Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout - Rogue Ales

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

4.16/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours almost as black as black can get. Big four-fingered light brown head left two chunky rows of foamy lace drapery rings. Looks outstanding.

Malty, oaty, a little salty. Good roastiness with a mild chocolate note. Hints of charred grain and espresso. Needs a bit more earthiness. Could dry it up to something more amazing.

The hops show up in the flavor with some off-setting pine and rugged earthiness. Chocolate dried out to a dusty cocoa and the burnt espresso note comes through more. Bitterness contributed by the malts, too. A little salinity in the finish works nicely, also. Finishes up with ghosts of char-roast and mintiness.

Medium to full-bodied with a slight powdery feel. Carbonation is medium or maybe medium-light. Alcohol not in-play.

Great oatmeal stout. Been too long between revisits. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 14:05:55 | More by thecheapies

trxxpaxxs

New York

4.24/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a deep black with browns around the edges and two full finger of dark khaki colored head. The foam is really light and frothy and takes forever to settles. Big lacing left on the glass as it drinks.

S: The nose is malt, wheat, milk chocolate, slight caramel and a touch of vanilla. This beer smells nice.

T: It starts out sweet and fluffy with a good bit of milk chocolate, malt, and caramel. The beer get s a bit roasty in the middle, and the roast and sweet mix well in the finish.

M: Medium bodied beer. It's flavorful, but light on the palate. It's smooth and moves well from first sip to the finish. Nothing lingers for too long after the beer is gone.

O: Nice beer. I'm actually impressed with this beer. The flavors are nice, it drinks well, and it's not too filling. Very drinkable. I'd buy this again if I was in the mood for it.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 17:12:48 | More by trxxpaxxs

beergoot

Colorado

4.23/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A black abyss poured into a glass! Impenetrably black and crowned with a thick, chunky tan head; lacing galore. Rich, roasted malt grain aromas with a light, flowery, nearly citrus-like background scent. Deep roasted malt flavors; charred bread crust; bitter chocolate; soothing combination of hop bitterness with a slight alcohol presence. Rich, smooth mouthfeel; sugary sweet with a touch of dryness.

Big, black, and beautiful! I don't drink too many Rogue beers, but this oatmeal stout packs a lot of sensory delights. Must get more...

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 21:14:21 | More by beergoot

kshizzle101

Washington

4.24/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from 22oz bomber into pint glass

A - Black in color with a 3 inch tan head, very thick

S - creamy chocolate scent, some roasted malts

T - chocolate up front, malts linger for awhile, a strange but pleasant taste which must be from the oats

M - thick and creamy, a little stickiness. perfect carb

Overall - great oatmeal stout. rogue usually comes through big time with their stouts and porters and this one does not let down.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 03:12:53 | More by kshizzle101

sam_bliss

Washington

3.34/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

This nitro-tapped brew fills the pint glass with creamy near-black goodness capped by a milk-like latte-colored head. The head is not bubbly but instead sits atop the deep dark brown stout like the cream ready to be skimmed off fresh milk. The super-smooth foam cap produced lacing that can hardly be called lacing – it is more like a wall of foam that lines the sides of the glass.

The beer smells nutty with loads of dark chocolate, but American hop presence lends a piney and herbal tone to the aroma. It tastes like black and toasty malts, with some lighter floral notes. Caramel peaks out underneath burnt bitterness and black coffee.

The mouthfeel is medium-full. This one goes down smoothly and leaves a hint of hoppy bitterness, which is somewhat unique among oat stouts. The carbonation is...actually nitrogenation? It is creamier and less prickly than the fizziness to which we have all grown accustomed. Nitro-tap is the new thing for me.

I like this beer; it is comparable with Ninkasi's Oatis for a bitter malty oat stout. I did not even know it was made with oatmeal until typing up my napkin-scribbled review. It tastes like a thick stout with harsh dark-roast coffee bitterness. The American hops are incongruous with the rest of the beer. They should be toned down and perhaps replaced to some extent with Noble hops...or more caramel malt!

