Snowed In Stout - Beer Camp #45 (Best Of Beer Camp: Oatmeal Stout) - Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Great very drinkable oatmeal stout. More sweet than the classic and more bitter St. Ambroise that is always available locally. Pours supremely dark brown with initially ridiculous head. Smooth mouthfeel, lots of good malt, a little sugar,, perfect and understated roasting and toasting. Very good, not a bad note.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 02:34:47 | More by northyorksammy

womencantsail

California

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Viscous and black on the pour with a finger of tan head. Rich oatmeal and toffee sweetness on the nose. Plenty of roasted malt, a nice creamy chocolate character, coffee, and some hints of vanilla to it as well. The flavor is pleasantly sweet with chocolate, toffee, and vanilla notes. A moderate roasted malt flavor along with a touch of coffee give a light bitterness. There’s a touch of licorice on the finish. Carbonation is a little high for me, but nothing that ruins the beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 20:01:46 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Churchkey. Served in a mini snifter. Pours near black with a tan head and a bit of lacing. The nose carries some roast and a good bit of chocolate. Slight booze comes through in the flavor underneath some chocolate sweetness and a bit of roast. Nice oat creaminess through the feel. Rich and enjoyable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2012 19:09:29 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Surly Goat in West Hollywood, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy dark khaki head that fades to nothing. No lacing on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, toasted oats, cocoa, and some slight cookie dough aromas. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick and a medium amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but I think the smell is better than the taste.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2012 16:15:20 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.44/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle: Poured a pitch-black color stout with a large dark brown foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma of double-chocolate milkshake is quite intense and very enjoyable. Taste is dominated by chocolate milkshake notes with light dry roasted malt notes also noticeable. Some light dark chocolate and mocha notes are also perceptible. Body is full with nice chewy creamy texture with good carbonation and no apparent alcohol. Very well brewed and quite a treat that I wouldn’t mind having on a regular basis.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 15:48:17 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.95/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Because sometimes those 5% oatmeal stouts can't cut it, there's this: Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp imperialized version that delivers all the roast and savory flavors of oatmeal stouts but with the complexities that only high gravity brewing can deliver.

Like many a imperial stout, this one shares those onyx-black anti-colors but with oil viscocities, dense tan foam, but somehow lacking in the lacing department. Alas, the weight of alcohol takes a toll on its foam character.

Rich and succulent aromas of deeply roasted coffee and chocolate come to life with an undertow of campfire smoke. Light esters peak through the malt with a shade of grilled cherries, plumbs, and currants.

Strong flavors of espresso and bittersweet chocolate coat the palate with an malty oiliness that saturates the soft tissues of the mouth with rummy alcohols, dark pitted fruits, and a marshmallowy sweetness that makes me think about smores around the campfire.

Obviously full bodied, the beer retains a malty creaminess well into finish before finally shedding its weight and starting to favor dry roast textures with the tannin of burnt embers (not quite ash) and slight fusal alcohols that nearly induce heartburn.

I often contend that oatmeal stouts are the best candidates for devising imperial recipes because of their use of oats that provide a creamy, velvety, and richly textured buffer against the alcohols and the pang of charred grain. Sierra Nevada executes this theory nearly to perfection.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 05:47:56 | More by BEERchitect

TMoney2591

Illinois

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Starting in on this year's Best Of case with the oatmeal stout. It pours a straight onyx topped by a finger of khaki foam. The nose comprises darkly-roasted malts, light coffee, and cocoa powder. The taste brings in more of the same, though the cocoa, now more of a fudgy chocolate syrup, holds the prime position. The body is a hefty medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a decidedly dry finish. Overall, a very nice oatmeal stout, one that could stand to be a bit creamier, but one that still ends up being a tasty and enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 04:59:46 | More by TMoney2591

drabmuh

Maryland

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Beer is black with a tan head, lazy, thin, no lacing, moderate retention, looks good.

Aroma is mildly roasty, chocloate, a little boozy.

Beer is thick and sweet and thin on the finish. The alcohol cuts through and gives the last little bit a dry finish. Not a great stout but the bitterness at the end from the grain is not ashy like you might expect. I'm on the fence about ever having it again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 01:11:26 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

4.3/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured out an opaque, jet-black color with a one-finger, tan head of bubbly foam. It left sudsy trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled of mocha, roasted malt and molasses.

