Old Neighborhood Oatmeal Porter - Mother Earth Brewing

srandycarter

California

3.71/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A - Dark brown, close to black. Small tan head leaves fast. Some very spotty cling lace.

S - Coffee, burnt malt.

T - Taste is similar to the smell, but more complex. More sweet malt, a little cocoa, the coffee is less pronounced. Still very similar.

M - A little harsh on the tip of the tongue, fair balance, good carb.

D - One and done for me. Good to try.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 05:45:06 | More by srandycarter

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours an opaque almost jet black in color with some light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation and very dark amber and ruby red highlights. The beer has a finger tall dark tan head that quickly reduces to an extremely thin film that covers the majority of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of roasted malts along with some very light notes of chocolate and tobacco. Just a touch of caramel.

T: Similar to the smell, there is a light to moderate amount of roasted malts without any hints of being burnt. There are light amounts of caramel, bittersweet chocolate, and coffee. Light amounts of bitterness in the finish which lingers for a short amount of time.

M: On the lighter side of medium bodied with slightly more than moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly thin for the style and very light amounts of dryness in the finish.

O: The beer is a decent American Porter from a brewery that has to date impressed me but I really wish it had a more roasted, bordering on burnt malt flavor and aroma. Easy to drink but nothing exceptional.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 03:21:53 | More by dbrauneis

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a mahogany tinged brown with a finger of cream colored head. Good lacing & head retention

S: Coffee & chocolate

T: Follows the nose, plenty of charred grain too up front, just a touch of steel too. More roasty notes as this warms, just a bit of figgyness, some carob & chocolate. Finishes dry, roasty, slighlty fruity with a touch of chocolate covered raisin

MF: Fairly creamy, medium bodied

A nice American Porter, holds its own with some of the better porters out there. Drinks easy enough

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 03:09:33 | More by russpowell

sommersb

Tennessee

3.63/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Tasted On: 12-15-2012
Freshness: Bottled on 09-18-2012
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Nonic pint
Purchased: Single from Brawley's Beverage, Charlotte

A: Creamy tan head atop a dark brown, nearly black beer with ruby highlights. Both head retention and lacing look good.

S: Roasted malts, chocolate and some vanilla make up the aromas.

T: Tastes of dark roasted coffee and brown breads. More bitter than sweet, from the hops and the toasted malt.

M: Medium in body, with a moderate amount of carbonation. I didn't get much in the way of creaminess I was expecting from the oatmeal. The finish is fairly dry with an aftertaste of toasted grains.

O: A good overall porter, although I didn't get the oatmeal body and chocolate sweetness as described by the brewer's description.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2012 05:56:24 | More by sommersb

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.85/5  rDev -26%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

12 ounce bottle - $1.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Bottled On: "100412"

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown body with a medium-small, light beige head.

Smell: A nose of coffee-hinted roast, oats, baker's chocolate aaanndd, well that's it. Not alot going on here, aromawise.

Taste: Roasted malts, some nutty oak flakes, and the baker's chocolate all carrying over from the aroma. Fairly light on the sweetness. Low dark fruitiness. Minor hop character and imparted bitterness. Semi-dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium carbonation. It's certainly not the creaminess thing on the block.

Overall: A little bland, a little ho-hum. It's certainly not Mother Earth's best effort to date.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 22:04:10 | More by ChainGangGuy

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had this one on-tap at City Bev in town. The pour created a massive tan head on top that lingered for most of the session. The frothy cap produced aromas of roasted malt, chocolate powder, and a slightly chicory fade on the finish. Nice toasty nose. The mouth on this one is a bit thin and lacking in carbonation. A little too slick for me, but that could be the fault of the tap, not the beer itself.

The flavors are as good as anticipated. Big roasty notes that aren't charring or unpleasant in any way. Mild chocolate flavors add a touch of sweetness that prevents this beer from becoming too woodsy and burnt. Good balance of flavors going on. There is a slight metallic finish, but it fleets away quickly. This was good, but I'd love to revisit this is in bottle form to see how the mouth is remedied, if at all. Another reminder why ME is one of my fave NC breweries.

