Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout - Rogue Ales

runner440

Maryland

4.2/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer is pretty great. Big roast notes in this oatmeal stout. It is ridiculously drinkable, and this bomber is disappearing before my eyes. There are big notes of roast and coffee with a bit of chocolate in the taste. This stout should always been in any stout lover's refrigerator.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 04:05:15 | More by runner440

lurpy1

Minnesota

2.48/5  rDev -40.7%
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

Chaney

District of Columbia

3.88/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this on tap at the Hard Times Cafe in Springfield. My wife ordered one too and didn't like it. I got to experience TWO pints of this!

A: I'm on autopilot now with dark beers: Poured a very dark, chocolate brown color, with a very small head... too small perhaps, considering this on is only 6.1%.

S: Not much smell at all and it was almost as if no thought was put into this aspect. Still, I managed to dredge up a tinge of weak chocolate milk, roast, and yeast...Pacman yeast, that is....

T: It had a really nice cake batter-esque finish that reminded me much more of an Irish Dry stout rather than an oatmeal. Some mild chocolate notes, very little coffee, and the bitterness I got on the finish was primarily from the malt bill.

M: This one was fairly thick, but not slimey (something I often attribute to oatmeal stouts). The lacing was mildly splotchy.

O: This was one of my "starter" beers back when I was just getting used to craft brews, and to be honest, it wasn't as good as I remember it being. Still, I did just drink two pints of it with no effort whatsoever, so... there you have it...

NOTE: This is the EXACT same beer as the Chocolate Stout. The only difference is, with that one, Rogue uses a high grade (expensive) Belgian Chocolate.

Serving type: on-tap

12-20-2011 12:12:08 | More by Chaney

brewcrew76

Wisconsin

4.33/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Deep black with a few finger creamy tan head that settles to a ring of foam.

S - Roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, dark cocoa and light smoke.

T - Roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, coffee and oats. The bittersweet chocolate lingers into the aftertaste.

M - Medium to full body, creamy and smooth.

D - Very smooth and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2011 01:29:38 | More by brewcrew76

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.38/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard pint glass. The beer is a coffee black in color, with a dark cream colored head that dissipates quickly. SOme light lacing. Smells of bitter chocolate, roasted malts, and vanilla. Tastes of bitter chocolate, roasted malts, vanilla, and oats. The mouthfeel is very smooth and medium bodied.

Overall, this is an excellent stout. It's got several flavors that come through and it's a good session beer, that is if you want to pay the $6 per bomber ...

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 18:48:19 | More by JuicesFlowing

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Rogue : Shakespeare Stout

22oz bottle. Pours black as night with a mocha head. Aroma of chocolates, coffee and some alcohol. In the taste, more of the aforementioned chocolate, vanilla, roasted malts, coffee, char, espresso and very little booze or alcohol. The oats have made this beer silky smooth and goes down very nicely and easily. This bottle had some age on it, and was still very nice. Overall, a solid oatmeal stout with good flavors that went well together. Would be a fine dessert beer to pair with chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 02:39:35 | More by Stinkypuss

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: 1/4" light brown head over extremely dark brown / almost black liquid.

S: Coffee, chocolate, oats.

T: Bitter up front with toasted malt and coffee flavours which transitions to oats in the middle and a slight chocolate finish.

M: Medium to thin viscosity and a very high level of fine carbonation.

O: Another overrated and overpriced beer by Rogue. I expected more given the price tag, and I prefer Anderson Valley's Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout a lot more to this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 01:50:03 | More by DaftCaskBC

ncsutton

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Serving Type - Bottle

A - Nice, very dark ebony color, a good thick head that last a good amount of time

S - Very robust, I'm getting chocolate and coffee smells

T - Great, can really taste the malts as well as the chocolate, it is overall very chocolatey which is good to me. I'm not really getting the oats but that's ok with this brew, very subtle on the hops

M - Very rich and creamy, extremely smooth

O - Overall a very solid brew, I personally like the chocolate taste of Stouts so this one was really good. Like i said earlier i never got the oats, but still very good.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2011 03:35:45 | More by ncsutton

jpro

South Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

22oz bottle served in a snifter... Another nice label / bottle design from Rogue - I’ve always enjoyed their artwork (as well as all the info they put on the bottle) -

A: Pours onyx and opaque; light brown head forms about half a finger of foam before quickly receding to a thin ring, leaving no lace.

