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

hreb

Washington

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Cold 22oz bottle allowed to warm up a bit before dispensing into a pint glass. Beer pours like deep, dark brown motor oil. Aroma is of: chocolate. Roasty things. Oh, and alcohol. A thin brown head has just a hint of red.

The smell really is delicious until the astringent whiff of alcohol comes in, unfortunately. Up until that part, it reminds me of my all time favorite, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. The flavor is deep, complex, and bitter. Also, very creamy in the mouth. The flavor is of chocolate, of course, but it's neither sweet nor bitter at first, simply aromatic. Then, grainy cereal? Very complex barley flavors, in any case. And a interesting hoppy bitterness. Carbonation is muted. The aftertaste brings on the bitterness of the chocolate, a slight alcohol burn, and a dry kind of bitter on my teeth. Actually, it's surprisingly pleasant.

The indicates that this beer was a result of the hop shortage / price increase. The idea of chocolate as a bittering agent seems so obvious, and it works so well in this case. It also indicates that this is a July 2008 production, and I wonder if I'm drinking it far too young.

One thing I notice is that as it warms in the glass, it's changing, but not really getting better, as I'd expect.

Overall, I think this is a really good ale. I would love to try it along side other chocolate stouts, like Brooklyn's and Rogue's. I'll definitely pick up some more to try after a year or more of cellaring, if this is a limited brewing.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2008 00:22:23 | More by hreb

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