Serving type: on-tap

10-19-2012 18:18:47 | More by Onenote81

jtd1969

North Carolina

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

A - Very dark brown with a creamy head, lacing good

S - Some nut, vanilla, creamy/sugary

T - Resembles alot of a roasty brown ale. Malty with crisp hops

M - Medium body, good carbonation. Smooth buth a crisp hop finish

O - it was really good. I enjoyed it. I did get some Oats, but it really resembled an Brown to mee.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 03:26:43 | More by jtd1969

MadScientist

New York

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: A dark brown beer with ruby highlights and good clarity. The persistent light tan head is mousse-like with fine creamy bubbles, not a tall head but forms a small, cap.

S: Nice aromas of coffee, unsweetened chocolate and plums. There isn't any perceived hops. There is a mild roasted malt character coming through as well.

T: All most coffee and cream like with a moderate unsweetened chocolate and fruitiness. The fruit is dark dried fruit and plums. There is a moderately-low hops bitterness with a low malt sweetness giving the balance slightly to the bitterness. The finish is off-dry with a quick bit of coffee and dark malt aftertaste.

M: Medium-light bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. There is a a bit of slick creaminess in the beer.

O: A nice robust porter with a cream oatmeal body. The oatmeal also makes for a nice a clean flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 23:23:34 | More by MadScientist

SLeffler27

New York

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The creamy, beige head is short lived and leaves no lacing over a black beer.

Smells of sweet roasted malt and coffee with a milky background and toasted wheat bread.

Tastes of bitter chocolate and lots of malt. Roasted nuts and, yes, oatmeal can be found. The finish is short and modest.

A full body from a Harp nonic with a silky beer that might be creamy if the carbonation were less fizzy. There is no alcohol. There was a sticky residue left behind.

Old Neighborhood was easy drinking with lots of flavor. This is simply a good afternoon beer to enjoy while relaxing.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 21:26:45 | More by SLeffler27

billab914

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into my Ithaca glass. Pretty close to black in color with a thin, spotty, tan colored lacing scattered across the top of the beer.

The aroma shows some bitter-sweet chocolate mixing with some roasted, slightly burnt malts. the oats add a smooth, creaminess to it and bring everything together nicely.

In the taste I get a little more of the chocolate and oats to it up front. Towards the finish the bitter, roasted malts come out and linger into the finish.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied for the style and pretty creamy. Overall it was a pretty good version of the style. It was smooth, flavorful and an enjoyable beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 01:14:33 | More by billab914

auroracrisis

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz into a pint glass, bottled on 9/21/11.

Opaque black with reddish highlights around the edges of the glass. A off color white, almost khaki head rests on top as you drink it down. Minimal lacing.

Roasted coffee and caramel up front, with a bit more biscuity grain behind it. A touch more roast as it warms. Not necessarily unique but it works.

Opens up with chocolate sweetness then moves into roast. Coffee and bakers's chocolate, then a dry chalky finish of roast and a touch of caramel and chocolate sweetness.

Low, low carbonation with an ultra smooth mouth feel. Kinda heavy for a porter as well, and dry on the finish. A bit sticky on the lips.

Good roasted flavor with a nice initial sweetness. A good local beer that I got as an extra in a recent trade. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 08:33:18 | More by auroracrisis

tdm168

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep drown nearing black. There's a quarter inch of brownish, creamy head that sits atop. The nose is very faint with mild notes of roasted malts and coffee. The taste is rich, deep roasted malts, faint coffee, dark fruit, mild diacetyl, and faint alcohol esters. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, well carbonated and very smooth.

This is a pretty solid porter. It's very drinkable, well balanced, and smooth. This is a beer that I would be willing to buy again.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 00:13:15 | More by tdm168

mdfb79

New York

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into my new Brawley's Beverage snifter, both extras courtesy of Beerverage; thanks Curtis!

a - Pours a very dark brown, almost black color, with two inches of dark tan head and moderate carbonation evident. Head lasts for about a minute and leaves spotty lacing on the glass.

s - Smells of roasted malts, sweet chocolate, vanilla, cream, light coffee, oats, and dark chocolate. Nose is very nice and a nice mix of chocolate and vanilla.

t - Tastes of roasted malts, vanilla, cream, sweet chocolate, bakers chocolate, coffee, oats, and bready malts. Again, very nice and balanced. Lots of nice roasted malts, chocolate, and vanilla.