S: Mmmmm... a great aroma on this stout... sweet, black malts; some light notes of dark fruit; coffee; molasses; dark chocolate; a hint of oats way in the back - it doesn’t have the aroma indicative of other oatmeal stouts... maybe the complexity conceals the oat character.

T: A lot of roasty flavors; some burnt smore and a touch of smoke on the finish; chocolate and molasses sweetness give way to a fairly hoppy finish. Again, I don’t pick up on the oats as much with this beer, but its pretty dern good.

M: Bah! Medium bodied and high carbonation... really doesn’t seem like this beer should be so “light." I wish it had a bit more feel.

D/O: A smooth drinking stout! Lots of character - way beyond the oats, and pretty drinkable. My only complaint is the lackluster mouthfeel... everything else is great!

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 02:11:56 | More by jpro

weizenbob

Michigan

3.98/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

This 22 ounce bomber was purchased at Jimmie Garant's in Alpena, MI for $6.99. It was served at 50 degrees Fahrenheit and poured into a tulip glass. The pour yields two fingers of foamy tan head. Retention is good. Lacing follows the path of the sip but recedes quickly. The brew is very dark, but a small amount of carbonation can be seen through the glass.

The aroma is pleasantly complex, with reference points of chocolate and cream. Fruity cherry notes linger close behind. There is an unusual scent far in the background that reminds me of Elmer's glue, though it's not a big detractor from the whole.

The flavor pops with robustly roasted malts that are at once charcoalesque and earthy without crossing beyond the boundaries of good taste. Brown sugary sweetness ensues. Alcohol is just noticeable enough. Hop bitterness is mild. The flavor is somewhat lacking in complexity but the simple strengths of this stout are more than enough to please.

The mouthfeel is surprisingly light bodied and thin, extraordinarily so for a supposed oatmeal stout. On one hand it is surprisingly refreshing. On the other hand, I expect a certain mouthfeel from an oatmeal stout. This beer is critically lacking in that category. Carbonation is ample, but comes off a bit stinging amidst the lack of body. As I continue drinking I find that I enjoy it more, but I would be experiencing even greater enjoyment if it had a nice full bodied oatmeal stout feel.

All of this leads me to some conflicting feelings about Shakespeare stout. Sometimes a brewer's intent is to challenge a drinker's perceptions of a particular style. I don't know if that was the case here, but the feel of this beer is a bit of a hindrance right out of the gate. In spite of the pleasant look and aroma and fantastic flavor, it is difficult to get over how limp it feels in the mouth. At $3.81 per 12 ounce serving, it doesn't represent a particularly great value. I enjoyed this enough to dust the bomber without a problem. However, I can't imagine that I will seek this out on a regular basis. For me this is a once-a-year beer.

The Two-Schlitz Scale: (reference my profile for an explanation)
I give a Schlitz for this stout, which is fitting enough given that both beers have the same mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 04:17:07 | More by weizenbob

nitro0292

New York

4.03/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bomber poured into a nonic. Pitch black body upon which sits a khaki creme head that sticks around until the end leaving sticky, chunky lacing all the way down.

Smell is of roasted malts and bitter chocolate. A slight backdrop of coffee soaked hops.

Taste is more of the same, but with stronger overtones. Fairly dry finish with notable astringency from the dark malts. Just a touch of yeast on the finish from the bottle re-fermentation.

Mouthfeel is solid, goes down very easy. Could perhaps use a touch less carbonation.

This is a solid oatmeal stout. Not sure it is one of the best, however.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 03:21:17 | More by nitro0292

BeersCriteria

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A- Pours a solid black with a light brown head

S- Roasted Malts, chocolate and espresso

T- I like this a little more than the Rogue Chocolate stout. The difference b/t the two is that I find this beer to be more roasted. In the Chocolate stout all you taste is chocolate but in the Shakespeare stout you can taste the chocolate as well as some good sweet coffee with a nutty backbone.

Food Pairing- I made beer braised chicken with this and it was really good.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 17:40:33 | More by BeersCriteria

JustinAniello

Connecticut

4.53/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours pitch black with a three finger foamy cream-colored head. Slowly dissipates to a substantial cap and nice lacing that sticks to the sides.

S - Heavy notes of chocolate, coffee, and malt. A light hop takes up the background.

T - Sweet coffee at first that turns into a mildly bitter chocolate. Malt tones throughout.

M - Heavy body with medium carbonation. Silky smooth, great for the style.

