Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Brown Ale - Cigar City Brewing

AltBock

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Cigar City on April 19. They served it to me in a Cigar City American pint glass.

CCB isn't the most lighted bar out there, but I could tell that this beer poured a dark reddish brown with some burgundy highlights at the bottom. On top was a 1/4 of an inch dirty white head of foam. It was one of those colors where it wasn't white and it wasn't tan either. Great retention that left behind a long lasting large foamy circle of rings and a spot or two of lace.

It honestly smells like an oatmeal raisin cookie. No joke! Not a fresh baked cookie. More like a 12 hour old cookie smell. Up front was the strong scent of vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Behind the spices was the was the oats and the raisins. It was a very spicy aroma. If you close your eyes, you might think its a cookie in a glass.

Did it taste like an oatmeal raisin cookie? Yes! It was a very spicy cookie, but it actually tasted a little like an oatmeal raisin cookie. Not a fresh cookie. Like the aroma, it tasted like a 12+ hour cookie. Also like the aroma, it was the spices that kicked it off. It started off with the taste of vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Directly behind that was a drop of molasses, oats, and sweet raisins. A great sweet tasting beer.

This was a light to medium bodied beer with a good level of carbonation and a vanilla cookie aftertaste. The vanilla, cinnamon, and sweet raisins will linger and nothing else.

It sounds like a cheap novelty beer to increase sales, but it doesn't taste like one. This is a great sweet tasting beer. It smells like an oatmeal raisin cookie, tastes like an oatmeal raisin cookie, but its not an oatmeal raisin cookie. It's hard to put down and very easy to buy another pint.

Serving type: on-tap

04-23-2013 06:49:58 | More by AltBock

ThePorterSorter

New York

4.1/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The beer pours a clear mahogany brown with almost no head. The nose is a subtle oatmeal cookie sweetness with a touch of cinnamon/nutmeg spice, vanilla extract/marshmallow, and raisins. The taste is a relatively sweet, but not cloying, followed by an exact oatmeal raisin cookie taste. The mouthfeel is a mild-medium bodied, flat, with a lingering brown sugar sweetness. This definitely lives up to its name, but needs a bit more carbonation and body.

Serving type: growler

04-07-2013 01:30:27 | More by ThePorterSorter

SkeeterBoganski

Colorado

4.5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Growler thanks to ColdSnack, poured in to Huna snifter. Thanks mang!

A - ORC pours an opaque brown with plenty of carbony fizz and a nice light head that dissipates after settling

S - sugar cookie, oatmeal, cinnamon, a hint of vanilla, maybe a pinch of brown sugar too

T - this tastes like oatmeal cookie batter; there are cinnamon, raisin, and sugar/spice notes too, with just that subtle hint of vanilla

M - for having so many flavors present, this beer is really easy drinking; there's no cloying sweetness, mild carbonation, and a smooth drink ability to it that belies all the sweet-based flavors

O - ORC is a really good brown ale with all the right flavors of an oatmeal raisin cookie. Exceptionally drinkable and tasty as can be.

Serving type: growler

04-07-2013 00:25:26 | More by SkeeterBoganski

cfrances33

Illinois

4.31/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

32oz growler thanks to Matt. Poured into a Hunaphu snifter.

Pour: Murky brown with two fingers of tan foamy head. Solid lacing, and the head hangs around in a ring for most of the glass.

Smell: Woah, big cinnamon, raisins, and brown sugar up front. A definite uncooked oatmeal aspect. This smells incredible. Really opens up and becomes like oatmeal raisin cookie batter as it warms.

Taste: First sip, same as the nose. Amazing how much this tastes just like an oatmeal raisin cookie. Big, clean cinnamon, some nutmeg, and dark sweet raisins. Lots of brown sugar, and the same raw oat breadyness. Some typical brown ale aspects creep in with a dry caramel and light roast. Finishes with a lightly sticky raisin and brown sugar.

Mouthfeel: Really ridiculously drinkable. Rather dry on the finish, which makes this beer very drinkable. Never even close to too sweet.