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-18-2013 07:19:54 | More by sam_bliss

DS31

New Jersey

2.86/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

The color was quite dark and the moderate head was a beautiful tan color. I was looking forward to this one after reading some of the very good reviews. However, this brew had a bitter aftertaste that I could not get away from. Perhaps I got an off bottle and will make another try..

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 22:45:36 | More by DS31

smokinyodas

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

You better come thirty for this bad boy or its money wasted. Let’s start with the oversized behemoth of a 1 pint 6oz bottle for around $7. I can’t drink that much stout after work and would love a smaller 4 pack option. The pour was good with lots of rich creamy brown head. Has a nice sweet fruity smell that puts my grinning face deep into the glass. My thoughts are easily lost in deeply roasted malts and tantalizing bitterness. It has everything that I like in oatmeal stout, but the cocoa was a bit overpowering for me in the aftertaste near the end of the bottle. Nitpicking the logical minds, Shakespeare didn’t know chocolate, so maybe they should rename this beer to imply what it really is, Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. Anyways, in short there is nothing unexpected, just a good stout with lots of sweet and bitter flavors. Only negative is the price and size limits the purchase options from me without a friend to share it with.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 21:10:19 | More by smokinyodas

itlnstallion11

California

4.25/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

S- chocolate, mocha, malts, some vanilla, and I can even detect some oatmeal with sweet molasses.

A- beautiful black beer with a creamy mocha head that lasts for the entirety of the pint! The lacing on this beer is unreal, it's absolutely amazing how it sticks to the whole glass.

T/m- subtle well rounded stout. Not overwhelming in any particular are. Chocolate coco flavor, some mocha, a good amount of malts with some tones of vanilla. Very drinkable beer with little to no aftertaste and the alcohol is masked very well. Full bodied could be a little thicker in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2013 22:09:32 | More by itlnstallion11

PaterMorse

Indiana

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A good to very good stout (getting progressively better as warms). Doesn't so much stand out due to any particular attribute so much as because it's so very well balanced. No instrument gets too loud in this one (unlike Rogue Double Chocolate); everything working in near perfect harmony.

A: Hard to describe the head because it's gone in a blink. (A later "hard pour" revealed a camel-colored head, still pulling a disappearing act after brief cameo. What emerges from beneath the vanishing head, though, is a nice dark stout -- essentially think "Coke, no ice". Some crimson coloring if you look deep. A nice web of suds stretches across the surface, with semi-moderate stickiness on the sides after a sip.

S: Earthy, oats/barley. Faint hint of chocolate chip oatmeal cookie, but all very, very faint (so much so that the foregoing description was a bit strained -- and perhaps even subject to wishful thinking). NOTE: A nice roasty, red fruit, and chocolate aroma kicks up after the beer breathes/warms for a while.

T: The subtle, nearly non-existent aroma precedes what I thought was a subtle, nearly non-existent taste. Even at that, I wasn't complaining. Too many beers seek to be too cute by half (with an overly artificial or "try too hard" infusion of ths or that -- Rogue Double Chocolate among them, in my estimation). This started out as just a nice, pleasant, smooth stout with a velvety, balanced taste. GIFT FOR THE PATIENT: However, as with the aroma, the beer takes on a more lively, forward nature after it warms a bit. Again, roasted chocolate / coffee aftertaste, with faint hint of vanilla. Very nice.

M: Extremely well balanced; excellent feel. Medium to full bodied. Thick, rich, creamy. Ranks among the most memorable in this category.

O: Again, it's a beer that pleases the impatient, rewards the patient. Starts out as a beer that doesn't seem overly complex -- unless complex in delivering an absolutely simple, balanced stout. Out of the refrigerator, I'd rate it as very good but not terribly exciting or fun; one dimensional (but one that excels in that one dimension). As time (and the beer's chill) wanes, it becomes even better -- with a more complex taste. On the bright side, whether you're the type to knock it back fast and then tell your latest war story or sip it over conversation, you'll find this beer very drinkable, imminently enjoyable.