O - This is an excellent showing of how an oatmeal stout should be. Nice and heavy, with good coffee and chocolate flavors, it is certainly one I will be adding to my regular list. Recommend any beer lover to at least try it once.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 23:05:45 | More by JustinAniello

StJamesGate

New York

4.08/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Garnet-tinged black with steady creamy purple-tan head that laces. Brown sugar, clean roastiness, flinty oats, ash, dark malt acidity, some earth and a slight mint herbal note - but none of it very distinct.
Chocolate, ginger snap cookie dough, and sweet Turkish coffee, some roasted sourness and winter, slight orange zest and cola hops finish.
Coffee candy finish and very tight linger with both hop and roast bitterness.
Medium-full, gloopy, soft, round, creamy, smooth.

I can't make up my mind about this one. Part of me thinks that it's another case of Rogue skating on their reputation from 10 years ago, and that there are many better US stouts since. Part of me thinks it's exactly what an oatmeal stout should be - half way between a Dry Irish and Robust Stout and all smoothness and balance. It is silky, the hops and roast are there, and it goes down easy despite being at the upper limits of the strength for the style.

Is it world class? Not quite - but it is very very good.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2011 21:45:47 | More by StJamesGate

Eramen

Ireland

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

A - A very dark brown appearance when poured. A two finger head erupts and retains beautifully.

S - Oats, brown sugar, grassy notes, toast, malts.

T - Much of the same flavours as in the smell except stronger. The roasted brew malts and oats entwine nicely, also there is toasted brown bread, slightly bitter chocolate and coffee taste to round it out. Hops hit towards the end leaving a dryish finish. It's a sweet tasting stout all in all.

MF - Exquisite body, very full and flavoursome, silky in texture on the palate.

O - Impressive, an oatmeal stout done right! This is a beer I go back to again and again because of it's varied flavours and excellent body. Try it.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 20:53:25 | More by Eramen

atr2605

New York

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

A- pours black with a huge tan head with fantastic retention
S-rich dark chocolate and roasted coffee
T-More dark chocolate with lots of roasted malt, little bit of coffee, and more chocolate in the finish. Very creamy and full flavored
M-full bodied
O-Great complexity of rich flavors. Would definitely recommend

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 02:08:39 | More by atr2605

McNealc31

Ohio

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

The pour of Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout promises a velvety texture. The smell of boozy chocolate hints at a very complex brew.

It is, indeed, smooth. Roasted malt just at the point of being charred, but not burnt.The finish is an interesting mix of bittersweet chocolate and dark fruits. Not as much as an Imperial Stout, but enough to add another layer of flavor. Hops provide some bitterness and dryness as it warms. With oatmeal in the name, I expected to get more in the flavor, but it’s way in the background and does more with the superior texture.

Can’t think of many ways to make this better!

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 01:51:07 | More by McNealc31

WoodBrew

Illinois

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was able to try the Rogue Shakespeare Stout at Moe Joes in D'town Plainfield, IL. The beer poured dark and opaque and very little head formed on the first pour...in addition the beer did not lace. On the second pour there was a bit more head, and some lace. The smell was roast espresso. The taste was pretty much roast and coffee. As the beer warmed a bit of the acidic coffee flavor came out. The mouthfeel was good, fuller bodied stout, which I like and not overly crazy with the alcohol. Overall the beer was decent.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 22:46:20 | More by WoodBrew

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

22oz bottle into tulip.

A: thick coffee hued head sits atop an opaque black body. decent retention with some pretty, thick lacing.

S: a distinctive lactose. milk chocolate. really creamy milk chocolate. a hint of cappuccino, but this one is all about the milk & chocolate smells.

T: creamy and chewy all at once. a mellow roast. slight acidity from the darker burnt malts. finish is a little sweet but mostly dry. good flavor, but not as oatmeal like as i would have hoped.

M: a bit to vivacious carbonation for my liking. medium body.

D: i remember this being better in my early craft beer days, but i have a few complaints here. just not as smooth and creamy oat flavor on the palate as well as a carbonation that detracts from some of the lighter nuances. not sure what the deal is. certainly a fan of many things rogue, but not loving this.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 01:56:47 | More by Jimmys

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.9/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

App- This oatmeal stout is an opaque chocolate body with some slight ruby tinged highlights. There is a good finger and a half of thick sandy head on this one.

Smell- There is some sweet molasses and dark fruit hiding in the nose, which I was not expecting in an oatmeal stout. And of course, there is the smooth grain profile of oats. Those are the major players anyway.

