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

slash196

Indiana

4.58/5  rDev +18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - Pours freely, with a thick, lingering head. Reminiscent of a freshly pulled espresso. Not much lacing left behind.

Smell - All roast, with some sweet oatmeal character. Like Sam Smith but with a tiny whiff of hops.

Taste - Brassy and flagrant coffee, sweet cocoa and fluffy oatmeal cookie. A little booziness, but very well-balanced. I keep thinking Sam Smith, but obviously turned up to 11. Lingering finish recedes with a subtle bittersweetness.

Mouthfeel - Fairly light for such a big beer, but with a syrupy, sticky finish.

This is dessert beer at its finest. For my money Sam Smith is still king but this beer is Sam's brawnier big brother. My expectations for this were sky-high and it definitely measured up.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 02:33:53 | More by slash196

LiquidAmber

Washington

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

Poured into a Maudite snifter. Pours a very dark brown, appearing black in the glass. Half finger light tan head with decent retention and slippery lacing. Mild aroma of dark toasted malt with slight coffee, a bit of hay. Flavor follows, with toasted and biscuit malt, light chocolate and coffee and hay; a bit of alcohol on the finish. Medium bodied with decent creaminess. A pleasant, well made stout that is somewhat understated in flavor and complexity.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 04:38:57 | More by LiquidAmber

Gushue3

Massachusetts

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

From '12 Beer Camp mixpack, best mixpacks.

A Pours dark brown and looks closer to a porter. Dark brown in the glass and a 1+ finger brown head with some retention. Not much lacing in the head and pretty lively with carbonation.

S First whiff is a light booze and some roasted malt/coffee scent. Light chocolate but coffee dominates.

T Roasted malts and bitter chocolate. Biter coffee finish that lingers for a bit. Strong on the coffee.

M Medium feel with medium carbonation. I wished for a more luscious feet but cant really complain due to price..

O Nice oatmeal stout with some nice darker flavors. At the price of the mixpack this is a hit. Make cases of this.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 23:14:48 | More by Gushue3

jtierney89

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

vintage 2012

Deep chestnut color with a one finger tan head. Burnt coffee on the nose with dark chocolate. Some asphalt on the nose as well.

Thinner body than expected but with a nice mellow creaminess. Cocoa powder, black chocolate, black coffee, and bitter english hop finish. Alcohol is well hidden. For such a big beer it's pretty simple. Semi-sweet with balancing bitterness. No real depth or layers of flavors but everything blends together rather well. Good but pretty ordinary as well.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 20:48:49 | More by jtierney89

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

mscudder

Georgia

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - A deep and dark mocha brown with a deep tan head. Very minute bubbles throughout with a poor quantity of lacing.

S - Coffee, chocolate and roasted malts. All nice on the nose, but nothing overwhelming.

T - Lots of roasted malts and a large quantity of espresso. Some sweetness comes through the brew and gives it a touch of character. For the ABV I can detect close to nothing.

M - Creamy but far too thin for my taste. Body is medium but the beer is just to slick on the palette. If this were a bit bolder the entire beer would evolve to an elite status; sadly it just is not here.

O - Has a large number of good things going on here and fantastic given I just picked it up in a sampler. That said with a little improvement this would be on par with some of the best oatmeal stouts.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 08:18:58 | More by mscudder

BucannonXC5

California

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12-oz. bottle into a pint glass at my house on Aug. 18, 2012 (picked it up in the 2012 Beer Camp 12-pack for $19.99 at La Mesa BevMo on Aug. 18, 2012). Poured a black with khaki, tan head. Average-to-below average retention.

Smelled coffee, coffee beans, dark chocolate, toffee, oats and roasty malts.

Tasted pretty close to the smell. Got coffee, coffee beans, roasty malts, dark chocolate, toffee and oats. Pretty malty.

Full body. Creamy, slick texture. Average carbonation. Long, smooth finish. The best part of this beer. Very appealing.

Like the Floral IPA, this beer really grew on me. Would definitely have it again.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 07:48:50 | More by BucannonXC5

DCon

Missouri

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

Bought a mix-12 "Beer Camp" pack of this from Payless Liquors in Fisher, IN for $14.99. Poured one of the 12 FL. OZ. bottles w/ a Dark Brown Label and a Wooden Brew Kettle in a forest into a 16oz Pint Glass. Has 2172209:06 on the front of the bottle neck.

Aroma- Light roast, tons of malt, and medium alcohol present. Bit of molasses too!

Appearance- Pours a less than .5 finger head that dies quick. No problem of this style. Pours a thick, deep brown body with tons of viscosity. Leaves dark suds behind.

Flavor- Tons of roast and a bit of espresso. Sweet when it comes down to it and finishes with a light-medium bitterness.

Mouthfeel- Full Bodied, Light Carbonation, Viscous, Espresso smooth, Closest thing to an Iced Caramel Latte, and then a great roasty finish with some oatmeal. Perfect!

Overall impression- My favorite without a doubt in this "Beer Camp" series! Such a great stout too for Sierra Nevada. Would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a strong stout with tons of complexity. Did not expect this one from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2012 04:01:03 | More by DCon

HalfFull

California

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

An innocuous Oatmeal Stout I thought as I opened my first from the 2012 Best of Beer Camp Series. The heft of this one was a bit disguised I must say.

