Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout - Rogue Ales

grs8313

Maryland

3.3/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Appearance: 650ml bottle no bottling date. Pours very dark, black. Fine bubbles that dissipate quickly, with a head that is 1 and a half fingers.

Smell: I found the smell to be very faint, but it was of coffee and cocoa with hints of apricots and seltzer water.

Taste: Sweet and like seltzer water on the tip of the tongue. Coffee and cocoa hints on the sides of the tongue, with a slight acidity. Mild hop finish

Mouthfeel: Like seltzer water from the carbonation, not thick or syrupy at all.

Drinkability: Extremely drinkable, more than I thought it would be. Does not kill the pallet with coffee or hops notes and could be sipped all night.

I was a little disappointed with this beer, I was hoping for the coffee and cocoa notes to be more present.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2008 15:45:36 | More by grs8313

AudioGilz

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Comes in a 650mL pretty plain dark bottle with a very proud man holding a mug. Pours with a small tannish head that reduces to a lace fairly quickly. I really enjoy the opaque darkness and pretty delightful stout mouthfeel. My initial taste impression was burnt, slightly bitter coffee, and a faint chocolate malt taste on the way down. I wasn't too impressed. The bitterness lasted in a long disappointing aftertaste. I know it has it's place, but not a stout I will buy again. I recently had a Storm King Stout that was WAY better than Shakespeare while being higher in ABV.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2003 15:27:21 | More by AudioGilz

meday

New Hampshire

3.33/5  rDev -20.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bomber into Imperial Pint

Ebony color with rich browning head.

Immediate roasted aroma. Very close in smell to a smoked beer.

The dark roast dominated the flavor. Hints of chocolate, campfire, cedar, moss.

For a stout with oatmeal to create a creamier texture, it was thin and biting. I have possibly been spoiled by my nitro-homebrew stout I always keep on-tap. But to me, a stout, especially one with oatmeal, should be full and creamy in the mouth, whether nitro or none.

I finished the bottle, but the drinkability was only average.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2008 03:13:30 | More by meday

sam_bliss

Washington

3.34/5  rDev -20.3%
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

Rastacouere

Quebec (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -20%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

It pours black with a medium coffee brown head in a La Maudite snifter. Aroma is deep chocolate and coffee. Very nice roasted barley matches solid floral hops. From the first sip, I find it quite sour, reminding me of a Guinness, but much thicker and hoppier. The finish is astringent and ultra dry (bad), but hops are pleasant and the roastiness is perfectly developped (good). Overall, I must say I expected more from Shakespeare Stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2003 18:48:13 | More by Rastacouere

snogglethorpe

Japan

3.35/5  rDev -20%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A very nice dark black color, but disappointingly "thin" looking with not so much head.

Taste is less sweet than I expected, seemed more like a riff on a dry stout. Taste is fairly nice, a little roasted bitterness, some hops, slightly acrid, but again very similar to a dry stout in my opinion. The body/mouthfeel is a little thin -- I was really hoping for something more creamy and full.

Not a bad beer, but didn't really live up to its reputation...

Serving type: on-tap

12-06-2010 06:12:44 | More by snogglethorpe

clickpush

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pour: 22oz bomber to tulip glass. Hard pour produces big 3 finger dark brown head over even darker brown body. Body is opaque, no light getting through even around the edges. Descent is slow and rocky, providing a solid cappuccino like foam. Doesn't leave a whole lot of webbing along the glass, but a nice cap of lace remains.

Nose: Chocolate and caramel, some fruit notes like plums, brown sugar. Quite sweet smelling, marshmallow and milk chocolate. Nice roasted malt character as well, a bit of burnt toast, a bit coffee. Mmm.

Mouth: Roast character is much more pronounced in flavor than in smell with a chewy, burnt toast feel to it all the way through. A touch of heat as it comes back up. The flavor falls a bit flat, though, as there doesn't seem to be a lot more than the roastiness. A roast bitterness lingers, very nice, but where's the balance? Mouthfeel is quite well carbonated but not as smooth as it could be.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2007 06:57:28 | More by clickpush

drabmuh

Maryland

3.38/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is now called Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout for some reason. Cool with me. Served on draft at a local beer bar. Beer is black and forms a thin brown head that breaks quickly. Leaves some but not a lot of lacing on the glass and carbonation is low. The beer is nearly red at the corners of the glass.

Aroma is a mild roast with some side sweetness. Smells fine, could be bigger or have something going on there.

Beer is medium bodied, I was expecting a little more body out of this honestly, I mean its called "Oatmeal" now. Lets do it. Beer is very bitter from the roasted grains, leaves a lingering taste and a graininess in my mouth. It grows in harshness the more I drink. Not my favorite oatmeal stout.

Serving type: on-tap

07-13-2010 21:26:34 | More by drabmuh

jmperez

California

3.38/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured jet black with a creamy tan head and nice lacing. Hints of caramel, roasted barley in the aroma. Very very smooth with a creamy malty mouthfeel with a blend of roasted barley, malt sweetness and hop bitterness. In the finish is a coffee after taste with a hop bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2010 04:44:30 | More by jmperez

Phelps

Arizona

3.38/5  rDev -19.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

22-ounce bottle into a shaker pint.