Repeat? I don't waffle due to indifference for the beer; it's very good. And if it came in 4- or 6-packs, it might become a staple (like Founders Breakfast, Thirsty Dog's Siberian Night Imperial, Plead the Fifth, Left Hand Milk Stout, Samuel Smith's Imperial, etc. But alas, in the bomber bottle, though better priced than some of Rogue's other offerings, I'd probably just hold off and serve it with a group of friends over -- ever-confident, thouth, that it would be rated a "winner"...

Where Enjoyed? It's a great party starterwith friends -- appealing, I'm sure, to many different tastes/preferences. Given its excellent harmony, it's also pretty good over some cool jazz / classical music (which is nice, since a lot of my favorite beers are better over AC/DC or George Jones). And might I add it's also a nice pour to close out St. Paddy's Day (or to re-enact it on any given evening).

Two Words? Warm Harmony

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 04:09:26 | More by PaterMorse

LampertLand

British Columbia (Canada)

4.43/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Rogue Ales 'Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout' @ 6.1% , served from a couple of 650 ml bottle's purchased for $8 each

A-pour is such a dark brown almost black in the glass with a small tan head leaving streaky lace along the pint glass

S-a sweet burnt caramel , roasted barley smelling stout

T-wow big tasting oatmeal stout , a smooth creamy mouthfeel , hints of chocolate and a hop bitterness in the back

MF-good carbonation , full bodied , lingering dry roastiness on the back of the palate

Ov-good beer , sweet for a oatmeal stout , very drinkable ,
this beer just kept getting better even as it warmed

sampled twice this weekend , well worth it's price & Happy St.Patrick's Day

prost LampertLand

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 23:16:54 | More by LampertLand

barczar

Kentucky

3.94/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Can't see it in my Pub mug.

Roast malt, chocolate, and hints of Waffle House coffee form the initial aroma. There's a bit of nuttiness that emerges, possibly due to the oat presence.

Flavor is roast malt dominated, but not bitter until the finish. Notes of chocolate and roast fruitiness add complexity. There's an underlying toasted character.
Phenols surface late.

Body is moderate to slightly full, a little creamy, with low carbonation. There's an astringent note.

Roasty, chocolatey, with a hint of dark fruit. Not my fave stout, but fairly drinkable. Nothing exceptional, but good balance of chocolate and roast flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2013 05:01:15 | More by barczar

BierDrinker

Nova Scotia (Canada)

2.71/5  rDev -35.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pretty much an opaque black colour with a tan head the hangs around for awhile with a small amount of lacing.

A confusing aroma. Sweet, floral but a metallic smell to it.

Medium strong flavour on the bitter side. Notes of toast, coffee and herbal.

Medium body with a lively amount of carbonation. I found it a bit astringent and again, metallic feeling. Like the sensation from licking stainless steel if that makes sense?

A longer than average bitter finish but not intense.

As far as stouts go, this one is a little too light and bitter for my tastes. The subtle metallic smell and taste kind of threw me off. I'm new at paying attention to what I taste, so I could be mistaking that sensation for something else.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 01:37:01 | More by BierDrinker

scratch69

Missouri

3.81/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

I poured a bottle into a mug.

Appearance- Black with a finger and a half worth of dark tan head. Light amounts of sticky lacing.

Smell- Light aroma of roasted malt, oats, and some floral hops.

Taste- Dark roasted malt flavors with notes of chocolate, some char, and a very light hoppy bitterness.

Mouthfeel- Full bodied, smooth, and creamy. Low amount of carbonation.

Overall- A decent oatmeal stout but nothing special. I have had several that I would prefer over this.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 23:42:39 | More by scratch69

Braz

Washington

3.65/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pure dark brown/black with a very coarse tan head, sea foam like.Head does not last very long at all. Smell is quite roasted and coffee like. Taste is dry and a little bitter. No real sweetness to speak of. Grain notes picked up. Coffee ground flavors. Body is smooth with light carbonation. Pretty decent stout with a dry bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 06:28:36 | More by Braz

Treyliff

West Virginia

4.19/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A- pours a dark black with a small dark tan head that reduces to only a ring leaving just a touch of lace.