T - Great tasting - chocolate, coffee, roasted malt. A touch of piney bitterness added balance.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A medium bodied ale with a dry, clean finish.

O - This is a really good stout. I wish they could make this a year round offering.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 01:31:07 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is jet black in color and poured with a quarter finger high tan head that died down and left some wispy lacing on the surface and a collar of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of roasted malts and chocolate in the nose.
T: The taste has flavors of roasted malts along with some notes of chocolate and hints of sweetness from the oatmeal with notes of licorice in the finish. There is a very slight amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little smooth on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is very easy to drink because there are no traces of alcohol in the taste and it isn't that full-bodied. This beer is called "Snowed in Stout" so it sounded like an appropriate selection to drink during Hurricane Sandy

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 20:14:25 | More by metter98

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours ebony with 1 finger of mocha colored head. Some viscosity to this, some lacing & head retention

S: Faint dark fruittyness, this grows stronger as it warms, some boozeyness

T: Dark fruittyness, baker's chocolate & charred grain up front, with just a whisper of anise, plus slight dryness. More dark fruit, & a touch of chicory as this warms, some charred grain, & a touch of boozeyess. Finishes dry with slight leafy hops & charred grain

MF: Medium bodied, fairly slick carbonation, fairly warming

A nice, but not great itteration of this style, would buy again if Old Raspy wasn't availible

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2012 01:21:49 | More by russpowell

jwc215

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours pitch black with a thin, light-brown head that disappears. A little lacing sticks.

The smell is of roasted coffee and sweet chocolate. Some licorice/anise comes through.

The taste is sweet with roast and some pumpernickel bread. Alcohol shows, making it hot and peppery, though flavors do come through.

It is full-bodied and rather thick.

A hot brew, this is a nice dessert sipper!

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 16:01:44 | More by jwc215

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.73/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A : Poured near black with a tannish head, a good amount head retention which fades after a few sips leaving a light amount of lacing clinging to the glass and some sporadic bubbles

S : Smells of deeply roasted malts coupled with a nice chocolate and oat presence

T : Immediate oats, a tad creamy upfront in tandem with a nice roastiness. Chocolate, lights espresso and moderate creaminess come to the front midbody but then so does a twang and some light bitterness. The finish is a light decadent creaminess, little booze sting but nowhere near the 9 ABV would let on.

M : Medium to big body, wel carbonated. Lots of oats, cocoa and light espresso reside and linger on the palate

O: Not to shabby

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 16:40:02 | More by barleywinefiend

Billolick

New York

4.03/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle, purchased as a single from DeCicco's in Ardsley, NY, no dating or freshness info that I could find.

Pours midnight black, dark tan head, rich and creamy. and leaving some low sheeting and minimal slippery lace.

Dense, dark chocolate, roasty malt and a hint of vanilla in the nose.

Flavorful and quite enjoyable double stout. Lots more chocolate, sweet, bitter and complex.

Super smooth over the tongue. Thick and oily. Double stout goodness.

All in all a fine stout, big and bold, but at the same time so smooth and not crushing the palate. Fine night capper

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 00:24:09 | More by Billolick

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours pitch black and completely opaque with a half finger beige head that quickly settles into a thin ring. Spotty lacing left behind. Nice color but has poor head retention and lacing is minimal.

The aroma of this beer is surprisingly bland. The label describes it as a "big, roasty, mocha-like aroma" but I find it to be surprisingly tame. Slightly smokey with some roasted dark malt and used coffee bean. Hints of dark chocolate, oatmeal and toffee as well but it's hard to pick much of this out until it warms up considerably.

Medium bodied and thankfully more complex and interesting than the nose suggests. Pretty robust with lots of smokey, roasted dark malt notes followed by silky sweet chocolate flavor. There's a nice robust coffee bean flavor along with some burnt toast and toffee followed by dark chocolate and fudge cake sweetness. It definitely has the roasty, mocha character that was missing in the aroma. Finishes dry without a trace of alcohol heat. Well balanced with a well masked ABV, making this complex beer very easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 07:26:42 | More by corby112

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.15/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Aces & Ales.