Overall: This brown ale is something special. Well done Cigar City, and thank you Matt!

Serving type: growler

04-02-2013 16:46:22 | More by cfrances33

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

4.05/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared by drivendrink a while ago. Thanks Devin! Review from notes.

I could never forget this one. The beer is brown with minimal head. Both the aroma and flavor are oatmeal cookies all the way. Cinnamon, brown sugar, cookie dough, sweet malt. Delectable and delicious. Shockingly reminiscent of a real, genuine oatmeal raisin cookie - the name doesn't lie. A bit of a one trick pony, however. This becomes cloying quickly. A small sample is perfect.

Serving type: growler

02-13-2013 05:03:48 | More by Huhzubendah

scottyshades

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap at BX Beer Depot’s CCB Tap Takeover

Light and delicate flavor profile. Slight sweetness along with artificial raisin and oatmeal. Malt lends a cookie-like flavor as well. Low carbonation and a light velvety mouthfeel. Great novelty, just wish it had a little more body to it.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2013 19:11:04 | More by scottyshades

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.69/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

On Tap at Cigar City Tampa FL for 5$

Appearance - Hazy brown colour with a small size fizzy beige head. I can't make out the amount of carbonation showing and there is some fair lacing. The head lasted for only 2-3 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Malts, raisins, caramel

Taste & Mouth - There is a below average amount of carbonation and I can taste malts, chocolate/caramel, and some raisins. It ends with a raisin/malt aftertaste.

Overall - It really does smell like an oatmeal raisin cookie.. unfortunately the taste isn't great. It's more of a novelty beer and not something you'd want to drink a whole lot of. Worth trying once for sure.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2013 02:22:06 | More by spinrsx

macrosmatic

Florida

3.98/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed from notes. Had on-tap at CCB tasting room. Poured into pint glass.

A: Pours a hazy dark brown, with a one-finger creamy white head. Minimal visible carbonation.

S: Brown roasted malts, raisins, spices. Just a little cardboard as it warms.

T: Sweet raisins, cinnamon, roasty malts. Finishes with a dark fruit sweetness and spices.

M: Lighter mouthfeel, a decent amount of carbonation sensation. Minimal alcohol presence.

O: A good and enjoyable brew, but nothing that I'd actively seek out.

Serving type: on-tap

10-13-2012 16:30:08 | More by macrosmatic

brystmar

New York

3.85/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Barcade. Been wanting this forever!

Boring looking pour: brown body, minimal head and lace. Bready aroma with some hints of oatmeal. Nothing to write home about, though.

Taste is disappointing, especially given my expectations. Cinnamon and raisins come out more as it warns; tastes more like a cookie the longer I wait. Bready but not raisin-y enough. More breadyness and raisins would elicit a higher score from this reviewer.

Good, but not worth trading for.

Serving type: on-tap

09-14-2012 00:21:14 | More by brystmar

Spider889

Ohio

4.22/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Filled 32oz growler at the brewery, great price ($7 with the glass).

Looks like it has a brown ale base alright. Nice rocky head with decent clarity.

The aroma is spot on for what the name purports. The cinnamon is very potent though. The raisin aroma is freaking awesome, not sure if they managed this with malt alone or if adjuncts played a role in this. Brown sugar sweetness.

Cinnamon is also big in the taste, nice oaty raisin flavors going on as well. Again, I found this to be essentially spot on for what the beer is trying to accomplish.

Much thinner body than I'd have guessed (or would prefer). Medium carbonation.

Overall this was very well done despite the miniscule body.

Serving type: growler

12-09-2011 06:49:40 | More by Spider889

bonkers

New Jersey

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

I was lucky enough to get a 32 ounce growler in secret halloween 2011. The pour is reddish brown with a beutiful white head, lots of lacing. The aroma is sweet, figs, raisins. The beer is definitely sweet, raisins, figs, the beer has a lingering sweetness to it. It has a medium body, good carbonation. A nice take on a brown ale, enjoyable.

