Dark Horse One Oatmeal Stout Ale - Dark Horse Brewing Company

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Note: This review was a re-post from my former account, jmkratt, which was hacked and I lost all my reviews...sorry for the redundancy.

Another brew my man Kiddwhiz hooked up. My man. He hooked up 2, I put one down without thinking. Thought I should review the second before it's gone! We don't get these in Colorado.

Poured from a 12oz bottle to pint glass.

A - Pours a deep deep brown/black color with a huge 2.5 finger head with a rich creamy dark tan/brown head with very good retention though mild lacing.

S - Solid coffee and roasted malt/coffee malt aroma.

T/M - A very solid roasted coffee/chocolate malt flavor upftont. The beer transitioned nicely to a creamy almost vanilla middle while finishing with a slightly bitter finish. A little variety on the Oatmeal Stout.

D - Very very drinkable.

Overall, this is a solid, albeit strong Oatmeal Stout. For a style dominated by a smaller profile this represents itself well. Complex yet smooth and enjoyable. Should you find yourself in area I'd pick one up ;)

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 01-25-2011 03:24:34

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 22:22:35 | More by hopfacebrew

Aiptasia

Florida

3.63/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

tried tonight courtesy of the NOOB BIF in the BIF forums and BA Jmagnus87:

Pours a dark knight of oil into a pint glass. Lacing is for naught. Head tottaly absent. This beer is dank and dangerous. Taste is rich from the oats and malt profile. Any hops were an afterthought in this beer. It mocks me with a 6" monolith of darkness in my pint glass. Taste is of wet malt goodness with subdued smoke and a hint of peat and mineral. Slick and wet throughout with amost no carbonation. Overall pretty good and solid.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 02:55:55 | More by Aiptasia

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Such a deep black colored stout. I love the dark mocha head that has some great lacing.

S - Smells of a smooth stout with nice levels of mocha, chocolate, and roasted coffee notes.

T - I believe this might be the best beer out of the (4) series. Smooth chocolate malts next to mild roast and a nice balanced oat finish. I also like how it has some hops in the finish but not enough to make it a black IPA. Balanced.

M - Medium bodied for sure but smooth and creamy.

Overall I am glad I picked up a second of these and maybe even might go back for a four pack if supplies last. A very solid oatmeal stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2012 06:14:08 | More by DrDemento456

AndyAvalanche

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle poured into a Sam Adams Perfect pint glass. Liquid portion comes out dark, like black soil colored. Some slight highlights at the top of the beer up by the head. Dark brown head that erupted to the top after a fairly hard pour, had to take a couple breaks getting the whole bottle out. Really good looking beer.

Smell is really good. Huge malt backbone here. Very generous amounts of roasted malted barley. Bitter chocolate and hints of coffee. Surprisingly there are generous notes of earthy and piney hops. Nice and well balanced despite a lot going on.

Flavor profile has a lot going on. Very malty here, fresh black coffee and somewhat bittersweet (mostly bitter) chocolate and a little smokey. To balance out the bitterness there's sort of a natural sugar flavor to it as well that's subtly blended in; very nice. Again there's a hop presence, you can tell this is a respectably hopped Oatmeal Stout, at least in my opinion, I've read a few conflicting reviews.

I was a bit underwhelmed by the mouthfeel and drinkability. Body is much thinner than I expected, but I guess the carbonation level is ok. No real bite from the alcohol, even though it's high for the style. Strong bitter finish, far stronger than it needs to be. Not all that pleasant which brings down the drinkability. Too bad, I really thought this beer was going somewhere special until the mouthfeel. Still a good beer from a great brewery in my opinion. But I do feel spoiled when it comes to oatmeal stouts having Ipswich almost always fresh and ready to be consumed. Glad to have finally given it a try though. I'll certainly be going back for more.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 02:25:43 | More by AndyAvalanche

dpjosuns

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From a 12oz bottle:

A- Dark brown, almost black. Thin head, dark brown, but lingers.

S- Think coffee, dark chocolate, maybe a touch of dark fruits (date or black cherry).

T- Tastes of roasted barley and coffee, and dark chocolate that lingers on the back on the tongue. I get maybe a touch of oatmeal, but was expecting more. As the beer warms the coffee notes come through more.

M- Full bodied mouthfeel. Creamy, smooth. You taste this beer well after its left your mouth, which I enjoy. The carb is a bit low, but I think it works fine with this beer.

