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

CampusCrew

Florida

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

Wow.... this beer is imperial. Nice dark appearnce and good head retention. Lots of dark malt aromas, chocolate, coffee, and some vanilla... tastes like it smells. Just a very solid oatmeal stout. Has the typical silky body and drinks very smooth for the abv... it still packs a punch though

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 03:49:03 | More by CampusCrew

zeledonia

Minnesota

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

Haven't tried any of the beer camp beers before. Tasted 25 November 2012, reviewed from notes.

Pours black, dark brown at the edges. One finger of medium-tan head, pretty good retention, but not much lacing. Dark dark dark.

Smell is sweet oaty goodness. Delicately roasty, with molasses and coffee, topped with lifting oat sweetness. Really nice combination.

Taste is similarly sweet and roasty. More molasses, a whole lot of it, backed by some woody roasts and a bit of chocolate. All kinds of flavors in here. Quite tasty, with one element rolling out as another one cruises in, like a parade of stouty flavors

Fluffy mouthfeel - thanks go out to the oats. Much lighter than I'd expect given the weight of flavors and the ABV. Lasting, just like I want it to.

I'm really liking this beer. It's a smooth, sweet, strong oatmeal stout. Nothing wrong with it, and a whole lot right.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 14:05:46 | More by zeledonia

Gmann

New York

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very deep brown color with a minimal beige head that settled into a very light ring.

The aroma has some light sweetness to it. A bit of milk sugar and a light dark fruit. Not bad but not very distinct.

The taste has a nice underlying roast flavor which is smoothed out by the oatmeal. NIce depth of roasty flavors without much of the bittness. Some plum and raisin note which is typical with a stout. A nice barky earthy bitterness. Bold flavors but smooth.

The feel is moderate to thick but has a cutting carbonation to it. Not as smooth as some other stouts but the carbonation helps with the drinkability. Nice balance for a stout.

A good outmeal stout. There is some aggressive roasted flavors but the oat seems to calm and smooth out the bitter notes.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 05:29:15 | More by Gmann

blackcompg

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the 12oz bottle from their sampler...

Appearance - A slightly rough pour gave me 3 fingers of rich mocha foam, body is an opaque near black, with dark brown-mahogany edges, the beer keeps a half finger cap through the rest of the session with well defined mocha rings after each sip - nice.

Smell - Black cherries, molasses, roasted malt, roast coffee, dark chocolate.

Taste - This is nice - starts semi sweet roasted malts, dark fruits and molasses, a touch of amaretto and light alcohol, longer into the finish there is rich roasted coffee, dark chocolate and finally roasted coffee grounds.

Mouthfeel - This oatmeal stout is silky smooth and creamy, higher side of medium and coats the mouth, carb is lower side of medium, foaming and smooth. Really nice mouthfeel, and wonderful to sip and contemplate. The richness really accentuates and enables the enjoyment of all the complex flavors here.

Overall - Really an excellent oatmeal stout imho, I really like this - would definitely purchase in 6pax if released that way. The floral ipa was excellent, but I think this is the strongest offering in the sampler. Definitely give this one a try.

Serving type: bottle

11-26-2012 04:38:37 | More by blackcompg

wspscott

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle in pint glass

A: A somewhat vigorous pour yields a somewhat thin head that drops quickly leaving just a hint of a tan on top, almost no lace. Completely black, no light gets through when held up to a bright light. The lack of a head is surprising given it is an oatmeal stout, might be the alcohol level.
S: When first poured, the nose is very subtle, just a hint of roast. As it warms, a little more develops, but not much.
T: Lots of roasted malts, but very well balanced, not acrid or ashtray-like at all. A slight hint of fruit on the back of the tongue is quickly washed away by the dark malts. No hint of alcohol
M: A medium to low level of carbonation that seems a little too high for the style. I usually expect more of a creamy mouthfeel for an oatmeal style.
O: A good, but not great american stout, for this level of alcohol, I like more of a sippin' beer, but this does not have enough going on for me to drink over the next hour, also, it goes down too easy :) The drinkability is somewhat dangerous. Worth trying, but I am not dying for this to be a regular beer, I would much rather have the Anniversary beer (Fritz and Ken?).