Pours jet black from a 12 oz. bottle and offers up an inch of resilient mocha foam. Touch of yeast and some light chocolate on the aroma. Aptly dubbed an Oatmeal Stout yet subtle and sneaky in the delivery, thus the dump into the Double category.

Taste is creamy and quite so for its strength. Bit of light chocolate and sublte caramel. Touch of vanilla on the back. Very subtle on the delivery for a 9 percent brew, particularly on the aroma.

Smooth feel does lack complexity vs. your typical big stout, but a self described Oaty gives it a bit of cred. Overall a crazily easy drinking brew and quite silky smooth.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 05:45:40 | More by HalfFull

Danno48

West Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Well she is a dark one. Pours blackish brown and is completely opaque. Tan soap foamy head that starts out at an inch then goes down to a quarter inch after 1 minute.

S- Mmmmm, Dark roast coffee and a hint of cocoa.

T- She has high ABV and yet the cocoa and coffee flavors, the sweetness, the maltyness, all shine through. Doesn't quite taste like dark chocolate...more like cocoa, dry rather than sweet.

M- Heavy and lingering... kind of sticks the alcohol to the inside of your mouth and makes your teeth taste like baking cocoa which is not unpleasant. On a fizziness scale of 1-5 I give it a 3.

O- It tastes drier than other imperial stouts I've had and that's ok because the flavors are pronounced and definite.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 04:32:25 | More by Danno48

ngeunit1

California

4.33/5  rDev +11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark brown-black color with a finger of frothy chocolate colored head. The head fades down at a fairly slow pace leaving behind some lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of roasted milk chocolate with some vanilla and oats and a bit of coffee.

T - Starts off with some roasted milk chocolate, vanilla, some some cola flavor. Through the middle, some coffee flavor comes through with some oats. The finish is a mix of milk chocolate with some roasted coffee, vanilla, and a bit of earthy hops.

M - Medium-plus bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth and creamy with a roasted and sweet finish.

D - Very drinkable. Really nice mouthfeel with great overall balance.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 02:15:36 | More by ngeunit1

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle dated 2172213 (June 20) poured in to Founders tulip.

A - Black with a thin layer of bubbly light brown head.

S - Roasted malts, sweet milk chocolate, some bitterness and a touch of molasses.

T - Bitter dark roasted malts and sweet oatmeal up front that give way to semi-sweet chocolate with a hint of molasses. The ABV is slightly noticeable but balanced out well with the sweetness from the oatmeal.

M - Medium, almost full body with a big hearty chew. Silky smooth. Light carbonation.

O - I really enjoyed this one. Perhaps a touch sweet but otherwise great. Definitely a sipper. Would buy this again if sold on its own.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 14:20:47 | More by TheSevenDuffs

harrymel

Washington

2.53/5  rDev -34.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

2012, drunk in 2012

Dark brown on black with a persistent sheet of mocha foam. Smells of coffee and oats, but also a smell of chocolate and a hint of some poops I've taken - okay. Maybe also a hint of licorice. Flavor is mealy and oaty. Some nutty character and a decent amount of hop bitterness. Full bodied with hi carb and a dry, too dry finish. I'm not impressed, which is weird, as these beers usually d the trick for me (the Beer Camp beers that is).

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 07:18:25 | More by harrymel

TheSixthRing

California

3.43/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a near jet black with a light brown 2 finger head. Good retention, results in a thin, sticky lace.

Smell - Roasted malts, with almost a cola like sugary aroma.

Taste - Starts with a bit of malt roastiness and a sugary sweetness. Hints of chocolate and burnt coffee peak through midtaste. Somewhat boozy. Finishes with a distant metallic twang.

Mouthfeel - Medium to full body with a low level of carbonation; slightly acidic bite. Finish is somewhat dry.

Overall - A decent stout. Nothing I'll miss once it's no longer available. A lot of character in this one that nearly hits baltic porter territory.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 06:46:47 | More by TheSixthRing

AleWatcher

Illinois

4/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Bottle into Founders snifter.

Bit boozy this one. Not bad though.
Feels a bit watery, especially considering this is an oatmeal stout... Lots of roasty character with prominent chocolate malts. Scalded coffee-like bitterness on the finish.

It has some flaws, but all in all, this beer is surprisingly good. If this were bottled again I would certainly buy some... This is quite a decent little shelf brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 02:34:02 | More by AleWatcher

stephenjmoore

Maryland

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A- Deep black body with no transparency and a thick mocha colored head.

S- Roasted malts, rolled oats and a strong coffee aroma.

T- Nice mix of roasted malt and coffee notes. Oats are more complementary than primary. There is also a slight lactose taste towards the end of the taste.

M- Thick, creamy, definitely a sipper.

O- This one I would buy in sixers. After tasting all of this years beer camp beers, this one is the best.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 01:45:35 | More by stephenjmoore

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From a Beer Camp 12 pack. This is listed as 'Oatmeal Stout', but the number is 45.