O- I like the beer, but I would have a hard time picking it as an oatmeal stout if I hadn't seen the label. If you like big stouts that aren't quite "Imperial" this would definitely be a beer to try.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 19:41:05 | More by dpjosuns

bearsxco

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a 12 oz. Bottle into a pint glass. Poured a very dark brown with a very small toffee/caramel head that dissipates quickly. A decent amout lacing that really stick to the glass. A nose full of malt and oats. A slightly thick to heavy body that has very little carbonation. Very smooth. Nice malt and oat flavor with a faint chocolat taste. Enjoyed this beer very much. Will look for more.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 22:31:13 | More by bearsxco

BB1313

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours jet black white ruby hues shining through; nice mocha head which eventually fades and decent lacing/retention. This stout smells great, tons of coffee and milk chocolate; overload. Tastes great, lots of rich chocolate along with a touch of vanilla. There's lots of tobacco in the nose and flavors as well. Very bold and roasty. Mouthfeel is nice, lots of carbonation and is on the lighter side. This is a very easy drinking stout, alcohol goes unnoticed. Very enjoyable.

Dark Horse knows their stouts..

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 20:43:07 | More by BB1313

PeterIngemi

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured a 12oz bottle into my duvel tulip.

A- pours black. With a brown creamy looking head, which unfortunately disapates quickly, it looked delicious.

S- roasty, black coffe, dark chocolate

T- follows the nose pretty closely, starts with a touch of dark chocolate and then black coffee, creamy, finishing dry and bitter.

M- full bodied, velvety and creamy, decent amount of carbonation, a bit more then i expected, but it worked very well,. Dry finish

O- an enjoyable Brew! Deffinatley not upset I grabbed a 4pk... Deffinatley could see myself grabbing some more!

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 00:26:18 | More by PeterIngemi

blackcompg

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from their 12oz bottle...

Appearance - Poured about a finger of dark cinnamon cocoa colored head, color of the beer is a completely opaque mahogany black.

Smell - Dark coffee, dark chocolate, molasses, dark fruits, black cherry.

Taste - Ooooh, semi-sweet black coffee, semi-sweet dark fruits, black cherries, and a creamy slightly sweet malty oatmeal backbone. There are some nice roasted grains and char long into the finish. Alcohol is completely hidden.

Mouthfeel - I love the mouthfeel, medium to full, creamy smoothness from low carb, but just enough carb to keep it from feeling thick. Coats the mouth fairly well.

Overall - This is a realy nice and well balanced oatmeal stout. Flavors are pretty nice, would like a little more boldness, but the low carb and creamy mouthfeel nearly make up for this. Let this one warm up a bit and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 04:15:03 | More by blackcompg

mattboyer182

Indiana

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - pours dark black with a thin dark brown head. Decent lacing.

S - smells very bourbony. Deep chocolate notes and roasted malts.

T - the sweet bourbon upfront and then it mellows out with some oatmeal and hops.

M - heavy bodied and light carbonation.

O - it's good but I don't like the lack of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2012 00:48:35 | More by mattboyer182

philbe311

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - A vigorous pour yields only a tad more than a fingers worth of perfectly level dark brown lush slightly creamy head... Solid retention ultimately gives way to a full thick lacing and slightly thicker collar... Micro bubbled sluggish carbonation... Jet black... Appears to be a bit thick and slightly viscous...

S - Light milk chocolate notes are at the forefront... There is also some very lightly roasted malts... A touch of whipped cream... Simple, but rather pleasant...

T - Much of the expected sweetness wasn't present... Instead roasted malt sits at the front end... Some faint coffee notes... The chocolate notes are light and take on darker characteristics... A touch of cream... The finish is of charred / burnt character, but is still rather pleasant...

M - Medium bodied... Slightly rich... Uber smooth... Very light carbonation... The finish is a bit chalky...

D - Excellent brew here folks... The nose is sweet, but the flavor is more traditional roasted malts... Excellent appearance and mouthfeel... I could enjoy multiple of these in a sitting if it weren't for the slightly heavy 8.0% ABV... Further evidence that Dark Horse knows how to make an excellent stout...

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2012 01:56:31 | More by philbe311

titosupertramp

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to muck4 for the opportunity to try this.

A: As you pour, the first thing that jumps out is how black One is. Completely opaque, even around the edges. Nice finger of mocha head, dense. Recedes quicker than expected, leaving behind light, spotty lacing and film around the edges.

S: I get mostly chocolate with coffee and burnt malt giving support. Pretty well balanced between chocolate sweet and coffee/char bitterness.

T: Largely follows the nose. Chocolate, coffee, roasted malt, maybe some anise and tobacco flavors as well. Tasty beer.

M: On the full side of medium and creamy.