m - Medium body and moderate carbonation. Pretty smooth and creamy, and pretty easy to drink.

o - Overall I really liked this one; I thought it was a great porter. Lots of roasted malts, vanilla, and sweet chocolate in the nose and taste, and easy to drink. Something I'd certainly like to have again.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 02:25:12 | More by mdfb79

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.48/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

t brown color with a very nice and somewhat hazy consistency to it. Enough light was coming through though so as not to give it the impression of being too dark \\

smoky aroma going on here, which I was not expecting, but blended in very nicely with the rich malty profile on this one. Very nice deep earthy smells, caramel, and sugar base was a rich mixture of earthy malts, lots of grains and chocolate like flavors mingling around and mixed in very well with a touch of caramel sugar that sweetened it up a little. Perhaps a touch of roasted coffee in there, more likely though this was more of the smoke coming through. The finish was typical for a good porter with a strong hoppy bitter finish that drew out the flavor and made it a little longer lasting then I thought it would have been.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 03:35:53 | More by mikesgroove

rockyfire

North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I have had this in the tap room too on nitro which is awesome (if this review was for that it would be all 5.0). My review is for the 12 oz bottles.

A: Dark, almost pitch-black with mild amber highlights. Pours a thick, frothy, tan head that quickly dissipates and leaves a beautiful trail all the way down the glass ending in a solid wispy lace.

S: Potent roasted malt aroma. Background consists of chocolate and coffee overtones. Very pleasant and pleasing smell to the nostrils.

T: Smooth, dark, rich ale with a roasted malt bitterness. Coffee and chocolate overtones, with a nice malt background. Alcohol is present but masked by the roasted malt goodness.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Awesome porter. Extrememly well balanced and tasty through and through.

Well done once again Mother Earth

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 03:08:03 | More by rockyfire

ColForbinBC

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a bowtie glass

Pours a dark chestnut brown with some mahogany highlights around the edges. A nice little brown head rises and falls to reveal a thin collar.

Dry oats, semi-sweet chocolate, and some roast. Pretty straightforward based on the name, but intriguing given the twist on the style.

Clean profile that really follows the nose. Dry, roast bitterness and some semi-sweet chocolate mixes with rolled oats. This is as advertised. Solid on all fronts.

Medium body with a clean, dry finish. A little lingering roast/bitterness.

This is a nice porter, for sure. A tasty little twist on the style that I would welcome in my glass anytime. Nice job Morther Earth.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2011 01:39:08 | More by ColForbinBC

chinchill

South Carolina

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

12 oz bottle bottled on 9/21/11 ... Very fresh.

Dark root beer color, but with a light haze. Tan head has moderate retention but left very little lacing.

Plenty of dark malt in the nose, with hints of coffee and dark chocolate as well as a bit of spicy hops. Similar flavor but with almost no coffee except in the aftertaste.

O - a fine porter with no significant flaws, but lacks the complexity and interest of a world-class version.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2011 01:36:32 | More by chinchill

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.35/5  rDev -13%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

I'm trying to clean out my beer fridge... Because I generally don't want to drink a porter, I tend to not drink them when they arrive as extras... So I have been hitting these straglers hard lately in an attempt to get back some top shelf real estate.

Pours a very cola/root beer color with a huge creamy head and giant chunks of lace. Nice retention. The giant floaty chunks in this make me a bit
smells roasty and dry. Some light sweetness, but not enough to set this apart from a dry stout. Some bitter chocolate and coffee.
Creamy feel from a medium body.
Overall-- meh. It isn't bad, but it falls only slightly above average in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 19:12:59 | More by AleWatcher

Lunch

Maryland

3.43/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz. bottle poured into a 16oz. Old Rasputin nonic pint glass.

Believe it or not, this beer pours just like a porter. Looks dark brown with a decent tan head. Smells very smokey and a bit ashy with some oats, chocolate and roasted malt. Decent aroma, but something is a bit off. Taste is better as the smoke and ash are minimal. Lots of roasted malt and hints of chocolate and oats. Decent mouthfeel with some prickly carbonation.

Decent beer, but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2011 21:40:59 | More by Lunch

corby112

Pennsylvania

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

12oz received as an extra in a recent trade with McNuts. Thanks again Keith!

