Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout - Rogue Ales

beernut7

Massachusetts

3.1/5  rDev -26%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This heavy stout has a sticky heavy dark tan head and a very dark color. Heavy malt aroma gives hints of the thick heavy body. This is one of the most bitter stouts out there. Nice roasted flavor with chocolate undertones. Not the best, but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2002 16:49:56 | More by beernut7

BeefyMee

Connecticut

3.1/5  rDev -26%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer should be seasonal for Easter because it's hoppier than a freakin rabbit. Does it say somewhere in Hamlet that you should mix an IPA and a stout? That's what it tastes like in any case. The initial bitter hoppiness is what ruins it for me, but after that there is a pleasing chocolate aftertaste that is one of the beer's saving graces. Quite drinkable however, and not at all a bad beer. Maybe if I was a big IPA fan I would be into it a little more.

An undeniably interesting beer, just not what I'll reach for the next time I want a stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2003 03:56:29 | More by BeefyMee

ZimZamZoom

West Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -26%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Black as black can be, the pint glass accepts this dark pour from a slightly chilled bomber. No you can't see any light through it, and the rich creamy tan head leaves considerable lacing on the glass.

Aroma is bitter chocolate mingled with robust dark roasted coffees, dark malts and some hoppy undertones. There is also a behind the scenes sulfur like aroma, like rotten veggies or something. Not prominent, but definitely there..

Taste has an upfront bitterness that encircles a nice roasty malt profile, some coffee bean and chocolate notes are there as well. It somehow sours right before the finish and then goes dry and bitter in the end.

Body is fairly big for a 6% stout. Somewhat smooth without a lot of noticeable carbonation. Not a terribly drinkable beer in my opinion. I will be nursing the rest of this bomber.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2009 22:23:04 | More by ZimZamZoom

ccrida

Oregon

3.08/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

22 oz. bottle poured into a nonic, Shakespeare Stout is a pitch black with garnet edges when held to light, with a huge, thick rocky tan head that is slow to recede and leaves big hunks of foam. Pretty much as good as it gets stout wise, although without being to anal, some of the bubbles are to big for my taste.

Aroma is dusty coco with a bit of citrus hops, but overall pretty soft. The roast comes out more as it warms, but overall it's still not too impressive.

Taste is very robust and quite roasty, boarding on burnt, but cut by the citrus hops and a bit of chocolate, before the acrid, bitter, lingering finish. It rounds out a bit as it warms, but is still rather astringent.

Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, but a little oily. However, the body is much lighter then it looks.

Drinkability is average. I have to say I don't see what all the fan fare is about, it's just too acrid for my taste...I could use more coffee and less coffee grinds. That being said, the body is pretty light and the ABV modest enough that it went down easy enough, particularly as it warmed. Still, I'll take Rogue's Chocolate Stout over this every time.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2007 05:29:58 | More by ccrida

jrallen34

Illinois

3.08/5  rDev -26.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 2.5

22oz bottle into a De Struise glass...Dark brown pout, light tan head, ok retention, not mcuh lacing...Aroma is way to light, a little chocolate comes through, light grass, and a little alcohol...Taste brings about more flavor, a good feeling to the beer, but the taste is not as sweet as I would expect for an oatmeal stout. The more it warms it becomes very bitter, way to bitter for a drinkable stout, alcohol comes through too much.

A disappointing stout, not a worthy of an a- let alone being ranked as a top 100 beer based on these nutty rankings.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2010 02:10:24 | More by jrallen34

DoctorDog

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Presentation: 650ml bottle into a large mug.

A- Deep brown/black, completely opaque in appearance. Pours with plentiful brown/tan head, which fades slowly to but a thin coating.

S- A bit of earthy hopiness upon pouring. Some roasty, malty, chocolate, coffee notes develop as the brew warms.

T- Burned, acidic coffee is huge upon first sip, and largely prevails throughout consumption. Chocolate notes are vague and fleeting, and wet cardboard notes creep in during consumption.

M- Moderate/low carbonation....watery and thinner than I had hoped. I'm always disappointed to encounter a stout this watery.

D- Ok. This wasn't completely offensive to drink, but consuming all 22 ounces became a chore by the last 1/4 of the mug.