O: I like this beer and it certainly stands tall amongst the other oatmeal stouts I've had.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 01:28:46 | More by titosupertramp

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours jet black. Essentially zero light penetration, even around the edges. Nice, dark tan head is frothy and boasts good height. Head retains quite well and leaves stringy lace squiggles. Looks great.

S-Syrupy sweet chocolate as well as the more bitter cocoa. Coffee roast as well as some vanilla notes. Alcohol is masked by the overall dark aroma but the booze is slightly detectable in the nose.

T-Flavors of cocoa and coffee reign supreme. Bitterness is derived both by the dark chocolate/cocoa powder flavor but also a surprising amount of hops. Beer finishes quite grassy and bitter. Light vanilla and some booze are found in the middle.

M-Heavier body. Not as viscous as I was expecting. Moderate carbonation. A bit of slickness.

O/D-Not bad. Tried a single for close to $3 so I wouldn't call this much of a bargain (although singles rarely are). Pretty solid, but not spectacular in any one area. Worth a try but I have had a few of Dark Horse's other Stouts that I enjoyed more than this.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 03:09:30 | More by VelvetExtract

Jaycase

Illinois

2.85/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

a: pitch black. small dark tan head. minimal lacing

s: roasted malts. chocolate.

t: primarily roasted malts and bittersweet chocolate. finishes quite bitter. I usually like bitterness but the bitterness here is rather rough and does not suit the beer.

m: thin. watery. finishes dry.

o: this stout is a bit disappointing. the smell is there but the taste leaves something to be desired. will pass on this one next time.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2012 02:53:47 | More by Jaycase

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap and served in a tumbler pint, the beer is jet black, with a steady carbonation bubbling along the glass, and a thin, creamy, dense covering of chocolate milk colored head. The beer's nose is mildly sweet, with chocolate and cream notes, and a hint of coffee highlights. Flavors are rich, with a more bitter dark chocolate character in the forefront, balanced with a toasty, almost charred, balancing taste. Coffee grounds make an appearance on the tongue, as well as a subtle hint of hops in the background. The flavors blend together well, but are a bit abrasive overall. Good, smooth body despite the bitter characteristics, with a good lacing left along the glass. The aftertaste is a mix of bitter dark chocolate and day old coffee, with a bitter twinge left on the tongue and in mouth. The finish lingers on quite a bit, although not entirely unpleasant. There is a slight drying in mouth that begs for another drink. Flavor profiles and mouthfeel lean me more towards an Irish Dry stout versus Oatmeal, but a decent brew, regardless.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2011 19:02:38 | More by GarthDanielson

MDDMD

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-dark brown to black color with a small dark tan head and no significant retention or lacing

S-roasted coffee and slight hints of sweetness

T-roasted coffee and chocolate with some hop bitterness

F-medium body with moderate carbonation, some alcohol comes through

O-a decent if not spectacular stout

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 17:37:52 | More by MDDMD

DannyDan

Michigan

4.1/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A. Pours out a dark brown to almost black hue that has a thin tan head. Retention and lacing is minimal in this beer.
S. The aroma is dark chocolate and some coffee.
T. The taste starts out with some dark chocolate that stays throughout. Coffee is the first thing that comes in, followed by some citrus, sweet malt and alcohol.
M. A very smooth and creamy easy drinking stout that leaves the mouth dry.
O. A very yummy beer for anyone that likes a nice smooth drink loaded with bitter chocolate flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 09:15:04 | More by DannyDan

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.08/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours almost black, but once it settles, it's a dark brown. Head is a solid brown, but dwindles to an almost non-existent ring at the edge of the glass. Pours a little thin.

Smell: Some roasted malts. Touches of cocoa, but an underlying grassiness is distracting. Almost akin to wet cardboard at times. Corn? Touch of citrus lingers in the back. Malts aplenty. Some sweetness coupled with a dry cocoa note.

Taste: Roasted barley. Some twinge of oat. Muted citrus hops play through the back. A touch of cocoa and some day old coffee. Tobacco and some some lingering sweetness round out the back. Solid depth of flavor. Something earthy, but bordering on dirt more than rich moist earth.

Mouthfeel: Thinner than expected. Smooth with minimal carbonation. Dry on the finish.

Overall: Not bad, but definitely packs a more robust malt profile than expected. Smooth and easy drinking, but the weird corn/cardboard flavor gets distracting.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 21:02:43 | More by Goblinmunkey7

jmerloni

Massachusetts

4.8/5  rDev +26.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours a heavy, leady dark black. No head at all. Creepily absent of any head at all.