Pours a deep dark chestnut brown color that appears black and completely opaque in the glass with only faint mahogany edges when held to a light. One and a half finger frothy beige head that slowly settles int a thin lasting ring. Sporadic spots of lace left behind.

Toasted dark malt aroma with a good balance of sweet and roast. Slight lactic creaminess with hints of toast, oatmeal(of course) and toffee as well as a prominent chocolate/cocoa presence. Slightly smokey with a good amount of roast in the nose without smelling burnt or acrid.

Chewy full with a good balance of roasted malt, sweetness and creamy body. A bit more bitter and roasted than the aroma suggests but still not one dimensional or overpowering. Hints of oatmeal, earthy hops, burnt toast, coffee bean and bittersweet dark chocolate. This is countered by the smooth lactic cream which adds complexity and fullness to the body. In addition, there's some sweet chocolate, hazelnut and toffee toward the end of the swallow. This is a very solid interpretation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 05:58:36 | More by corby112

beerdown77

North Carolina

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

This pours almost black with nice head and good lacing. The smell is chocolate, smokey and dark fruity. The taste very chocolaty, a little smoky. There is a medium body that almost has some sweet fruitiness. This is a great porter that doesn't leave that sour gross taste in your mouth. Good local variety.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2011 06:39:12 | More by beerdown77

n2185

North Carolina

2.98/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

A: Pours black with two fingers of off-white head that recedes into a thin ring with almost no lacing.

S: Roasted malts with some creamy chocolate notes.

T: Again, roasted malts with some light chocolate and coffee notes and a touch of bitterness and char on the finish.

M: Medium body and carbonation with an unfortunately watery finish. I was expecting a beer with oatmeal used in it to be creamier.

O: Overall, an average porter. There's nothing that makes it bad, but it's a bit bland and nothing particularly good.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 05:33:40 | More by n2185

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to verecund for this 12 oz bottle.

A: The porter is a deep ruby red, looking black from afar (or at least an arm's length). A thin head, just a meager band atop the beer.

S: Dry toast, roasted malts, chocolate. All take a turn in the scent. Cocoa powder follows the darker aspects, lending a sweeter presence. The aromas are fleeting; they don't linger as long as I'd like.

T: Taste-wise, the ale doesn't skimp. Dark malts, chocolate and burnt toast, drive the flavor. Oatmeal adds smoothness, a lactose-like sweetness that fits well within the confines of the porter. The dark malts and oatmeal build off each other, increasing the flavor with a well-rounded punch. Chicory-like flavors add to the dark body. Chocolate lingers in each sip, a flavor that lasts longer than I expected it to.

M: The porter nicely blends smooth oatmeal and roasted aspects. Darkness is the lingering flavor, leaving a fullness in my mouth.

O: A thin nose transitions into a fuller body, sweet with darker side. Makes me pine for this past summer, where Mother Earth flowed plentifully.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2011 00:45:03 | More by akorsak

beer2day

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Rich chocolate brown in color with a fleeting 1-finger chocolate tan head. Not much retention. Thin dark tan lace all around the glass.

Nose is light roast caramel and light chocolate. Lighter coffee underneath. Not quite strong enough, though, to match the flavor profile.

What is lacking in the nose really comes out on the tongue, though. Roast flavors right up front, with caramel and some coffee - which intensifies as the glass warms. Cocoa really comes out mid palate, with a slight herbal hop kick in the finish. Very robust porter.

Strong feel. Oatmeal gives this a very rich, creamy profile with lots of body for the style.

Definitely a glass I'd fill again.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2011 02:38:27 | More by beer2day

capra12

New York

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Reviewed solo served out of a short pint glass

Appearance: Pours a 2 finger off white almost chocolate cream head, dark caramel brown when held up to a light

Smell: I get a mix of dark sweet malts along with a pleasant herbal root.

Taste: Opens with a caramel and slightly roasted malt as toffee and iced coffee profiles take over. As it warms there slight twinge of sour coffee emerges leaving a roasted and malt aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation, slightly drying.

Drinkability: I would have this again and recommend this to those seeking a porter with lots of roasted malts and a malt profile that is accompanied by a slight twinge of tart similar to that of coffee.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 03:32:30 | More by capra12