Future outlook: Especially considering the reviews here and my general fondness for stouts, I am somewhat disappointed in this one. With so many vastly superior stout options so readily available, I'm unlikely to feel compelled to revisit this one anytime soon.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2008 04:45:27 | More by DoctorDog

Krakistophales

Connecticut

3.05/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours jet black with a generous pour yielding a finger's worth of tan foam that dissipates quickly and leaves a halo around the glass.

S: Oak, smoke, woodchips, double espresso, slightest hint of chocolate.

T: Dry, smoky woodchips and oak hit the palate first, followed by a slight coffee roast that finishes with slightly hoppy bitterness.

M: Soft mouthfeel for a stout, with a dry and uninspiring finish.

O: Not sure what the rave is all about with this one. It's overly smoky, has slight roast/coffee flavor, the only oats I get are of the dirt/earth variety, and not much going on here. Bit of a disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 03:19:27 | More by Krakistophales

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.03/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Got this at De Bierkoning in Amsterdam.

From a bomber into a snifter.

APPEARANCE: Pours black and produces a 2 finger, medium looking, mocha colored head with great retention. Black body and medium-high levels of carbonation. Head slowly fades to a good film cap leaving some immediate clingy lacing. A slight wisp remains until the end and leaves touches of lacing down the glass.

SMELL: Roasted malts with obvious oat notes in there. Sweet milk chocolate and notes of cream as well. Nice nose.

TASTE: Some roasted malts with oats and sweet milk chocolate. More roast and cocoa powder at the swallow. A mild aftertaste of roasted malt, cocoa and bitter hops. Decent, but nothing special, and not bold enough to really stand out from the crowd.

PALATE: Medium body and higher, prickly carbonation. Not as creamy as it could be for an oatmeal stout. Goes down slightly prickly and finishes somewhat dry on the palate. Too prickly, carbonated, and not creamy enough.

OVERALL: A decent beer, but the palate let it down a little. This one is worth trying out, and definitely fits the bill if you're looking for an easy drinking stout, though I certainly wouldn't recommend going out of your way.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 14:20:45 | More by Jeffo

MLegendre

Oregon

3/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Pitch black with a rootbeer float-like head (light and dark tan) that settles fairly quickly.

S: Smells delicious, roasted malts, chocolate, and a bit of licorice. Very, very good.

T: This is pretty much an IPA mixed with some stout. First taste is very good, the roasted malts from the smell are very apparent at first, but after that first sip, those flavors seem to disapear. There seems to be a very strong hop profile in this stout, much stronger than in any other stout I've had. The bitterness overpowers the roasted malts, the chocolate flavors and pretty much any other stout flavors. Aftertaste is pretty bitter with a little bit of burnt malt in the background. Bitter aftertaste lingers for quite a while. I think this is a very unbalanced beer. The high hop profile mixed with the roasted malts and chocolate make it almost taste sour. I know this isn't a bad bottle because I've had a few of these in the past before I decided to write a review and I had the same experience.

M: Pretty thin for a stout. Carbonation is high, but not bad.

D: I'm a huge fan of stouts and a huge fan of Rogue but this is the first time that I've had one that I didn't really want to finish. It's not a bad tasting beer, but it's a bad tasting stout if that makes any sense. Not something I would pour out but definatly not something I would want when I am in the mood for a stout. This is basically a stout made with the hopheads in mind.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2006 19:12:33 | More by MLegendre

harrymel

Washington

3/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: pours a dark definitive brown. One finger loose toasted wheat head takes it's time falling down to a thick sheet of the same. Spotty lacing.

S: toasty, smells of pine bark, evident bitterness on the nose here for me. hints of coffee, cocoa beans. Not bad, not what I had expected either. nice. Slightest hint of graham and cinnamon as it warms.

T: More coffee than anticipated, but def less than an east coast coffee beer. Bitter in the back. Not very complex. Plenty of oats, toasty oats.

M: Heavy with medium to high carb. Dry and cloying at the same time. Wish the carb was a bit lower and the beer was smoothed out more.

O: Decent beer, but not a go to for stouts, or oatmeal stouts. Uncertain of the greatness this beer has acheived provided the beer is quite simple.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 16:31:24 | More by harrymel

EwaldEichstaett

Jordan

2.95/5  rDev -29.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

hmmm Rogue... this company is beginning to get under my nerves... all of their dark beers seem to have the same acidic, pungent, chocolate and coffee flavour. Perhaps this is some weird form of conditioning... the first Rogue beer I ever had was the Double Chocolate Stout... anyway...

