Bell's Oatmeal Stout - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

jcalabre

California

3/5  rDev -27.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Originally sampled on 25 November 2002. I am writing this review from my notes. Very dark brown w/ a 2 finger tan head. Some oats & cocoa in the nose. A bit more carbonated than I like, but it does have a nice smoothness about it. A decent oatmeal stout, but there are better ones.

Serving type: bottle

06-21-2003 18:28:57 | More by jcalabre

granger10

Wisconsin

3.45/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This one poured a black color with ruby highlights and a small head. Smell is quite nice, mainly of oats. Taste is decent enough but nothing spectacular. The body was thin which really hurt this stout. Main flavors of oats and milk chocolate were all that I could detect. The finish produced an off taste that I could not distinguish and did not like at all. This one was decent but nothing better than that.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2003 13:58:06 | More by granger10

trappistlover

Arizona

3.53/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

(sampled at Dak’s Memorial Day tasting. Growler courtesy of Mike via Justin. Thanks guys!). Pours dark brown with tan head. Aroma had oatmeal, chocolate and caramel. Taste was sweet malt and roasty bitterness. Thin bodied with a slick texture. Smooth finish. A decent, easy drinking beer.

Serving type: growler

06-08-2011 05:31:37 | More by trappistlover

aracauna

Georgia

3.58/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nice black beer like you expect from Bell's with a big dark tan head that hangs around. Comes across as a dry stout with a mild twist. Roastiness is dominate flavor and oatmeal seems to do little but soften the beer a bit. Otherwise it might be a bit harsh.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2003 00:06:44 | More by aracauna

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

dark brown in color with a big had of tan that came up and over the top. Nice retention and great lacing up and down the sides of the glass.

Roasted malts, sweet with molasses and hints of brown sugar. Nice touches of chocolate as well as a hint of light vanilla.

Mellow and a touch hoppier then I would have thought. Very nice chocolate notes here, really laid down quite well. Hints of molasses again and a decent touch of vanilla poking its head up. The finish comes through with a light bitterness

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 01:37:08 | More by mikesgroove

CharlesDarwin

Rhode Island

3.63/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Originally reviewed February 17, 2005. Likely a 2002 or 2003 12 Oz Bottle. Light brown decent head with good lacing. Tar black. Wafts of fresh earth and leather, backed by strong berry aroma. An almost, smoked, burnt pine nut finish. Very light carbonation. Very sweet, yet sour and salty. Lingering lemon and grapes on the palata. Not too dry or too creamy. Nice balance. Alcohol is perfectly blended.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2006 17:33:21 | More by CharlesDarwin

mjohn27603

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black opaque. More sweetness than bitterness. It seems a pretty solid oatmeal stout offering from Bell's. I think you will get pretty much what you expect from this beer. I don't see much reason to single it out amongst other oatmeal stouts altough a tasting with several oatmeal stouts would be a good test. I'm surprised Bell's only offers an oatmeal stout during a limited run. It seems like a natural for brewery that specializes in stouts.

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2002 19:56:24 | More by mjohn27603

Phelps

Arizona

3.78/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Reports of this beer’s retirement have been greatly exaggerated, it seems. Enjoyed in a shaker pint at Flanny’s.

Very dark brown and completely opaque. In front of a light, the slightest highlights of cranberry show up. The fuzzy, half-finger head the color of sand becomes a thin but lingering top layer.

The nose: very lightly roasted coffee and dried marshmallow. Hints of earthy hops and milk chocolate.

Same here. Some cotton candy, cocoa powder, hints of coffee in the background. Very oaty, with the soft tang of dark chocolate hitting before smooth oats at the swallow.

The mouthfeel isn’t as creamy as I'd like. It’s a bit thin, maybe a notch under medium-light. Gentle massaging carbonation, soft fizz, and some mouth- and throat-warming booze.

Smooth oatmeal stout flavor, but this guy needs more body.

Serving type: on-tap

08-22-2011 02:03:07 | More by Phelps

TheDM

Indiana

3.83/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light aroma of a very heavy smell mixed with coffee and chocolate. My initial pour yielded a very small head of small dark brown bubbles that quickly disappeared. It's body was made up of a deep ruby red opaque color. My initial taste response was one of coffee and thick flavor. It went down somewhat smoothly but left behind a slight after bite. One of the better stouts I have had, but still not overly impressive.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2003 07:51:01 | More by TheDM

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On tap at Meridian Pint during their Bell's Night of Darkness event. Served in a pint glass.

Pours close to black with a short tan head. A bit of lacing plus a nice collar as the head recedes. The nose is pretty mellow with some mild chocolate and roasted notes.