Very dark brown, mostly black pour, good 3/4" tan head with good retention and decent lacing going on. Aroma, very similar to the regular stout, but more hops, more chocolate going on here.

Taste, yup, still more chocolate and hops. This really is a true double of the regular stout I'm thinking, just more alcohol, thicker malt body, chocolate, hops, just more everything, but had an added creamy element like it was 10% oats used or something slightly different.

Nice mouthfeel, alternates between the bitter hoppiness and then goes down smoov.

I really liked it.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2012 20:53:24 | More by Beerandraiderfan

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.48/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the Meridian Pint the other night.

The beer pours a blackish brown color with good head retention and lacing. The nose in this beer is really, really impressive, as I picked up something of a smoke flavor, which I thought went beautifully with the abundant dark chocolate, coffee and vanilla I picked up. The flavor profile replciates the nose in this impressive beer, though there was also an interesting licorice and hoppy bitterness component on the finish that I appreciated. Some stouts seem to overdo it on the licorice, but I thought this beer had just the right amount. It, along with the hoppy bitterness, seemed to beautifully balance the moderate sweetness I picked up initially. Mouthfeel was fairly full, and I thought the beer was almost viscuous on the palate. Otherwise, the finish was long, with a slighly bitter, licorice edge to it. Alcohol was well integrated into the flavor profile, and so despite the 9% abv., the beer was not at all heavy or tiring to drink.

Will definitely order this one again!

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2012 12:57:44 | More by johnmichaelsen

lacqueredmouse

Australia

3.96/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

355ml bottle purchase from Leura Cellars. Belatedly realised that it's 9% ABV. Wow.

Pours a deep but relatively clear and unhazed black-brown, with a solid and firm head of mocha. Body looks quite fluid, and as though it has little true weight behind it. Carbonation is fine however, and forms in pleasant rivulets when tilted. It's a good looking beer.

Nose is pleasant and sweet, but without a big richness, fullness, or even a chewiness like I'd expect from the oatmeal addition. Some mild dark fruity tones like cherry, red grapes or chocolate coated berries, and a faint hint of something smouldering in the background. It's nice, but not as robust as it might have been, especially for 9% ABV.

Taste is similar. It has a firm, rich basis which provides something mellow and solid, but it doesn't delve into anything deeper. There's no true sweetness, no palate-filling luxuriance, and not a great deal of complexity. But what it has is good: solid rich roasted malts, chocolate overtones and that firm persistent basis, which is nothing to scoff at. Faint hints of seaweed linger on the aftertaste.

Feel is light, indeed here the lack of complexity is probably showing the beer's weakest point.

This is a good beer that really could have been magnificent. It has a great deal of power and robustness to it, and it's built on a firm and pleasant structure. But it's really missing something, especially for a beer weighing in this heavily. I guess when you're disappointed in Sierra Nevada, you still end up with a pretty good package.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 08:45:43 | More by lacqueredmouse

plaid75

New York

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a jet black hue with a one finger off white head. There was good retention and decent lacing.

The smell featured sweet lactose, dark chocolate and roasted barley.

The taste consisted of a soft lactose sweetness, cafe au lait and rather round roasted malt.

The mouthfeel was toward the fuller side of the style.

Overall a tasty, brawny double stout. Nice winter treat.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 03:24:26 | More by plaid75

kojevergas

California

3.18/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a Uinta pilsner glass in me gaff in Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are average given the brewery. I like the style. Acquired at Cap N Cork in Los Feliz as part of a Sierra Nevada beer camp 12 pack.

Served straight from the refrigerator. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a three finger tan colour head of nice cream and thickness, and good retention. Body colour is a solid black. Nontransparent; non-opaque. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: I get the mocha identified by the label, but in minute quantities. Hints of chocolate malt. Dark malts. Very slight roast. Oats. An average strength aroma. Typical for the style. No yeast or alcohol comes through. There's nothing unique or special here.