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 22:53:45 | More by wspscott

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

my ratings arent that high, but as a whole this beer is fantastic. it pours a full bodied looking brown color, dark and mostly flat, with just a tad of white head on top. the nose is booze and rolled oats, with some dark chocolate notes and a strange raw sugar sweetness. the flavor is similar, although the alcohol is much more prominent and the chocolate is way in the back. vanilla and even some wood take turns entertaining, while malty sweetness and thick oaty body round the thing out. theres not quite enough carbonation, and the body is thick as a result. its a slow sipper, getting mildly less enjoyable as it warms. i feel like ive rated this low, but as a whole its a pretty nice beer, its just that its constituent parts dont impress me wildly. still not the worst beer in this mix i dont think, although drinking all three in a night would be a bear...

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2012 07:37:11 | More by StonedTrippin

shand

Florida

3.55/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Oatmeal Stout pours out an opaque dfeep brown color with a minuscule head. The aroma is very sweet, with some coffee, hops, dark fruit, and a hint of booze. The taste really follows through on the sweetness, it's syrupy sweet with the dark fruits, and the hops and coffee really can't balance things out here. It's just a bit rough, and not in a great way. Still a solid flavor profile, but quite unbalanced. Where's the oatmeal, anyway? The mouthfeel is full, rich, and silky, and the drinkability is solid enough. Overall, this one just tends a bit too sweet for me. Still a solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 05:14:42 | More by shand

facundoCNB

New Jersey

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

a thick dark brown/black pour with a finger of tan head.
there is hardly any aroma coming from my snifter, which is very unusual. sniffing hard, i get some dark roasted grain smells, a hint of cocoa, and a mild sweetness (lactose?)
ok, the taste way more than makes up for the smell. a sweet hit of the malt bill showcases tons of roasted grains, yet has a subtleness to it causing a well balanced sweetness. flavors of coffee, tobacco, dark cocoa nibs.
medium to full body, a nice creamy feel to it with a nice amount of carbonation.. somewhat of a chalky feeling on the finish.

a pretty good stout coming from SN.. the only other one i believe i've had is their seasonal "STOUT" which i wasn't all that impressed by. this is way better.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 03:53:45 | More by facundoCNB

peensteen

Ontario (Canada)

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

Jet black in colour, one finger tan head, light lace. Smell is roasty with some cocoa powder, coffee grind and milky chocolate, light alcohol and some liquorice as well. Taste is roasted with a great deal of dark chocolate, bittersweet coffee and hop notes as well. mildly sweet with bits of anise, mildly sweet mid palate into the finish, roasted aftertaste. Lightly carbonated, full body, chewy, but quite creamy and smooth. A nice serviceable and quite drinkable but still short of remarkable.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 14:53:29 | More by peensteen

genitempo

Texas

3.8/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours jet-black body into a snifter. Tinted head with sappy lace that swiftly melts.

S - subdued nose, loose smell of roasted coffee beans, caramel, and cocoa.

T - well-rounded malts, acidic hints from the coffee.

MF - silk, gaining weight as the beer warms.

O - I really wanted to love this beer, but it fell a bit short for me. This is the second Imperial Stout I've had by Sierra Nevada (first being Narwhal). Both shooting below my expectations. I don't want to stereotype all NW Breweries as typically having a weak Stout/Imp Stout/ + or - Porter Recipes, but if I had to make an overly cliche statement, I'd let the Colorado guys run the show.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 04:54:38 | More by genitempo

danieelol

Australia

2.88/5  rDev -25.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Nose is a sexy black with a somewhat off-white tanned head.

Nose is coffee, sweetened cream, strong hops. Irish Coffee is one descriptor which sticks a bit. Molasses. Lots of caramel. Roast. On a later revisit, I notice the nose is as boozy as the taste.

Taste is roast, sweetened cream. A big flood of alcohol hits you. Punishing bitterness. I struggle to put this away, and I am trying. Really pretty astringent actually.

Fairly thick mouthfeel. Good in that regard.