Pours an inky ebony with nary a highlight in sight. The big, two-inch head of cocoa powder-colored toothpaste froth pops away slowly, becoming a craggy mountain range that that leaves speckles of lace.

The nose: coffee, toast, tangy dark chocolate, some vanilla and oats, and of course, the earthy, almost stale Pacman yeast. I don’t understand why Rogue loves these bugs so much. Despite that, it’s a smooth, deep aroma.

The flavor is a bit more subdued, tasting of light roast coffee, dark chocolate, earthy yeast notes, oats and a subtle tang. Acrid burnt bitterness slides smoothly in after the swallow.

Way, way too thin for an oatmeal stout. The body is light and watery, while the moderate massaging carbonation makes the beer break out in soft fizziness.

A masterpiece Shakespeare ain’t; the flavor's decent but the body's lacking.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2011 23:19:46 | More by Phelps

rousee

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A-Pours very black-forms a tan head which disappears fast. Some lace is left on the glass.

S- dark roasted malt with some bitterness. You can pick up some moderately strong phenols as well--surprising for a 6% ABV.

T-maybe I am not into Rogue cuz I don't think this is anything special at all. It has your standard micro/brewpub stout taste -- kind of rich and roasty--some coffee/chocolate bitterness again nothing too out of the ordinary.

MF-dry mouthfeel. I like a little more creaminess and fluffiness in a stout.

D- very average. I doubt I will buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2005 21:10:40 | More by rousee

Damian

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -18.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Drank on-tap at Redbones Barbecue, Somerville, MA
Served in a pint glass

The beer poured a translucent brown/black with an ultra smooth and creamy, two-finger, coffee-colored head. Thick rings of lacing stuck all down the glass.

The aroma was mild. Semi-sweet initially with subtle notes of powdered cocoa and coffee. A touch of roast was noticeable as well. As the beer warmed, the aroma oddly seemed to fade.

The taste was deep and dark. Somewhat bitter. Roasted malts dominated the flavor profile. Black coffee notes were quite apparent. A dry, oaty quality came through as well. Some smokiness was also detectable. The big, resonating finish was a mix of intense roastiness and bitter, piney hoppiness. Slightly burnt and acrid. This beer was quite bold, but it was not nearly as complex or as smooth as I anticipated.

The mouthfeel was medium/lighter bodied for the style (a touch watery) with a super fine and mild carbonation.

Drinkability was decent. This is a lighter bodied stout that masks its alcohol content quite well. However, the hoppy, bitter finish made this one a sipper.

This is another fine example of an over hopped, over hyped and overpriced beer from Rogue. Although many may disagree, I feel like their time in the craft beer limelight has come and gone.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2008 23:51:25 | More by Damian

Overlord

California

3.43/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I realize this is a well reviewed beer here on Beeradvocate, but in general, I just have to disagree.

Pours with a dark brown/black body, very opaque, and a nice creamy head. Quite attractive. The smell is interesting ... lots of coffee and ... hops?

Flavor is coffee, dark chocolate, but instead of cherries, prunes, or figs, there is a definite mixture of grapefruit-ish hops here. Strange, to say the least. Almost like a stout with more than a few oz. of IPA mixed in. I didn't care for the combination.

I realize this is a low ABV beer, but the mouthfeel and taste were somewhat thin for a beer of this type. A decent stout, but nowhere near one of my favorites.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2007 07:02:18 | More by Overlord

BeerTruth

Connecticut

3.43/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz. bottle poured into a nonic.

Pours a complete black with a very generous two finger tan colored head that dies down to a nice frothy layer. Stickiness is pretty good with a nice wall of lacing all over the sides. Smell is a nice milk chocolate up front that masks a nice hop tingle. Sweet caramel mixes in well with an hint of espresso. Solid, complex smell for a 6%-er. Taste is a bit disappointing to be honest. Stale coffee flavor up front with a tiny hint of smokey caramel. Not much else, pretty basic on the tongue. Was expecting much more from the smell, but I learned my lesson not to assume. Moutfhfeel is surprisingly light bodied with a fair amount of carbonation. Decent brew, but really thought there would be more in terms of flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2007 00:16:19 | More by BeerTruth

OlieIPA

California

3.43/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to my good buddy for this treat!

A: Black, thick, with a decent looking 1-finger head. The appearance isn't anything extraordinary, but nothing to frown on either.

S: A nice mix of malts that also appear to have some very faint coffee and dark fruit quality.

T: Not exactly what I was expecting, this brew had a flavor profile more similar to a porter with subtle characteristics of a stout added into it. I couldn't pick up any robust flavors, other than a small amount of espresso towards the end of each sip.

M: A thicker body would have been nicer...ample carbonation...along with a good and slightly burnt finish.

D: I enjoyed the flavor and aroma, but I'm not sure it's anything that I would go crazy over. The alcohol is hidden well.