S-smoky and woodsy with notes of dark chocolate, earthy and oaty

T- slightly roasted malts with a smoothness from the oats, a bit earthy with just a touch of coffee, dark chocolate finish with a long chocolaty linger and dry finish

M- medium body and carbonation, foamy mouthfeel turns into a creamy and silky finish

O- solid oatmeal stout, slightly roasted notes match well with the smoothness provided by the oatmeal, nice chocolaty linger

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 02:51:59 | More by Treyliff

kojevergas

California

3.58/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

650ml brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a New Belgium stem-goblet in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Acquired at a nearby bottle shop. Expectations are high given the recommendation and high rating by a friend, murrhey. I love a good Oatmeal Stout. 69 IBU.

Served straight from the fridge and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

Paired with pretzels.

A: Pours a silky attractive rich dark tan colour head of luscious excellent cream, great rolling frothy thickness, and staggering 8 minute retention. Body colour is a solid dark black. Nontransparent and opaque. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Decent albeit thin lacing as the head slowly recedes. Spot on for the style. I can't wait to try it.

Sm: Light roasted barley, rolling oats, dark malts, chocolate malt, and caramel. A surprisingly light aroma; I wouldn't call it subtle. Complex but understated. Light floral hopping. Hints of peat. Not as bold or evocative as I'd like, but appealing for the style. The oats certainly come through.

T/Mf: Creamy in the late second act. Chocolate malt and dark malts form the supportive body alongside understated caramel. Oats give it a consistent character throughout and lend it that trademark smooth porter-like mouthfeel. Lightly earthy (purportedly from the oats). Unfortunately, the roasted barley character is nowhere near as pronounced as I'd like. It could also use more cream. Balanced and enjoyable, but lacking complexity or sufficient subtlety. I quite like it, but it's a bit wanting. Smooth and wet. Good carbonation and thickness. Good palate presence. It certainly doesn't lack body. Any hopping is minimal in strength and floral in character. Bitterness is low, as is perceived bitterness. The balance is a highlight here.

Dr: A balanced, drinkable oatmeal stout from Rogue. I'd love to try this on nitro. It's not a perfect example of the style, but it's certainly a notable one. It won't disappoint fans of the style, but I doubt it will really impress either. I quite enjoy it and will easily finish this bottle, but I hoped for more. It's one of the better Rogue beers I've had in recent memory. Hides its ABV well.

B

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 05:54:05 | More by kojevergas

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.15/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a fairly solid dark brown/black color with a smallish khaki head that persists quite well. Smells of caramel and roast with hints of cream vanilla and earth. Light bits of dark fruit aroma as well as hints of light sugar round out the nose quite well. The flavor is roasty chocolate vanilla with a hint of chalk and earthy hops. Medium body with a creamy velvety smooth mouthfeel and a light level of carbonation. This is a really nice stout, approachable yet flavorful and creamy as hell.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:08:09 | More by johnnnniee

Labeorphile

Texas

4.7/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Heavy pour from bottle into a pint glass yields a thick, creamy, brown head. Beer almost black with very little light getting through. Head hangs around for a long time.

Nose is inviting, with strong coffee, chocolate, and caramel, but with a hint of hoppiness sneaking through.

Taste is even better. The malt, chocolate and oats lead the way with the hops finishing on the back of the palate. Excellently balanced with none overpowering the other. The rich, creamy mouth feel really works great with this beer.

Overall, a really great stout that I will definitely be buying more of. Delicious and well-balanced.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 03:19:55 | More by Labeorphile

tectactoe

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours jet black, with very nearly no other shades of color, even at the edges. Huge, dark tan head tops this one off with fine bubbles, lasting for quite a while and leaving some small bits of chunky lacing behind. Aroma full of sweetness and roasted grain, and surprisingly a small dose of ashy, leafy hop on the nose. A faint, light cocoa aroma is present and becomes a little stronger as it warms up. Oats are also very apparent on the nose, adding a creamy and milky sweet aroma to buckle everything together. Should be a nice ride.