I frankly find the bitterness and alcohol in this beer a bit too punishing at this stage in its life. Would be curious to see how it develops over time.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2012 10:27:07 | More by danieelol

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

KickbacksSteve

Florida

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

On tap at Kickbacks in Jax. Poured into a snifter. Beige head, moderate retention on a black body. Slick, oily lacing. Aroma of chocolate, toffee, coffee, roasted malt, slight alcohol. Taste includes baker's chocolate, coffee, dark chocolate (I would think this is a chocolate stout blindfolded). Very smooth and especially easy to drink considering the abv. Excellent.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2012 06:11:20 | More by KickbacksSteve

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

3.33/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a nonic pint.

A - Pours like 30 weight motor oil, jet black, with a light-brown one-finger head of detergent like suds. Thin lacing which slides back into the glass almost immediately.

S - Milk chocolate, espresso beans, licorice, and some dark fruit. Smells good.

T - Taste pretty much follows the nose, with coffee, chocolate, and plum, but they don't mesh well. Very boozy, with all of it's 9% in your face. Overall, the flavors are very brash, burnt, acidic, and biting. A minty heat in the finish.

M - Not nearly as full as expected, more of a medium body. Oily and slick. More carbonation than seemingly needed for the style. Definitely disappoints here.

O - I think this one could have benefited from more aging. Just kind of a big, boozy, mess. Not smooth or well blended at all. Flavors are brassy when they should be rich, and the mouthfeel was off putting. A misfire for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 04:56:02 | More by TempeBeerMan

GilGarp

Colorado

4.38/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle served cold into a pint glass.

Sierra Nevada's imperial oatmeal stout is a very dark brown with good clarity seen around the edges. The head is short and settles quickly.

Aroma is roasty and a little boozy with hints of cocoa.

Flavor is big and bold but balanced and smooth. It has a good dose of bitter dark chocolate, coffee, and earthy hops.

Mouthfeel is full bodied and creamy smooth. Feels as though it could have been pumped from a cask which is pretty impressive from a bottled beer.

Overall a very good oatmeal stout and very enjoyable with the Reuben I had for dinner.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 02:58:29 | More by GilGarp

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

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

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint.

A - Inky black, this thick beer pours into the pint with vigor but no sound. Momentary cascading sends the beer's tall cap of whipped mocha foam skyward with chunky, Swiss cheese-like lace draping down the glass afterwards.

S - Robust and assertive, this Best of Beer Camp offering unleashes a hearty malt aroma complete with milk chocolate, cocoa, and notes of cold coffee but, there is a present earthy hoppiness which gives it some uniqueness. Flaked oats and grainy pale malt finish the aroma out with a pleasant, juxtaposed rough edge while dull dark fruit and mild alcohol trickle in.

T - Hearty maltiness flourishes but doesn't overwhelm in flavor with an up-front mocha and chocolate bar perception that disappears quickly to a faint plum and fig fruitiness.

M - Silky smooth from the oats, this voluptuous beer's full body glides down ever so softly, trailing with carbonation and a balanced roasted bitter finish.

O - Sierra Nevadas Best of Beer Camp Oatmeal Stout is an excellent, high octane (though it almost doesn't show at all!) rendition of an oatmeal stout that showcases the oat's body-smoothing characteristics incredibly well. This beer is a dangerously easy drinker and perfect for the cool fall and cold winter nights!

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 01:24:47 | More by BeerFMAndy

tobelerone

New Jersey

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

This beer made a fine breakfast drink during a recent chilly tailgating experience. Even though I was in a parking lot it was poured lovingly into a Greenport Harbor pint glass.

Very deep and dark brown body with a sizeable tan head, strong retention and lacing. Sweet chocolatey nose; some bitter roastiness to the malt; hints of cream and coffee and a touch of piney hops.

Flavor follows the aroma; lots of chocolate, both bitter and sweet; coffee and cream; a hint of dark fruits; nice roastiness; a bit of a piney hop bitterness in the finish, but also a little lingering sweetness. Alcohol pokes its head out a bit but in a gentle, warming way and is unobtrusive and not overtly hot.

