Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout - Stone Brewing Co.

Gyle41386

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass.

Pour is deep, dark, opaque black. No highlights, no nothing. Mocha colored foam reaches two fingers and retains pretty well. It eventually drops to a thin line, but never completely disappears. Initially, it looks like there will be some fantastic lacing stuck to the glass. By the end, just a little remains. Still, an impressive looking beer.

The nose isn't especially powerful, which surprised me a bit. I had to dig a little bit, but I found equal parts bittersweet chocolate, roasted malts, and alcohol. There also seems to be a sweetness that I want to say is cream or vanilla or something like that, but it's very, very faint.

As I take my first few sips, I think, "Oh, yeah...oatmeal." Not sure how I missed that in the nose. There's a lot of bitterness in this beer, from the bittersweet chocolate, from the roasted malts, possibly from the oats, but it's not overly bitter. It comes close, though. I feel like this beer is some coffee flavor (instead of just roast) away from being really, really tasty.

If the body isn't full, it's close. The beer has a nice texture, a little slick and oily, with some inconsistently noticeable alcohol. Some sips brought hot alcohol, but less often than they didn't. Low carbonation. I can certainly see how this beer would be off-putting to some, but I'm enjoying it, likely more so than Stone IRS. While it would have been nice for the sake of comparison to have drank this fresh when it was released, I'm glad I got to try it at all.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 02:24:58 | More by Gyle41386

henskejk

California

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-16-2013 02:31:27 | More by henskejk

Zbeetleman

California

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

05-15-2013 03:01:38 | More by Zbeetleman

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-13-2013 22:28:53 | More by mikeincharleston

csfcmitchell

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-13-2013 15:55:58 | More by csfcmitchell

PlinyBeMiney

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-12-2013 21:45:05 | More by PlinyBeMiney

brewhaha110

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

05-10-2013 18:36:08 | More by brewhaha110

cadaugherty

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-07-2013 23:18:07 | More by cadaugherty

dalepryor

Kentucky

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

05-07-2013 21:44:45 | More by dalepryor

spycow

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

05-02-2013 04:52:34 | More by spycow

johnyb

Florida

4/5  rDev -2.7%

04-05-2013 16:46:18 | More by johnyb

heavenlyStash

California

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

04-04-2013 00:44:29 | More by heavenlyStash

Bilco

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

03-08-2013 13:54:52 | More by Bilco

pmoney

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

03-01-2013 18:40:11 | More by pmoney

Treebs

Illinois

3.74/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

22 oz. bottle served in a Deschutes snifter. Thanks stxSS07 for the share.

A: Pours a dark black color with a dark mocha head forming on the pour. It recedes quickly to a thin ring that leaves some splotchy lace down the glass.

S: Some oxidation as you would expect, but in a sherry kind of way. No real paper or cardboard notes, but slightly dark and pretty fruity. Dark chocolate bitterness with some dried oats.

T: Much like the nose. Bitter dark chocolate, steel cut oats, light dark fruit with minimal oxidation. The booze is well hidden behind a touch a char.

M: Medium thick bodied with a lower carbonation level. Smooth and creamy finish.

O: This held up very nicely and the slight oxidation gave it a dark fruit character that complimented the bitter dark chocolate nicely.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2013 01:40:06 | More by Treebs

t0rin0

California

4/5  rDev -2.7%

02-25-2013 03:21:28 | More by t0rin0

jvillefan

California

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

02-17-2013 02:20:04 | More by jvillefan

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

02-03-2013 10:23:49 | More by RedneckBeerz

dendroaspis

New Mexico

5/5  rDev +21.7%

01-20-2013 10:05:25 | More by dendroaspis

extra

California

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

01-18-2013 01:07:57 | More by extra

CanisMajor

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

01-14-2013 00:38:56 | More by CanisMajor

Kelp

New Hampshire

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

01-09-2013 03:42:51 | More by Kelp

stereosforgeeks

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

12-17-2012 17:50:05 | More by stereosforgeeks

codybear127

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

11-13-2012 17:09:01 | More by codybear127

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to angrybabboon for sharing the bottle. 4 years aged.

Appearance: Near black. Tiny dark reddish tan collar. No head. Minimal carbonation. Pours still and creamy.

Smell: Sweet roasted malts. Some toasted d edges buried under it all. Dark worn leather, oxidized.sherry, dark fruit mainly cherry and plum. Big hits of cocoa and milk chocolate. Chocolate covered cherry. Some touches of coffee, old and raw. Bitter edge of cocoa. Some thing akin to marshmallow. Deep rich chocolate dessert.

Taste: Bitter chocolate. Rough edge of baker's chocolate. Some cocoa. Nice edges of old coffee. Big roasted profile. Vaguely burnt with some lingering char. Deeply bitter in the baking way. Dark fruit, some nice hints of ripe cherry and plum. Even some raisin. Oxidation has given this a nice sherry/boozy edge. Less rough.

Mouthfeel: Moderate to heavy body. No carbonation. Very creamy and smooth.

Overall: 4 years later it's still solid.

I had this new and fresh and I've had it a few more times since then. It's always good and always worth drinking. Stone can do stouts without overdoing it. Age has made this a new beer and it's worth it.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 05:52:53 | More by Goblinmunkey7