Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout - Rogue Ales

TheFeintingGoat

New York

4.78/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The bottle says "ebony" and boy do they tell it like it is, dark and the day before creation this one is. A dirty, cola colored head as well that creates a union of the darkest proportions.
The smell is quite good, with cola, coffee, toffee, unsweetened chocolate and (i'll be damned) mud permeating throughout. The citric acid here is a bit too dominant as you get through the beer.
This beer is nice and salty on the front (which reminds me of coastal pacific waters) with the coffee/toffee and cream flavors coming out to play throughout the mouth. Hops are definitly evident, and this is the great, american thing about this beer. It's very bold, yet refined and able to hold itself with the rest of the world's stouts.
The mouthfeel is, quite honestly, perfect. It's lead-heavy, however it doesn't weigh you down, but controls you palette in the most elegant of ways. When you finish the beer the aftertaste moves toward a rennet on the back, like a fine, salty cheese. A nice cream stout moves to a chocolate orange to a fine cheese--you can't ask for much more.
It's drinkability it good, despite the fact that you can really only session one (tops two) of these at a time. The answer to that? One is all you need. 6% ABV didn't seem like alot until about 10 minutes after I finished it, when this issue was resolved for me. Very enjoyable, very drinkable, and very warming. It's the perfect drink if you want high flavor but the humbleness of your beverage to blend in to what else is going on around you (Food, friends, etc.). Not much wrong here, not much at all. Can't wait to try this gem on tap.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2006 05:12:03 | More by TheFeintingGoat

raiser

California

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

A: Dark brown with a thin head on top.

S: Espresso, cocoa

T: Mostly Espresso, little cocoa. Not sweet at all, but not bitter either.

M: Medium carbonation, started out kind of bland but finished with more complexity.

Verdict was "DRINK IT WARM." Started out fridge temp in iced glasware. Was NOT impressed. As I let it warm to about 65 degrees it took on a whole new life and became a very drinkable beer. Don't serve this one ice cold please.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2008 18:20:01 | More by raiser

BrianGaynor

4.6/5  rDev +10%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: pours thick, black as night with a light brown finger and a half head.

Smell: roasted malts and coffee! Not a very strong smell, though.

Taste: strong coffee and roasted malts. Very good taste. Alcohol taste lingers at the end.

Mouthfeel: thick in the mouth with a lot of carbonation

Overall: the more I drink the lower the score gets, unfortunately. The carbonation is off-putting to me. Still a great beer, though. I wouldn't hesitate to get it again.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 02:22:54 | More by BrianGaynor

DrDocRudge

Florida

4.8/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The beer smells good, but can't match the marvelous toffee, chocolate and coffee flavors that emerge. Suitable for both bar drinking or as a dessert. Another masterwork from Rogue.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2001 13:18:50 | More by DrDocRudge

Ilacquin

Illinois

2.1/5  rDev -49.8%
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

aaronbeach69

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

a great brew... one I might be underdevoloped for.

The appearance is very dark and the smell is good and roasted... just like the taste. The most uniquely emphasized attribute of this beer is its significant roasted flavour. Its full in the sense that there is a lot going on: dark coffee and bits of ester, not as frothy-mouth-feeling as I would have liked and the roasted flavour blew me away as I finished the 750 ml bottle.

they should call it the double-roasted stout!! very good

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2004 00:45:06 | More by aaronbeach69

jmperez

California

3.38/5  rDev -19.1%
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

nanchen

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

At first, I didn't like it, because it was NOT syrupy and like drinking coffee-flavored motor oil. Perhaps, this was because we had been talking about Dark Lord for a bit. But now that I think about it, I think I was too quick to rush a judgment. What struck me most was the mouthfeel, which was smooth and almost watery, as opposed to the thick viscosity of the russian imperial style stouts. But perhaps, because it's not one of those hit you in the face stouts, it makes for a more drinkable beverage, like I could have more than one glass. Likewise, the roasted malt flavors and coffee-ness are more subdued, I think I even got a bit of dark chocolate in there too, but it doesn't coat your tongue or leave a lasting coffee bitterness. All in all, I'd like to try this again and I won't shy away from buying it next chance I get.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2009 14:11:41 | More by nanchen

wvu9787

West Virginia

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

22.oz bottle poured into a 16oz pint glass. Got this at local beer store for 5.69+ tax, ABV. is 6.1%.

Apperence- Very dark brown/black body,rich looking creamy brown head.

Smell- Cocoa, Coffee, Roasted Malts

Taste- Tastes like it smells: sweetness,cocoa, coffee, roasted malts, little hops, the oatmeal really cant be tasted intill beer warms a bit, pretty tasty.

Mouthfeel- Creamy, smooth and is little thick.

Drinkabilty- good to moderate drinkability, I like this beer but would only drink a 22.oz per siting, but I can see how other people would drink a few cause its a good tasting stout.