Serving type: growler

11-04-2011 23:09:06 | More by bonkers

BeardofSteele

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

CCB growler poured into a CCB pint glass. Filled on 09/23/11

A: Pours dark brown with a creamy white head that disappears fairly quickly, leaving a thing ring around the outside of the glass.

S: The nose of this beer is raisin dominate with hints of cinnamon, chocolate and nuts. Pretty much like you'd want oatmeal raisin cookies to smell like.

T: Follows the nose nicely. This beer is quite full-flavored without being super sweet -- especially for a cookie-themed brew. You can taste each part: raisins, oatmeal, cinnamon and hint of chocolate.

M: I'd like for this one to be a little less carbonated. Doesn't really mess with the flavor profile, but it may be a personal preference more than anything else.

O: A really nice brown ale, and unique too. CCB is really good at these Maduro variants, and this one may be the best. Definitely worth trying any time you get the chance.

Serving type: growler

10-01-2011 02:28:17 | More by BeardofSteele

Heatwave33

Florida

3.93/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from tap at CCB into a Cigar City Pint.

Color: deep brown with minimal light shining thru.

Smell: Sweet notes and raisins.

Taste: Sweet with an oatmeal note. Reminded me of an iced oatmeal raisin cookie I used to eat as a kid. Sweet and delicious.

Mouthfeel: Slightly coarse and dry on the palate.

Overall: Very different and very good. I really enjoyed this brew but I wouldn't be able to drink two back to back. Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2011 15:30:52 | More by Heatwave33

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.45/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From 32oz growler to Bruges glass at a small gathering of NoVA BA's on 9/4/11
*From notes

-- Big up's to UMCaner74 for supplying me with this growler. Cheers, Dave! --

A: Purplish-brownish-red. A tiny .25 finger head (thanks, CCB growler!) and next to no lacing.

S: Earthy oats. Hints of condensed prune juice and sun dried raisins.

T: Pretty low key, surprisingly. Instead of being a massively sweet cookie bomb of a beer, it's simply a brown ale with a decent amount of dried fruit and a slightly odd twang of rust on the finish.

M: Undercarbonated (yet again, I'll credit this to CCB's growler) and a bit thin.

O: CCB's Oatmeal Raisin Cookie wasn't quite what I'd hoped for, yet it was a pretty reasonable attempt at a unique, boutique beer. I would very much like to have this again from a properly carbonated tap, and not immediately following a generous pour of Isabelle Proximus.

Serving type: growler

09-17-2011 21:37:41 | More by Rhettroactive

kylehay2004

Florida

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

A: brown with red and orange hues.

S: as advertised, oatmeal raisin is strong here

T: oatmeal raisin from start to finish. Flavor notes include chocolate, nut, vanilla and cinnamon.

M: light to medium body. moderate carbonation

Overall: This was a good one to try. A little too much oatmeal raisin for my tastes.

Serving type: on-tap

08-29-2011 00:37:15 | More by kylehay2004

vande

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fantasy Football Draft Beer #1

Deep, mohagony brown with a nice khaki colored foam. Definitely smell the maduro brown base...some of the brown sugars, bit raisiny, some cookie crust notes... Never would have guessed, but the label tells all! Tastes just like an oatmeal cookie. Damn! Light, somewhat creamy tasting...just can't get the cookie impression off my mind. Very enjoyable!!

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 02:21:15 | More by vande

olimpia84

Florida

4.08/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer has a dark brown appearance that doesn't let anything through; finger thick nice looking tanned head and excellent lacing. Very nice smell giving hints of chocolate, oatmeal, cookies, roasted malts and a bit of vanilla that cordially invite you to sip and try the beer. The taste is a very good reflection of the smell: dark chocolate, cookie, slight vanilla aftertaste, oatmeal; very smooth and rich and leaves you wanting to drink even more. I couldn't find any cinnamon in the smell nor the taste even though it's advertised to have such features. Carbonation is just right and doesn't interfere with the tasting.