A-Pours a not-too-sludgy black. Light penetrates the body only mildly. Not viscous, but I thought the light would penetrate the body more (which is a plus). Head starts off big but dies off to only a skin. Head is a pretty, dark tan hue. It also leaves respectable islands of lacing.

S-Chunky chocolate and burnt oatmeal. Vanilla bean and mocha. Like a lukewarm cup of coffee. The aroma is complex and high in intensity. Great nose. The aroma is spot on.

T-Plenty to talk about here. I get a light cola flavor. Then, the extra-bold roasted coffee kicks in. All the sudden the coffee seems to be wrapped in dark chocolate. Not long after, the oats set in and linger with each breath. This brew has a beginning, middle and end; and I enjoy that a lot. Finishes with some hoppy bitterness.

M-I would put the viscosity-level at a 7. A bit syrupy and sludgy, but not awe inspiring. Tickling bubbles. Finishes pretty damn bitter.

O/D-This is a great brew! Robust and coercive. I really enjoyed this. What a great way to introduce myself to a new Beer Camp 12-pack.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 22:15:38 | More by VelvetExtract

Bendurgin

Maine

3.53/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. This pours dark brown with just a thin layer of tan head.

Lots of milk chocolate in the aroma with a roasted malt backbone. Mild hints of coffee. Roasted grains on the flavor with hints of chocolate and coffee in the background. Very robust.

The body is creamy and smooth with soft carbonation. Overall this one is fair enough. A pretty enjoyable brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 03:30:15 | More by Bendurgin

ToddT

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Dark brown almost black topped with a medium tan head. Head fades slowly to a cap but leaves almost no lace on the glass.

S- Roast malt, chocolate, coffee and a hint of floral hops, somewhat mild aroma.

T- Chocolate malt and notes of chocolate right away, followed by hints of bitter hops and then closed out with an dry earthy final note.

M- A little less than medium in body, feels a little thin, and low in carbonation. Somewhat creamy but the lack of body hurts it in the mouth. Finish is dry and earthy.

O- Decent beer, but nothing outstanding either. The 9.0% ABV gives it a nice kick, but not one I'll come back to again.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 01:33:01 | More by ToddT

schoolboy

Ohio

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

The beer camp sets don't seem to ever disappoint. This one is no exception. The stout is a choclatey/oatmeal affair with plenty of roasty aftertaste and a bit of booziness.

The beer hides a lot of alcohol with tons of malt and hops flavor. Like most American styles, it is over the top with flavor. I really want to get a bunch more before it is gone.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2012 01:06:57 | More by schoolboy

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

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle. Pours a blackish, dark brown color with an inch of frothy tan head. Virtually no lacing. Aromas of caramel malts, vanillla, brown sugar, earth and booze. Sweet. Taste is caramel malts and booze up front with some vanilla and chocolate flavors. Earthy malt taste with a sweet finish. Taste is a bit boozey but I wouldn't have guessed it was 9%. Silky mouthfeel. Overall, good Imperial Stout worth having again.

Serving type: bottle

08-15-2012 03:30:22 | More by PicoPapa

Kromes

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep, dark black with a thick brown colored head that leaves laces down the glass. A sweet roasted malt, coffee and hop aroma comes off the beer. Lots of bitter dark chocolate and roasted malt flavors. A touch of hop. Heavy body and sticky and acidic from the roasting. A smooth feel in the finish. I saved this beer for last since I knew it would assault my taste buds. I was right; the beer is very strongly flavored and has quite a bit of alcohol burn and bitterness from the roast. The finish still has an alcohol tingle a few minutes after my last sip.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 23:20:06 | More by Kromes

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

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

Had this on 2012-08-11 in Columbia, PA

A - Opaque dark black with a 3/4-finger dark tan head and mild lace. Nice alcohol legs.

S - Dark roasted grain, molasses and a light touch of chocolate. Not very strong.

T - Nice dark roasted grain, french roast coffee/bitterness, hint of vanilla. Glad it isn't too sweet. Seems about right. Finishes with a lot of roasted bitterness and some alcohol.

M - Medium body and light-medium carbonation. Smooth and creamy.

O - My favorite of the 2012 Beer Camp series. Makes me curious how the upcoming Sierra Nevada Imperial Stout will be. Of interst, my wife and I had this side-by-side with a Founders Breakfast Stout, which we deemed the better brew. The Snowed In Stout is good but doesn't have the same WOW factor. That being said, getting this in a lowish priced case is pretty awesome and is one of the reasons I'm so high on Sierra Nevada as a champion craft brewer.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 21:29:12 | More by Tucquan

Proteus93

Virginia

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

A: Deep black, and pours with a bit of viscosity that is nice to see... a promising sight. The head was a little late to form, and is rather short, sandy, and rather creamy.

S + T + M: Deep and roasty, with the standard chocolate notes. The oatmeal certainly gives it a full body, but it's perhaps lacking a bit of complexity all around.

O: A decent stout... though I'd be curious to see what would result if the malts were toned down a little, bringing the alcohol down, and creating some more delicate notes.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 02:13:03 | More by Proteus93