Overall I enjoy this one, another solid offering from Rogue, I still like the Double/Regular Chocolate Stout better but this is right behind those two. I have had the Sam Smiths Oatmel Stout as well and I must admit I like the Rogue's version of the brew alot better. Thanks for reading and have a drink for me!

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2010 09:35:05 | More by wvu9787

kbrady9

California

3.13/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bought a bomber at my local bottle shop.

A- Good looking stout. It pours very dark, essentially black. A nice, full, dense head that is a fairly dark brown. The head dissipates within a minute or two with nice lacing on the glass.

S-Pretty good aroma. Smells of mocha and some nuttiness, but with a very nice malty body. Can't smell any hops or much alcohol on the back end.

T-The mocha, coffee like flavor hits immediately with the alcohol taking over soon thereafter. The alcohol is a bit overbearing and it lingers for a significant period of time after it goes down. The body doesn't have much sweetness to it in order to help mask some of the strong alcohol flavors.

M-The body does not live up to what the aroma promises. The beer feels unnaturally light going down with the alcohol overpowering the rest of the flavors. Alcohol lingers at the end.

D-I expected much more from this beer. Not something I would purchase again, whether it be in a bottle or on tap anywhere.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2011 02:53:55 | More by kbrady9

MaxxDaddy

New York

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 22 oz. bottle. Jet black with light caramel head. Aroma had a hint of coffee and chocolate. Very smooth beer, and the mild chocolate aftertaste was great. Wasn’t a very sweet chocolate, but rather bitter. Guinness was basically the only other stout I had tried before this one, and I must say this was an eye-opener. Excited to try more now.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2006 17:10:09 | More by MaxxDaddy

Fikash

California

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

What more could you want from an oatmeal stout? It's creamy, delicious, aromatic, and dances perfectly on your tongue. The roasted notes of coffee and chocolate are present but masterfully subdued. Balance is the end result here, and Rogue has achieved it. The color is perfectly dark, the consistency is perfectly stout-like. There are few better examples of this style.

You will not be disappointed by this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

06-18-2011 06:27:37 | More by Fikash

briscott99

Maryland

4.35/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a dark dark brown (not totally black) with a thick, creamy brown head. Lots of lacing on the glass.

S: This is not a very sweet beer, but there is a lot of caramel on the nose and a good bit of chocolate malt aroma in there as well. Faintly I also smell some hops.

T: Hints of chocolate. But mostly lots of roasty goodness and a lot of bitterness. Finishes bitter and very dry... dare I say, sophisticated. Normally I don't like highly hopped/bitter stouts, but this one hits me just right.

M: Light/med body with low carbonation on the tongue.

D: Exceptional. I could drink this stuff all night. This is a truly unique stout. I used to drink this on tap when I lived in Oregon, and now that I'm on the East Coast I usually have to settle for 22 oz bombers, but this stout never disappoints, on tap, nitro, bottle, whatever. Very much recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2007 00:03:55 | More by briscott99

GitcheGumee

Michigan

4.13/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: This is a great looking beer. It is opaque with a deep black color. There was a fingers worth of thick, light brown head, which lasted for a couple minutes.

Smell: It has a really nice smell. Rich roasted scents, along with a hint of coffee smell.

Taste: There is definitely lots of flavor here. A strong roasted is the dominant taste. There is come coffee taste later in the sip. It finishes with just the right amount of hops. The aftertaste is somewhat bitter, but pleasant. I am impressed with this stout.

Moutfeel:The carbonation is prominent at first, but it's nothing I'll complain about. This is really a well constructed stout. No extreme aspects, but it has some identity.

Drinkability: I rate this stout well in this department. I could drink a couple of these while still enjoying it. I'll be buying this one again.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2009 04:16:00 | More by GitcheGumee

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

erwin08

Minnesota

4.58/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: very dark brown/almost black color with a tan head.

S: roasted malts, dark chocolate, and coffee.

T: rich coffee and dark chocolate with a slight hoppyness.

M: a lot thinner and smoother than i was expecting. very rich and creamy.

D: low ABV and very drinkable. would highly recommend giving this beer a try

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2008 18:46:55 | More by erwin08

Rooney107

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A- Pours into the glass silky and obsidian--simply beautiful. Forms a solid dark tan head that reminds me of espresso. No light pierces the glass.

S- Lots of nuanced malt characteristics, some chocolate and coffee. A bit of toffee and milk creaminess.

T- Wonderful malt flavors hit me right away. Bittersweet chocolate intermingled with a light lactose and "frothy" notes fill out the flavor profile. A light bitterness seems omnipresent, but it never overtakes the palate. Simply superb.

M- It feels a bit heavy, but also creamy and a bit chewy (most likely from the rolled oats). Excellent feel.

D- I would drink this everyday if it wasn't so expensive. This is one of my favorite beers, ever.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2009 18:01:47 | More by Rooney107

SidewinderX

Virginia

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

Appearance: Poured from a 22oz bottle into a glass. Pitch black brew with a thick mocha head that encourages you to pour properly. The head leaves a nice lacing on the glass.