Overall, this is an excellent beer that had me wanting more. I'm not a big fan of the darker beers like this brown Ale but I must say I was very impressed and wouldn't mind giving this beer another go at all. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2011 05:55:29 | More by olimpia84

Gfunk720

Connecticut

3.9/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks to sendsilk for a couple growlers. Out of my CL Tulip.

A- A cola colored brown ale. Lots of little bubbles, but just a light tannish foamy head. The beer appears pretty watery, and is fairly translucent.

S-I get a lot of oatmeal and caramel smell. Some dark fruit and some cinnamon. Very nice.

T- Tastes like your average brown ale initially, which then takes a giant leap. The flavor transitions to flavors of oatmeal, cinnamon, and dark fruit/raisins. It really does tastes like an oatmeal ra0sin cookie. I gave several people a sample blind, and all instantly said it tasted like cookies.

M- To be honest, it was a little light. The carbonation was fine, but the initial mouthfeel was slightly off. Almost a little bitter.

O- This beer is definitely worth a try. They really hit the mark with the oatmeal raisin cookie name, as the aftertaste is spot on. Very nice, would love to see some more bottles of this.

-GFunk

Serving type: growler

08-15-2011 22:38:09 | More by Gfunk720

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the Imperial Milk Porter release at the brewery. Served in a pint glass.

A - Deep mahogany body with a small cream head and nice lacing. Typical brown ale appearance.

S - Wow, vanilla. Strong vanilla flavor with some cinnamon and caramel. Smells like an oatmeal raisin cookie.

T - Strong vanilla, cinnamon, and, amazingly, oatmeal. Slight malt flavor, but mostly vanilla. Not too sweet, which is surprising. Tastes exactly like an oatmeal raisin cookie.

M - Medium-low carbonation and medium bodied. Finishes dry, which is a bit off-putting.

O - Drink it for what it is. It tastes like a cookie, not like beer. Hardly beer, but awesome for what it is.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2011 11:59:34 | More by Alieniloquium

Redrover

Illinois

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

I had this one tap at Engine Co 15 in Jacksonville Beach. Served in a standard pint, the beer is a dark, dark brown with a sticky tan head
It has a nose of guess what, oatmeal cookies, a hint of cinnamon, all spice and roasted malts.

The taste tracks the smell. Spices, oats and malts. I like it as a dessert type beer. Not a session beer but tasty.

The mouth has just the right amount of thickness.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2011 16:30:08 | More by Redrover

uustal

Rhode Island

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

Pours a mahogany brown with a two-finger light tan head. Aroma of cinnamon, raisons and a hint of maduro wrapper I find in all of Cigar City's brown ales. Flavor is oatmeal raison cookie spot on. A bit heavier on the spices than the sweetness. Cinnamon, nutmeg and raisons primarily. Finishes with the sweetness. Hints of vanilla which bring the cookie flavor all the way around.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2011 03:45:13 | More by uustal

VaTechHopHead

California

4.18/5  rDev +1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a dark red/deep brown color that is very clear. has a nice 1-finger head that doesn't least too long but the lacing is good.

S - It is a little faint when it's cold but as it warms up the raisin aroma comes through nicely with a hint of sweetness and then the spice of the cinnamon comes into play shortly after, complimenting nicely. The oats can be detected in the aroma but much more so in the taste...

T - Again, a little faint when it's super cold but as it warms up the raisin and cinnamon are the first two flavors to hit the palate. The cinnamon is spicy but not too bitter and is smoothed out by the candied sugar-like sweetness from the raisins. The oatmeal makes the beer a little "chewy" and lends a softness/bready flavor. The aftertaste is just like the cookie, enough said.

M - Medium body with just enough carbonation. Finishes very sweet on the palate but the cinnamon and oatmeal are the most obvious. Lots of fun to drink, hard to imagine this beer could taste like a cookie. Great conversation starter and something fun to pour into friends' glasses.