Taste- I am surprised that Rogue has so much resin hop mixed with roasted malt at the front of the drink. Does not need that hop profile. The oatmeal is mid drink to finish and adds a nice smooth grain profile. In the finish, dark chocolate starts to show up and linger. It is a good beer for sure.

Mouth feel- This offering is too light for a stout. It is really bubbly, and in turn this makes the offering way too medium bodied. You would think the oats would help in this regard. Well now, after warming up quite a bit, the feel has mellowed for the best. It is slicker and slightly chewier.

Overall- I really thought this was a well made stout, there are few missteps that stop this beer from being really great, like the hops in the drink and the mouth feel. Do yourself a favor and let this one warm up considerably. That is where it really shines.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2011 16:37:30 | More by Pintofbrown

bens0n

Texas

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

This beer pours a pitch black color with some very slight ruby highlights. There is also ton of creamy dark tan head that leaves a fair amount of lacing on the glass.

On the nose I can pick up on toasty oats and brown sugar followed by caramelly and toffee like notes. It smells really sweet actually.

Flavor wise I can pick up on the oats and yeast first, not too much sweetness going on. There is a tiny bit of hops bite then it finishes with a nice unsweetened chocolate flavor.

This beer is slicky and oily with a good level of carbonation, head retention is pretty weak. This beer is thinner than I would like it to be but pretty easy to put down.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 21:53:51 | More by bens0n

bump8628

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tar black with tight creamy brown head that falls to a finger's thickness, black coffee and dark cocoa fight it out with slightly resinous cascades. With warming softer milk chocolate emerges along with some grapefruit rind. The slightly oily and creamy mouthfeel rounds out a fantastic all-around stout.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2011 14:51:39 | More by bump8628

tony223366

California

4.65/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From my beer journal. Reviewed on August 24, 2011.

A: Dark, dark brown almost black body. Almost no light comes through. Creamy head with a tannish brown head.

S: Roasted malts and caramel and chocolate comes through. Hint of hops on the finish. I'm getting some coffee as well.

T: Huge flavors of roasted malts and rich chocolate. Complex interplay between these two until the hops hit in a very good way. The finish is perfect and has a light lasting citrusy hop that makes you want an immediate repeat.

M: Very smooth with tongue tingling carbonation and an astringent finish.

O: This beer is absolutely one of my favorites. This beer is incredibly well balanced and very rich.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 14:43:36 | More by tony223366

kevanb

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bomber into a pint glass.

This lovely stout pours a nice black brown color, with surprisingly little highlighting. A nice finger of caramel colored head sits atop the beer that leaves spotted lacing. A nice nose of strong toasted oats, more than most of this style, which is nice. It also has a nice layer of chocolate and coffee on the nose with a touch of raisin. The flavors follow the nose really well, nice amount of toasted oats with bits of coffee and chocolate, a lingering biscuit flavor sticks to the tongue as it goes down. At 6.1% it feels a bit thin, but is generally drinkable and quite enjoyable.

Verdict: A really nice stout from Rogue, warm and toasty, goes down easily. Great for those chilly nights or cool afternoons.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 04:11:14 | More by kevanb

rundocrun

Iowa

4.55/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

My 100th review on BeerAdvocate!

Poured from a bomber into a snifter glass.

A - Pours deep brown-black. Virtually no highlights. Three full fingers of semi-coarse mocha-colored head. Great retention. Light lacing on the glass. Thick sheets of bubbles drift down the glass as I tilt it to one side or the other (lots of residual sugars left in there!)

S - Great cocoa and nutty notes present up front. Also has a very sweet grainy and berry-like aroma--much like if you cooked yourself a bowl of oatmeal with strawberries mixed in. I'm quite surprised at the complexity present in this stout so far. Light coffee smell amid everything else.

T - Sweet and slightly tangy up front. Hints of heavy cream, oatmeal, espresso, and fruity esters follow through the middle. Finishes with a little bit of bitterness from the hops and dark roasted grains as well as the persistent creamy oatmeal sweetness. By-and-large this is an incredibly smooth, well-balanced, and just plain delicious beer.

M - Medium to thick body. Perfect amount of carbonation. Too much and it could ruin the silky smooth feel provided by the oats. Too little and my guess is some of the flavors and aromas I'm getting just wouldn't pop like they do. Finish is sweet but surprisingly clean.

Overall- I've not had too many oatmeal stouts, but I can honestly say it's hard for me to think of a more drinkable, well-balanced and just plain enjoyable stout. Cheers to anyone who has or is thinking about trying this great beer!

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 05:29:49 | More by rundocrun