Smell: Rich aroma that has a bit of chocolate, coffee, and nut in it.

Taste: Darkly roasted malt flavor with a noticeable citrus hit towards the end. Very, very nice.

Mouthfeel: Absolutely fantastic. Smooth, dry, and thick. Doesn't assault the palate, yet clings to it with a bittersweet finish.

Drinkability: Reasonable ABV that's completely hidden in the outstanding flavor of the brew. Not a "light" beer by any respects, but you'll have no trouble drinking a 22oz bottle.

Overall a great beer. Really, really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2009 01:51:52 | More by SidewinderX

michaelpcarney

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: POURS A DEEP CHOCOLATE / DEEP TAN HEAD / LEFT WITH A FROTH

S: VERY NICE AROMA / COFFEE / CHOCOLATE / CARAMEL / SWEET MALTS

T: MALT WITH A CHOCOLATE ON THE BACK OF THE TONGUE / OATMEAL ON THE FINISH

M: CREAMY / BUT LIGHT? / WIERD...

D: FOR A STOUT VERY DRINKABLE

SERVING TYPE: BOTTLE

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2010 00:34:30 | More by michaelpcarney

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

skomahon

Massachusetts

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

On tap at Rogue Ale's brew pub in San Francisco. I had tried this beer previously out of a bottle, but was interested to sample again on tap--and was again amazed at its richness and drinkability!

Pours dark, rich black color into a pint glass. Little head present, but first smell is of dark chocolate, mixed with some lighter hints. I was impressed by the taste--great combination of rich flavors with a wonderful, lingering aftertaste (described by others as chocolate covered cherry--I think that's a great description!). I would definitely order this again, and having it on tap was a great treat!

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2008 15:32:15 | More by skomahon

wmaldridge

Florida

2.38/5  rDev -43.1%
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

zadams1

Connecticut

4.58/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A - Pours a deep black with fluffy head that clears into a nice heavy tan lace.

S - Nice and prevalent roasted barley, malt and a light bitterness. Hints of chocolate also find their way into the aroma.

T - Really just a phenomenal American Stout. Everything you want in a good stout is there but never overstated. Roasted malt, creamy chocolate, citrus hops and bitter coffee are all there but just incredibly well balanced.

M - A nice medium bodied beer that is well carbonated yet coats the palate with its silky creaminess. Again with the balance!

D - A fantastic stout that if you share out of a 22 oz. like me will leave you begging for more.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2010 23:53:32 | More by zadams1

OhioBulldog

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I was highly anticipating this beer as i am a big fan of porters and stouts and this seemed to have very top ratings.

This beer pours black as night with a nig big tan brown head, and bubbles creeping up the side of my brandy snifter. The aroma is very much of deep roasted malts, coffee, chocolate and some hops. The taste is huge. Wonderful rich thick roasted malts, a hint of chocolaty sweetness, and a little bitter hop kick to finish and balance it all off. The beer is garganguan and its rich creamy body coats the mouth as it is swallowed, yet very suprisinly it is very drinkble as it leaves me begging for more.

This stout is all that i anticipated and more, fantastic job by Rogue.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2004 22:26:16 | More by OhioBulldog

terrapinchris

California

4.1/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I tend to be very picky about my stouts, and I have some pretty high expectations given how good I know they can be. The bottle lists the ingredients, which of course includes Rogue's trademark Pacman yeast, as well as chocolate malts, cascade hops, and oats.

I poured it into my tulip glass, noting that the head remained somewhat small throughout the pour. The finger's worth of foam was mocha-brown in color, and the liquid itself was the deep, murky black of a good coffee.


The aromas were surprisingly faint, but they hinted at vanilla, dark chocolate, and burnt coffee beans, with only the most vague trace of hops. It fits the profile of a stout well-enough, but I kept expecting a bigger smell.

However, the taste leaves virtually nothing to be desired. Most stouts can capture the necessary flavors reasonably well, but this one delivers them with a richness and boldness that is rare. Butterscotch, vanilla, chocolates, coffee, with a bit of dairy/cream...it's like a dream. The hops seem to be present only to remind the drinker that it is in fact a beer that is being consumed, not a liquid brownie. The very slight bite keeps the flavors perfectly balanced all the way through the finish.

Just as I was surprised by the lack of punch in the aromas, however, the mouthfeel is a bit of a letdown. In contrast to the fullness of the taste, it feels a bit thin. This might be because of the molasses feel I'm used to having with Imperial stouts. Either way, it isn't too terrible, and it doesn't take away from the incredible taste.

It's so drinkable that I had restrain myself from gulping it down. I poured about half the bottle initially, put a stopper in it and stuck it back in the fridge for a few days to see if the aromas might emerge. I pulled it back out about 20 minutes ago to no avail, unfortunately. But I'm perfectly content drinking it the way it is. A brilliant stout, this is.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2007 17:54:03 | More by terrapinchris