T: Rolled oats, chocolate malt, a dark malt foundation, mocha cream (I'd stop short of calling it java or coffee), hints of roasted barley, and a bit of caramel. The roast is severely underdone, and feels limited. Alcohol is barely detectable. No yeast comes through. Well balanced, but underwhelming. Even the oats are a bit underdone.

Mf: Smooth and wet in classic oatmeal stout fashion. The label goes a bit far by calling it "silky", but it does suit the flavour profile. Good thickness and presence. Moderately heavy on the palate.

Dr: Hides its ABV well. Quite drinkable. Good for getting bollocksed, but not particularly interesting in terms of flavour. I might try it on nitro (if it's offered). A decent offering from Sierra Nevada. Pretty par for the course as far as Oatmeal Stouts go. I like it, but there's nothing unique or special here.

C+

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 03:18:02 | More by kojevergas

Georgiabeer

Georgia

4.23/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

What a nice beer, so well balanced and with good depth of flavor and a silky texture. Definitely one of the better beer camp beers. Pours black with a beige head that fades to a ring. Nice aromas of vinous chocolate, cocoa, a bit of bubblegum, vanilla, and perhaps a touch of mint. Nicely balanced and deep tastes of chocolate, vanilla, some roasty grain, a bit of licorice, and a nice finishing bitterness. Silky smooth at first, largely due to the oatmeal no doubt, followed by a touch of chalkiness that is not unpleasant. I especially like the long cocoa finish this beer has. Very well done indeed.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2012 01:48:27 | More by Georgiabeer

JohnGalt1

Idaho

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz picked up at Bier Thirty... Poured into my slim tulip... nice dark brown head shows good retention... the brew is the expected black... No real lacing, but a nice cap lingers until the final sip.

Nose is a bit mild... bits and pieces of the standard components... some bittersweet chocolate... some fruity esters... dark roast... still a little mild.

Flavor is much better... dark fruity esters combine with residual sweetness and light cocoa and roastiness really well... drinking nicely right out of the gate... a sorta lingering bitterness on the finish from the dark malts..

nice body without becoming chewy... sorta silky.. carbonation is spot-on for the style.

I like this one.... Damn, I am impressed with this year's "best of beer camp"... I might pick up a few of these to hang on to and open every couple of months... certainly doable with the low pricetag.

4/3.5/4/4/4

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 05:31:11 | More by JohnGalt1

mactrail

California

3.88/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Close to black in the glass with a lovely beige head. Nose of cocoa and dark caramel. Foamy mouthfeel and not at all sticky.

Quite a sensational dark and flavorful beer. There are so many Imperial Stout style beers it is hard to get clear on the variations, but this is one that is quite interesting. It's neither so sweet nor so hoppy, but it has a pleasing bitter chocolate taste. Some kind of fruit that is not obvious-- like persimmon pudding or plum jam. A touch of chestnuts. Hugely roasted malt flavors, but nothing obviously charred or sourish. The overall taste is rather dry, but there is a nice finish of mincemeat pie.

From the 12 oz bottle in the 2012 Beer Camp box. Yet another thoroughly pleasant SN brew adding to the subtleties of a well-traveled style.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 04:54:43 | More by mactrail

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.58/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer has a black body, appearing dark brown at the edges, sporting a thin beige cap. The aroma is mild, with light scents of dark roast, molasses, a hint of chocolate. The flavor is roasty and chocooalty, with subtle coffee notes. The flavor is decent. A smooth and creamy mouthfeel with moderately low carbonation. Palate coating, with abv hidden well. While this beer has some nice things going on and shows potential, I find it to be generally unexciting. This was ok.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 02:27:16 | More by Huhzubendah

avalon07

South Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured from a bottle to a pint glass. Had a black color and a thick consistency. There was a small amount of tan-colored, foamy head that quickly dissipated. Not much lacing.

S: An underplayed aroma (seems like a trait with a lot of oatmeal stouts) of malt, coffee, and oatmeal.

T: Tasted of malt, a mild amount of hops, some chocolate, light coffee, and of course, oatmeal. A solid flavor that grows on you as you go along.

M: A well-carbonated beer with a somewhat dry finish. Medium-bodied.

O: Not a striking or super original beer, but well done and definitely drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 12:06:20 | More by avalon07