It looks alright, black with weak lacing, the head was big but it is gone now. The smell is what I described above... Acrid yet savory. I would probably rate the beer higher if it was a regular stout as opposed to an oatmeal. The smooth, creamy, thick oatmeal character is not there (at least not enough).

For the quality and the price, this one is definitely a pass.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2010 22:31:43 | More by EwaldEichstaett

JDV

Texas

2.93/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Black thick pour with a slightly oil look to it. Nice big foamy brown lasting head. Smell is fairly heavily hopped, with a rich roastiness in the background and a bit of dry cocoa. Taste is roasty, with medium to high carbonation, and was well hopped. Slightly overcarbonated, a bit dry, and bland, although the body was full and rich. Okay, but far from one of my favorite stouts. Just boring overall, and needed some sweetness to make the flavors pop a bit more.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 18:45:32 | More by JDV

DS31

New Jersey

2.86/5  rDev -31.7%
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

Burlyn

2.83/5  rDev -32.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Black/Dark Brown with a super thick, creamy, and persistent latte head.

Smells malty sweet light coffee and a little hops

Tastes are malty and light coffee as well. Not as full in flavor as I hoped for. The funky acid taste towards the end was also unwelcome.

Very smooth and greasy. Ends dry. the taste of alcohol is faintly present.

Not as good as I was expecting it to be. The full and roundness of a great or even good beer just weren't there. Decent and palatable.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 17:38:35 | More by Burlyn

CuriousMonk

Virginia

2.8/5  rDev -33.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from 750ml bottle into a snifter glass. Pours opaque black with a thin beige head. The nose lacked rich, creamy chocolate and oatmeal that I expected. Picked up more coffee and some green herb notes instead. The taste is of more chocolate, going into a burnt cocoa or even liquorice or charcoal. The palate medium bodied, there is a creamy texture in the middle section and a dry (unfortunately slightly astringent) finish. Expected more out of this one bc of its high rating. Not going to be on the bandwagon on this one. Sorry.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2012 22:47:51 | More by CuriousMonk

Hojaminbag

Colorado

2.73/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Rogue Shakespeare Stout has an extremely dark-colored, opaque body. The head is large and brown, with big bubbles, good retention and good lacing.

The aroma is a little bit off-putting the coffee is bitter and not especially aromatic; at first it just smells a lot like soy sauce.

The flavor is an improvement on the aroma, but I still don't love it. The coffee tastes a little bit more like coffee, but not like any kind of coffee I would want to drink; the flavor is dominated by an acrid bitterness, and not a pleasant bitterness that would come from hops. The coffee flavor is bringing the bitterness. Besides that, there are roasted malts and a little bit of chocolate malts and bright, hops in the finish.

The mouthfeel is solid, with a big creamy feel to it.

I can't say I'm a fan of Shakespeare Stout. I doubt I'll be trying this one again.

Serving type: bottle

12-19-2010 13:11:35 | More by Hojaminbag

BierDrinker

Nova Scotia (Canada)

2.71/5  rDev -35.3%
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

Indybeer

Indiana

2.63/5  rDev -37.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

22 oz bomber. Poured a pure black with a massive chocloate head that slowly receded. Lots of lacing on the glass. Now here is where things go south for me on this. The aroma was all hops, I could barely detect anything else. he same with the taste. It reminded me more of drinking an IPA instead of a stout. Did I get a very young bottle that wasn't ready? I find it hard to rate this, not being like any other stout i've had. It's not bad but not what was expected.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2003 05:41:54 | More by Indybeer

chilly460

Virginia

2.63/5  rDev -37.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours an inky black with chocolate brown head, very nice looking beer.

S - I pick up mostly a malty scent, with some chocolate tones. Not the big aroma I expected.

T - Burnt coffee dominates, overly astringent. Never get to the "roastiness" that I expected.

M - Quite thin for the style.

D - Fair, but the bitter/astringent taste keep this to one beer.