The flavor packs a bit heavier punch with chocolate and some roasted grains coming through. Pretty good balance of sweetness and roasted bitterness. The feel isn't quite where I'd like; not sure if the oats really did their job here. Pretty good overall but nothing compared to the Milk Stout.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2010 18:26:49 | More by Thorpe429

soper2000

Texas

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2003 cask consumed 12-03-04 at the BW-3's in downtown Indianapolis.

To my surprise this pulled with a nice firm 2-3 finger tan head atop the midnight black body. Aroma was a little more subdued than I was prepared for, but straining I get notes of coffee and chocolate. First taste was also a little bit of shock, there was a lot more coffee like bitterness than I was prepared for. A little bit of caramel was also mixed in with the immense roasty nature of this brew. Decent beer

Serving type: cask

12-03-2004 23:17:23 | More by soper2000

Bung

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Obviously they brewed another batch of this. I think this was listed at either 6 or just a bit above 6 abv at the Eccentric Cafe.
Nearly black pour with some light getting through, light tan rocky head. Pretty roasty aromas with some oat and coffee. Tastes similarly, with some pine hops to go along with the roast oat, mocha and coffee. More lively mouthfeel than I would have liked, would prefer more creaminess. Finish lingering coffee and hint of nut/oat. A good oatmeal stout, but not quite as good as some of Bell's other stout offerings.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2009 04:40:16 | More by Bung

drabmuh

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Beer on tap at the Meridian Pint, served in a shaker pint glass. Beer is black with a big tan head of large and medium bubbles that falls away and breaks, leaving very little lacing behind, carbonation low.

Aroma is weak but more bitter and ashy than the sweet stout.

Beer is medium bodied with no sweetness up front. The beer overall is a nice idea, the finish is drier than I expected and the bitterness from the grains gives way to an ashy aftertaste. Its subtle and doesn't ruin the beer for me. Not my favorite though.

Serving type: on-tap

12-22-2010 04:45:15 | More by drabmuh

ADR

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark as night with practically no light transmission. Good tan head that's lacy and better than some others on Bell's Stouts. Slight chocolatey aroma. Nice mild chocolate milk tastes with senses of sweet cherry and plums. Heavy roast on the end. Mouthfeel is medium. Maybe a little to much burnt expresso late in the flavor but a satisfying beer overall. I think I may have all the Bell's Stouts covered -- so far.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2002 07:57:16 | More by ADR

AudioGilz

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Bell's knows how to brew a stout, period. This oatmeal pours black with a nicely thick, tan head that hovers at half an inch for ages. The aroma is strong, and it's coffee, chocolate, roasty notes, just an addicting aroma. The taste if very much coffee, oats, chocolate, and roastiness, with a zesty carbonation, and then a smoothness with the finish, that leads on to a lingering and pleasant roasty aftertaste. This isn't the most drinkable stout, due to it's high sweetness and richness. But it's just a smidgeon below Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout as far as oatmeals go. I highly recommend this stout to any Bell's stout fan, or any stout fan for that matter.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2003 13:30:38 | More by AudioGilz

jeffboo

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Woke up,got out of bed.Dragged a comb through my head.I went downstairs and poured a bottle.Hmm Oats? Black as night elixer?Brown frothy top! Now my eyes are open, This is my breakfast. Huge aroma of oats and roasted malt,maybe even a hint of chocolate in there.Great roasty flavor with a silky,oily body. There might even be a finish of toasted malt in the backround.Beer can be
a way to kick off the day when it tastes like this.I looked at the clock and noticed I was late. Oh well, I have this beer to blame.
I can turn you on...............

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2003 18:25:32 | More by jeffboo

kbub6f

New York

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thin, sticky lines and spots lace the glass as the medium-sized, tan, ice cream-textured head collapses. A little dark ruby highlights the black beer against a bright light. The nose is chocolate ice cream. Period. The front is sweet and milky. The middle is full and thick, but turns a touch sour. Strange. Bitter chocolate covers most of the alcohol bite in the finish.

This is a very good stout. It doesn't completely blow me away, but it's very good. Thanks again to the felonious monk.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2003 07:13:01 | More by kbub6f

maxpower

Missouri

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown almost black color, decent tan head. Sweet chocolate burnt aroma, chocolate cocoa powder and light coffee coffee flavors, nice smooth and creamy mouthfeel, yet another great one by Bell's.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2002 13:32:27 | More by maxpower

BitteBier

Indiana

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours black with scant hints of ruby at the outer edges. Compact tan head that is more foamy than bubbly. Roasted grains dominate the smell with some lighter notes that suggest a whiff of hops bitterness. That pairing of flavors shows up in the taste too, though the bitterness is more prominent on the tongue than in the nose and lingers considerably. I have trouble finding the oatmeal except perhaps as part of the softer afternotes. Mouthfeel is reasonably clean in this medium-bodied stout. Characteristic of most Kzoo beers, this one is quite drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2003 19:15:37 | More by BitteBier

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I hadn't realized this one was retired. On tap at Stubs for Bell's Fermented Eclipse

Served in a pint glass.