Nicely chewy, medium-full body, smooth and creamy with medium to slightly lowish carbonation, excellent overall feel. Really nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 19:53:38 | More by tobelerone

dfillius

Michigan

3.65/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Moderate pour yields 2/3 finger of pillowy brown head with great retention. Nearly opaque dark brown that is nearly black. Nearly perfect!
S: Coffee, chocolate, milk, slight PNW hops. Some esters bring it down.
T: Breathy alcohol up front told me this was 9.0%. Why make it so high and not label it as double/Imperial? Roastiness afterwards is very nice. Hoppy finish is nice.
M: Warmth up front is a bit much. Full bodied. The warmth it contributes to my chest is nice. Hoppy finish is nice but a tad starchy green banana-y feeling.
O: A bit too much alcohol for what I want from an oatmeal stout. Even hotter than I like from a RIS. A fairly tasty beer that is imbalanced unnecessarily.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 17:49:48 | More by dfillius

Clydesdale

District of Columbia

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

A: Pours an opaque black color. The tall, dark brown head has a dense, frothy texture and strong, lasting retention. Lacing is attractive, with splotches and rings deposited irregularly across the glass.

S: Roasted malts are prominent, with some chocolate and dark/preserved fruit. Some sweet oatmeal aroma is also present, with lesser alcohol, charcoal, and toffee notes.

T: Big, roasty malt flavor up front. Preserved fruit (raisins?) and chocolate are noticeable. A bit of sweet/smooth oat character is present as well. Hop bitterness builds in to a gradual firmness. The aftertaste is of toffee, coffee, charcoal, and alcohol.

M: Firm, chewy maltiness on the palate. Carbonation is light and supple. Oatmeal contributes a nice, velvety texture. Eventually the tide turns to a more, roasty aftertaste, with a bit of alcohol warmth to boot.

D: This is a nice oatmeal stout, if a little big. As an imperial stout, however, I like the addition/contribution of oatmeal to the beer. It's still big, chewy, and malty, but has a nice, rounding smoothness.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 01:28:57 | More by Clydesdale

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

Keyportnick

Wisconsin

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

12oz bottle out of a beer camp 12er served in a snifter

A- pours a heavy black with a touch of deep brown along the edges. Tan colored head that dissipated quickly.

S- mild roasted malts, oats, sweet chocolate, and a touch of alcohol

T- slight roasted malts a touch of dryness into silky bozey chocolate taste. Mild bitter hop finish.

M- carbonation right up front leading into a medium light overall body with a lingering malty alcohol like finish than lingers.

Overal a solid oatmeal stout gives you a little more than a usual all year round offering.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 03:47:16 | More by Keyportnick

Dools9

Massachusetts

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

Served in a Founders snifter, bottled 6/21/12.

A: Pitch black, no light getting through. Fingers worth of brown, creamy head fades to a skim. Moderate lace, big alcohol legs.

S: Heavy roasted malt, bittersweet mocha chocolate, a bit of alcohol with a swirl, faint espresso and vanilla cream. There's also a generalized grainy component.

T: Lots of dark roasted malt, a bit of smoke, a good mix of sweet mocha and burnt coffee. Alcohol is not very well hidden however, this ones a bit boozey in the taste. Some warmth going down and a little astringency.

M: Definitely smooth and creamy, medium carbonated.

O: A solid imperial oatmeal from SN. The booziness however was a bit too much though, other than that, very solid all around.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 01:36:50 | More by Dools9

hdofu

Maryland

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

I love this beer. This is my favorite out of the latest best of beer camp set they had at my local liquor store. It smells smokey and sweet which is just a preview of whats to come. It pours dark brown with a thin tan top. Taste is chocolatey, a little grainy it has a malty finish to it. It definetly has an alcohol burn in the finish. If you like oatmeal stouts or imperial stouts, this is a good choice. I can't recommend it enough.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 21:37:46 | More by hdofu

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

KansasBeerLover

Kansas

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

Poured into a Sam Adams glass.

Minimal head that is sustained by carbonation. No lacing. Body is one of the darkest browns I have seen. Advertised as midnight black, which is a stretch.

Aroma is very malty. A mix of cocoa and roasted. Some grain. Medium strength.

Flavor is predominantly chocolate, with oats and caramel.

Mouthfeel is fairly smooth, but not silky. Remains on the palate for some time. A classic oatmeal stout style.

Overall - An above average oatmeal stout. Is it worth $4 a bottle? Not in my book.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 18:50:47 | More by KansasBeerLover