I don't know if I got a bad bottle or just an off day as far as taste goes, but this beer did not match previous reviews. Will try again soon.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2009 23:58:28 | More by chilly460

jujubeast6000

Texas

2.53/5  rDev -39.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Reviewed 9/6/2006 (22oz bottle):

Pours a dark brown/black colored body, with a huge head, lasting, brown/light brown in color. Has a very stout-y aroma, coffee, but not much else. Has a coffee taste, and is rich. Somewhat watery. Okay, but not my thing.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2009 03:48:05 | More by jujubeast6000

lurpy1

Minnesota

2.48/5  rDev -40.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

My wife picked this one. She fell in love with Hazelnut Brown Nectar and now swears unconditionally by all things Rogue. As for me, my recent Rogue beers while not terrible, have been disappointing, so it's against my better judgement that we go forward with this one.

After an attractive pour, this one falls off a cliff, with a imperceptible, musty, dog-in-a-swamp odor that wards off all normal beer smells. The taste hits all the right notes at first with grains and roasty malts, but it drowns in a sea of, uh, stank. There is a lot of unpleasant bitterness that makes finishing a pint a real chore. Mouthfeel isn't bad, but doesn't have the thick smoothness I expect in an Oatmeal Stout.

Dammitall, Rogues have gone from blah to outright bad on this one. This beer is borderline lousy. Hope I got a bad bottle. Last time I reviewed a Rogue beer I swear I was taking a Rogue hiatus. Apparently the hiatus ended, but that goes double this time.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 04:33:00 | More by lurpy1

apintofknowledge

New Jersey

2.38/5  rDev -43.2%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Being a big fan of stouts, I was so happy to pick up a bottle of what seemed to be one of the highest rated stouts on BA. To this point, my two favorite stouts are Brooklyn Black Chocolate and Mackesons. So I was hoping to add a new one to my list.

The beer poured a dark thick almost black color with a reddish head... looked very good and made me anxious to taste. Hardly any aroma though... seemed very strange. Now for the taste... burnt, bitter and hoppy. Burnt like the way Starbucks overroasts their coffee beans. Hoppy... I've never had a stout with so much hops presence... not very typical of the style in my opinion. Bitter... this lingering bitterness in my mouth that I typically get from those over-the-top IPAs.

Just not my cup of tea... or mug of stout...

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2005 01:51:29 | More by apintofknowledge

wmaldridge

Florida

2.38/5  rDev -43.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

I had this beer while visiting Yardhouse in Palm Beach.

First thing that I noticed about this beer is that it was poured from CO2 and not from nitro, which, to me, was a little different.

The beer had a really rich look to it. Very black with a very dark brown head. Very dark brown around the edges.

The smell was very different to me. It had the classic chocolate notes with malty overtones, but the blast was from the obvious use of Cascade Hops. Very different smell to my usual stouts.

The taste, to me, was a bit overbearly hoppy. Not my type of stout. Very different, but not for me.

I don't think that I would order this beer again, but any beer is worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2007 22:48:58 | More by wmaldridge

jtierney89

New Jersey

2.3/5  rDev -45.1%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This bottle has close to a years worth of age on it if not a years age. Pours a deep deep brown, basically black, but from what I can tell from the pour is relatively clear. Decent brown head which recedes pretty quickly. Dark fruit especially figs on the nose along with anisette and faint touches of chocolate. Gonna give it a moment to breathe. With a little time the malt comes across really nicely on the nose as chocolate chip cookie dough. Some other not so pleasant scents still arise however.

Chewy mouthfeel with a deep roasted character. A little watery on the finish with subdued bitterness. Classic rogue crispness. Flavors include chocolate, licorice, anisette, coffee, alcohol and touches of nail polish. More so all over the place then layered. Clean finish though. Hap hazard flavors and a flimsy body unable to pull them all together. Not sure if it's the age or just the pac man yeast that has ruined beer. At least it's different than most of rogues other offerings i've had.

Drinkable but I dont see what all the hypes about.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2012 03:44:08 | More by jtierney89

Ilacquin

Illinois

2.1/5  rDev -49.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 1

Poured a pitch black with a nice thick dark tan head. Head left little lacing, as I wasn't able to drink much of this brew.

Aroma was non-descript, a little malty and not very strong.

Not sure what went wrong with this- taste was potent and bitter. A little malt and hop character, but the "bite" was so overwhelming I couldn't gather much else. Not sure if this was a bad bottle (skunked?) or what, but the overall experience was foul. This was the first time I have ever poured a beer out without finishing it. I enjoy a lot of stouts, and this was NOT the flavor or bite I usually associate with a good stout.

I sincerely hope this was a bad bottle, but it will be quite a while before I spend $5 to try it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2004 19:40:38 | More by Ilacquin