Shakespeare hits the palate with a very creamy body and a silky mouth feel - somewhat on the heavier side, but not quite chewy or "thick". The flavor is very robust and commanding - deeply roasted malts begin to lay the foundation for a nice collage of flavors. Nutty and woody flavors come marching through along with bittersweet cocoa powder and maybe the faintest hint of coffee or espresso on the very back of the tongue. The hop character is actually quite strong, and works surprisingly well; earthy, leafy, floral - they provide a nice, offsetting bitterness. The oats are also noticeable on the palate, more so in the aftertaste - but really, their biggest role is adding to the creamy mouth feel of the beer. Aftertaste is a bittersweet cocoa and earthy, roasted malt flavor with just a slight touch of left-over hop. Carbonation was medium, enough to produce a gigantic head upon pouring this one.

Solid oatmeal stout here, and actually one of Rogue's less expensive bomber offerings. Nice, robust flavors along with a friendly mouth feel and a low ABV make this stout super drinkable any time of the day.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 04:13:13 | More by tectactoe

NilocRellim

Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -22.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Stout poured out from the bottle extremely black in colour. There was no hint of clarity to it when held up to the light. Smelled of sweet, dark malt notes, which carried over into the taste. Tasted sweet, dark, and malty with notes of chocolate. Bitter chocolate finish. Roasty aftertaste.

Would I buy this beer again? Maybe.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 20:52:06 | More by NilocRellim

jwhancher

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours a jet black color with large mocha head. Some decent lacing & foam clings to the glass. Smells chocolately first, then roast character really takes over as it warms. Slight burnt character. Earthiness aromas as well, likely from the hops. Tastes a tad acrid from the roast. Subtle chocolate, caramel, light vanilla notes. Tastes bitter but not a ton of hop flavor. Again, the earthiness comes into play. Feels about medium to medium-full. Oats give it a nice velvety creamy feel. Overall, this is a quality beer I've been looking forward to trying for awhile. Would love to try this one super fresh when the hops are more fresh and in your face. (Didn't see a bottled on date.)

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 01:00:36 | More by jwhancher

AC-Mivsek

Ohio

4.26/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22 0z. Bomber poured into an imperial pint glass.

A- Pours an opaque black with a thick brown head leaving good lacing.

S- Roasted malts, oatmeal as expected, and some chocolate hints. Coffee also is there, as well as some toffee. Brown sugar adds some sweetness to the nose.

T- Creamy dark roast coffee, chocolate, oatmeal, and a bit of caramel. Overall it tastes pretty sweet but with a firm hoppy aftertaste.

M- Quite slick and creamy, but with some hop bite. Low carbonation.

O- Overall this is a fine and very tasty stout. I love how the oats, coffee, and hops blend with each other. I would definitely get this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 02:46:02 | More by AC-Mivsek

TBoneJones

Texas

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Black beer pours into my pint and nearly flies out the head develops so fast! Some foam spills over, this head is tan.
Smells of milk chocolate, coffee grinds. A hint of citrus fruit in there.
First taste is smooth and creamy and I get coffee right away, then a pleasant bitterness that lingers for a long time on my palate. The coffee is surely there, but not so much the chocolate (my way of saying this isn't real sweet). Hop bitterness.
This is great as far as enjoying a stout goes, and only my second beer tried from Rogue (the other being their chocolate stout). I recall more sweetness with their latter, and that's a quality I prefer in stouts. But all in all, surely try this if you haven't. I would again for sure.

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2013 22:31:36 | More by TBoneJones

sevenarts

New York

4.14/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Very dark brown, almost black. Huge and very fluffy tan head. Some lacing.

S: Oaty and malty, with strong coffee and chocolate notes.

T/M: Creamy, malty, coffee-rich goodness. Lots of milky coffee up front, with rich layers of oatmeal and sweet malt. Some roasty, mildly bitter flavors in the followthrough. Super creamy mouthfeel, with some alcohol warmth.

O: A great oatmeal stout with wonderfully subtle flavors, goes down so creamy and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 00:44:01 | More by sevenarts

Melicita

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev -17.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a rich dark brown with a nice froth. Smells exactly like most stouts--malted with some hints of dark chocolate and honey. A little yeast as well. Taste is very roasty with dark chocolate flavor throughout. There is a hopped zing in the finish, which is subtle but evident. Good.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 19:55:43 | More by Melicita