Pours 1/2 finger of light tan head. Fades down but leaves some splattered lace. Color is a deep brown, near black.

Aroma: Lots of roasted malts and chocolate. Some earthy hop. Obviously the oats show. Also has a touch of spice notes. As it warms I get some coffee notes.

Taste: Roasted malts again up front with a layer of fresh earthy hops. Chocolate notes with vanilla and oats. Creamy taste to it.

Mouthfeel: Sweet and creamy with a dry roasted feel to it. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends dry and roasted

Overall, a decently drinkable oatmeal stout. Pint glass was no problem finishing. The thing that was unique about this oatmeal stout was all the roasted flavors to it. I liked it.

Serving type: on-tap

07-07-2010 02:58:42 | More by mothman

russwbeck

Virginia

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served at RFD Washington for a Bell's Beer Dinner. This was the first pairing of the night, served with a beef and stout stew.

A: Black pour with a finger or so of light brown head. Lacing and retention are both pretty nice. 4

S: Chocolate, grains, oatmeal, pretty sweet overall. 4

T: Pairs nicely with the beef stew, which I’m pretty sure was made with this stout. The oats, chocolate, and overall sweetness pair well with the spicy stew. 4

MF: Medium body for a stout, low carbonation. Very high drinkability when paired with the food. It goes down really easily. 4

O: Great pairing. Loved the beer, the food only enhanced it. 4

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-14-2012 17:10:51 | More by russwbeck

Gusler

Arizona

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

As I feel that any beer you can see through is to light, Stouts and Porters are running neck and neck with Belgian Song’s as my favorite "Beer Styles". The beer pours a deep brown to black color; the beige head and sheet lace are cocoa brown. Nose is high in oat tones, the start malt sweet, the top is full, sweet, creamy and rich. Nice toasted finish that has a moderate hop presence, deliciously dry, perfectly carbonated.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2002 07:48:38 | More by Gusler

MJR

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours black as night without any clarity. A rich, creamy tan head sits on top and does a fine job of sticking to the sides.

Smell: Roasted grain aroma, a touch of coffee, and a faint sweetness. Good aroma, but not as assertive as their regular Kalamazoo stout.

Taste: Has a pleasant roasted flavor with a fair amount of complexity. Goes down with a nice bitter hop note. Good balance between the roasted grain and the hop bitterness. Has a faint fruit flavor as well on the tail end...a bit of toffee too. Finishes dry with a hint of chocolate.

Mouthfeel: Has a nice medium mouthfeel. It may be a 'bit' thin for the style, as I like my oatmeal stouts thick and chewy, but it certainly fits the 'meal in a glass' description usually tagged with this style.

Drinkability: Above-average. I can see myself putting away a few pints of this.

I'm a huge fan of Bell's beers, their Kalamazoo and Expedition stout especially. This is my first time trying one of their November stouts and it's a pretty good start. Not outstanding...but I have 7 of their other stouts to try!

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2002 16:57:49 | More by MJR

Dogbrick

Ohio

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bell's doesn't have the most inspiring labeling, but it's what's inside that counts, right? Pours a deep dark brown with a medium and lasting beige head. Decent lacing. Aroma is very roasty with some oat smell too. The flavor is not as sweet and creamy as many Oatmeal Stouts, it was actually a little dry. Flavors of espresso, chocolate, and a little malt lent to a smooth finish. Very good.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2003 07:34:42 | More by Dogbrick

bditty187

Nebraska

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Black hue. Opaque. Thick brunette head, about a finger’s worth, good retention, rings of lace. Faintly sweet nose, more so roasted malt with suggestions of chocolate… very inviting. Rather tasty palate, surprisingly roasty for an Oatmeal Stout, the sweetness is minimal, coffee-like bitterness, dry, chalky finish. Solid. Medium body, low carbonation, respectable mouthfeel. As the beer warms it does seem to improve… the sweetness is embellished. This is a top-notch Oatmeal Stout (I wouldn’t consider this one ‘textbook’ for the style though); still, I would recommend giving this one a try. It’s quality!

Thank you, feloniousmonk for the bottle!

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2003 10:45:52 | More by bditty187