking and with a strong aroma. This is one of the harsher, more bitter oatmeal stouts, as opposed to the smoother ones like Samuel Smith, in hops and malt flavor. Too me, there’s too much roasted grain flavor. I’d like more chocolate, but hey, it a stout with oatmeal and it’s not bad.

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2007 21:51:43 | More by tempest

CharlesDarwin

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Originally reviewed February 4th, 2005. On Nitro-tap at the brewpub. Fresh sea salt aroma. Almost pitch black. Very smoky, almost of burnt cedar and rusic leaves. Bites the tounge pleasently. Very rich and creamy. Super full of nuts. Hazlenut and fresh cream. Later tastings of this yielded notable dark chocolate and oak that balances nicely. One of my favorite Oatmeal Stouts.

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-21-2006 21:40:34 | More by CharlesDarwin