O - After trying a lot of CCB's non-traditional offerings this one has to be one of my favorites. Mainly because there is no other beer out there like it and the quality that is is made to. Perfect flavors make this an any time of day/year beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-24-2011 21:00:57 | More by VaTechHopHead

jlindros

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Well off my meds finally, after the knee surgery I was on the perks for a while and couldn't drink. Finally back off the meds, and for my first beer back I figured this was a good beer to get back on. One I've been searching for for a while, and a huge thanks to jstilwell for it.

Pours a larger fizzy almost 2 finger head that fades at a med pace, with pot marks and a bit of lacing, over very dark brown coke molasses colored beer.

Nose comes right on with oatmeal raisin cookie aroma, light cinnamon, some oatmeal, brown sugar, brown malts, light sweet malts, light caramel, light roast, hint of vanilla, some crystal malts, some light candied raisins and raisin like fruit, a light nutty malt, an almost like jelly fruit, and just a hint of a dry farmhouse like yeast.

Taste comes with darker malts, plenty of crystal malts, caramel, toasted malts, nice brown caramel malt flavors. Some fruit as well, light fig jelly like, hints of candied raisins and just plain raisin, and a nice cinnamon flavor, a light dry yeast like rustic farmhouse funk that may be the beginning of an infection but not sure. Some light vanilla, hint of butterscotch like oatmeal cookie flavor. A slight juicy raisin like fruit flavor. It comes on fairly dry at first and gets very dry on the finish, with a little sticky syrupy finish, with some more brown malts and brown sugar, as well as caramel, raisin, cinnamon, and a bit of bitterness late on the finish. The cinnamon comes through even more as the finish goes.

Mouth is med bodied, quite a bit of carbonation, a little sticky and syrupy.

Overall pretty good, not as amazing as I was hoping but it could be because of the beginnings of an infection or age but not sure, the nose was great, but the dry light yeast and fruit like taste takes a bit from the taste but otherwise nice, and maybe slightly over carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2011 16:48:53 | More by jlindros

rel

Florida

4.38/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I tasted this last night at the Blue Piano in Miami, FL.
Great spot to try Cigar City brews. They try and have 3 of their brews rotating on tap. A little pricey at $8 , but worth it.

It poured thinly for a dark beer, like most brown ales, but had surprisingly nice lacing. Deep copper and light chocolate tones.

At first the smell of oatmeal cookies with cinnamon/raisin comes through, really gets you excited for the beer. On the backside you can smell the mellow malt and dark fruits.

BAM! Taste was out of this world. True to its smell. I've never had a beer that tastes so much like what it aimed out to do, outside the more traditional elements of beer. It does a brown ale justice, nutty, hints of chocalte, but just adds a whole other layer of flavor exceptionally. Definitely a must for fans of nutty and/or "flavored" beers.

Only downside; although american brown ales tend to have a light-medium body, I would have liked something a little thicker to compliment the flavor you'd expect from a cookie.

But it's awesome, I like!

Serving type: on-tap

07-21-2011 15:19:29 | More by rel

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.28/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Growler poured into an Ommegang flute on 7/19/11

Shared by Spider889

Dull plum, grape juice color, hints of rust and crimson. 1/4th inch head thins quickly to a collar; such is retention. Some lace, but not much.

This is more bizarre than my 10 year class reunion. Sure does smell like an oatmeal raisin cookie. Spiced bread, too and a hint of brown sugar. Oatmeal is dusty on the peripheries. Smells nice.

Tastes pretty much like the aroma suggests - cookie all the way. Juicy upfront with bits of raisins. This melds into a more robust middle and finish. Grainy, bready and solid on oatmeal. Some spiciness on the finish with subtle cinnamon notes.

Thin feel upfront stay pretty consistent throughout, perhaps gaining a bit of heft on the back half. Frisky enough carbonation. The feel has a fine coating layer.

Overall impression: perhaps it's a bit kitschy but Cigar City has done pretty well at emulating a cookie in a beer. It's easy to drink. I wouldn't want it all the time but I'd definitely drink it again.

Serving type: growler

07-21-2011 03:36:16 | More by Ryan011235