Overall: A good beer...worth a try. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2009 06:40:55 | More by OlieIPA

Eldalonde

Ohio

3.43/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours straight black with a nice full tan head that doesn't last as long as I wish. The head does leave nice lacing behind though. Smellsof dark roasted coffee and a touch of chocolate as well. This beer tastes of roasted coffee with some light hints of chocolate. Has a bit of sweet licoricy finish. Though it's not a favorite of mine, it's still a very solid stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2009 20:47:10 | More by Eldalonde

herman77

Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Black with a creamy dark beige head. Good retention. Excellent lacing that leaves sheets around the glass.

S: Roasted malt, slightly burnt carmel. A bit of coco sweetness and coffee.

T: A bit boring and dull at first. Hints of roasted malt and bittersweet chocolate and a bit of coffee. Then comes huge amounts of hops for an oatmeal stout. Lots of roasted, borderline burnt malt and more hops in the finish. A west coast interpretation of this style for sure.

M: Medium body. Smooth, but not creamy at all. I like my O stouts with that creamy mouthfeel, this one is lacking.

D: Decent drink, but too much hops and burnt malt for my liking in an oatmeal stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2011 02:50:28 | More by herman77

Melicita

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev -18.1%
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

m1ked

California

3.45/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Part of a blind stout tasting....surprising results

A- Pours an opaque blackness, with a grey foamy head

S- Rich wood malt, chocolate and coffee

T- Smooth smokey dark coffee, touch of pencil lead, with a rich coffee finish.

M- sticky but smooth

D- Very enjoyable to drink

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2008 04:11:49 | More by m1ked

Ragingbull

California

3.45/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

For the purposes of this review the beer came from a bottle. That is unfortunate as I have had it on tap and recall liking it much better. That may be part of why one might say my scores are a touch low.

Dark brown or light black in color with moderate prickle so that the beer resembles cola in the glass. Very light head and a malty nose with hints of chocolate roasted into the flavor and texture. Fresh and light attack with the roasted coffee and chocolate towards the front end and the bitter towards the finish. The finish is pretty crisp and leaves a little bitter in the aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 12:53:52 | More by Ragingbull

Lldeegan

Louisiana

3.45/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep black, which looks ruby colored in the right light. It creates a very nice creamy mocha colored head with nice retention and a good, even lacing with fine bubbles. Smells of rich chocolate and coffee with a very faint hop aroma. This beer has a sweet malt upfront and gives way to some roasty, bread-like flavors, followed by and almost overpowering coffee bitterness that attacks the taste buds on the side of your tongue and don't let go. This is a nice stout, however the coffee bitterness is a bit of a put off for me. I enjoy most stouts, especially ones that have deep coffee aromas, it is just the bitterness that has proved unsuccessful at converting me to a coffee drinker. The stout is almost too on point with coffee flavors, something that ultimately gave it a flaw for me. Good but too much in my opinion. I have a feeling also that this might be an all around better beer from a nitro tap.
One really positive note, the head retention amazed me down to the last drop. One little swirl and the beer was blanketed with a nice layer of khaki colored foam. If lacking in taste, this beer has some great visual appeal.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2009 23:42:42 | More by Lldeegan

andrewinski1

Maine

3.45/5  rDev -17.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. There is a large bubbly tan head that leaves a moderate amount of sticky lacing on top of a black body.

The aroma is slightly chocolatey with a kick of bready grain to go with it.

The taste is mostly chocolatey with some leather followed by a bitter roasted finish. Pretty standard issue stuff here. The chocolate flavor isn't too strong to make you forget you are drinking a beer.

The body is medium with average carbonation.

A solid offering, very reliable but nothing extraordinary. I've had it before and I'm sure I'll drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 01:00:45 | More by andrewinski1

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

3.48/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Once again, the aroma was quite cascady (citrus/grapefruit) coupled with the roasty malts. The flavour was, firstly nicely chocolatey and roasty, but i think the hops ruined it too early, i like my stouts more roasty than this, save the hops for a good IPA or something. Quite a shame, because this has some lovely malts, ruined too early by the hops, still a very tasty brew, so i can't really complain.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2003 01:54:57 | More by rastaman

danadeny

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The body is blacker than black. Spinal Tap would describe it as a "pastel black". The head is a hearty nut-brown color, not wussy off white. Black liquorices is in the smell, and something smelled a little sour. The mouth feel is smooth, no doubt. The first impressions are a burnt toast / dark roasted malt flavor. Followed by some bitterness. The after taste starts as chocolate and then progresses to a coffee / espresso flavor. I think this stout is a little too "in your face" for my liking, "this one goes to 11". If they kept all the same flavors, but just dialed down their intensity so they blend together better I would probably love it.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2004 19:42:54 | More by danadeny

TurdFurgison

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a Rogue bomber at a poker game, right after drinking Stone Russian Imperial Stout. The Rogue seemed flavorless after the Stone.

It looked really good (pitch black with dark tan foam) but the aroma and flavor seemed weak. I tasted burnt malt, not strong enough to be offensive. I can't really see why this is highly rated by so many people. I probably won't get it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2006 13:20:29 | More by TurdFurgison