S - Divine. Dark chocolate, purely. And hell.

T - Wow. This is a robust beer and it's all heavy dark chocolate. This isn't at all milky. It's just pure dark chocolate in a beer. This is a beer for 1800s alcoholic frontiersman.

M - Thick bodied. Heavy. Chewy. Great.

D - Wow. I don't know how this has such low ratings. This seems like it should be an A+ in my book. A heavy, truthful chocolatey stout. It doesn't get much better than this. Founders Breakfast is the only one in this vein that I've tried that does what this beer is attempting any better. This is a great beer. Will be getting this again. Excellence.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2011 02:43:25 | More by jmerloni

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

$2.50 single from Abe's.

Black body with no highlights. Three level fingers of highly whipped dark tan foam.

Aroma of deep roasted coffee upfront, followed by some deep chocolate.

Taste follows nose. Strong deep roasted coffee, followed by supporting chocolate notes. Not getting a real sense of oatmeal though.

Smooth mouthfeel, though not super rich nor displaying a typical oatmeal signature.

Overall a nice tasty stout, though the oatmeal qualities are not front and center.

And not holding this against the beer, but one ugly and seemingly meaningless label.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2011 05:25:35 | More by RonfromJersey

troysoy2

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -24%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a stemless red wine glass. Don't ask.

Not much head to speak of. The body of the beer is completely opaque. Just a few bubbles rising to the top here and there.

Smells mostly of toasted malts and sharp bittersweet chocolate. A little one dimensional maybe, but tasty smelling nonetheless.

It's surprisingly watery and drinkable for a stout at 8%. That was my first impression. There's a slight bitterness, but this is not a hop-forward stout. The smoothness from the oats is mildly apparent in the mouthfeel, with just a little prickly carbonation. The flavor just doesn't quite live up to the smell. A one-dimensional taste might not be such a bad thing if that taste had a little more... something to it.

Overall, it's enjoyable, but I don't think I'll be revisiting this one for a while.

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2011 07:31:27 | More by troysoy2

deltatauhobbit

Maine

3.33/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a dark brown/black color, not much of a head and no lacing on the glass.

Smell is primarily roasted malt, picking up a bit of cocoa aroma as well.

Taste is fairly straight forward, roasted malt on the front, a light bittersweet chocolate aftertaste, the oatmeal doesn't add too much creaminess or smoothness as it usually does, strength isn't overly evident but you can definitely tell it's packing.

Nothing truly stands out regarding this oatmeal stout but nothing terrible either.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 04:28:17 | More by deltatauhobbit

trxxpaxxs

New York

3.83/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks to stevef03 for this bottle. I'm finally getting around to doing the Dark Horse One - 5th tonight.

A: Pours a nice deep brown, almost black. This beer is completely opaque. There is about 1 finger of a dark mocha head that lingers for a bit. There is some decent lacing as it drinks.

S: Smells of sweet malt and chocolate (milk and dark). There might even be some toffee notes in there. It smells fantastic.

T: Starts off smooth and sweet. The malt and oats shine through nicely. That soon gives way to some milk chocolate presence. The finish is a bit bitter though, like the oats in this are just too much. The nose is much better than the taste in my opinion.

M: This is a full bodied beer. It starts off silky and smooth, but still seems a bit thin. Because the finish is on the bitter side, it leaves the palate a bit dry.

O: I think is a good beer. It smells fantastic, but the taste and mouthfeel leave something to be desired. It's not terrible, but I don't think I'll be returning to this beer when I'm in the mood for an oatmeal stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2011 22:41:23 | More by trxxpaxxs

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: 1" light brown head over black liquid.

S: Coffee, chocolate and licorice.

T: Somewhat bitter toasted malt, chocolate and coffee with a pleasant creamy aftertaste.

M: Smooth and creamy with a medium viscosity and a medium to high level of carbonation.

O: I found this to be quite pleasant.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2011 21:16:36 | More by DaftCaskBC

ksimons

New York

3.88/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-almost black with minimal chestnut highlights. Almost no head, just a small layer of tan lace

S-smell is full of rich roasted malts, coffee, with molasses and brown sugar. Not picking up on much oatmeal in the smell.

T-taste is heavy on the roasted malts and has a bitter black coffee taste as well. The oatmeal gives a mellowness to the beer which is a nice balance to the deep roasted malt.

M-full body, light to medium amount of carbonation, very smooth

Overall I liked this beer a lot. I didn't detect any oatmeal in the smell but found it more in the taste. I would have it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2011 23:52:05 | More by ksimons