Oat (Imperial Oatmeal Stout) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

merc7186

New York

4.05/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I had this beer on tap at Bier Abbey in Schnectady NY, poured into a small tulip.

A: Dark Brown Hue, Passes No Light, Off White Head Ring, Some Lacing

S: Oatmeal, Mild Coffee, Mild Chocolate Malts

T: Chocolate Malts, Oatmeal, Mild Coffee

M: Decent Carbonation, Medium to Full Bodied, Mild Drying, Mild Bitter

Overall, a nice oatmeal stout with good flavors and well balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

08-20-2012 23:46:07 | More by merc7186

kylehay2004

Florida

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: single finger deep tan head on a jet black with no light getting through.

S: aroma is light overall with vanilla, some roasted marks, milk chocolate and toffee getting through.

T: fairly sweet up front with vanilla, milk chocolate, some nutty notes and fairly light on the bitter roasted malts.

M: smooth and thick. Light to medium carbonation.

Overall: a nice flavorful stout. One of their best. Very drinkable. Almost too sweet but otherwise very good.

Serving type: on-tap

06-01-2012 23:47:38 | More by kylehay2004

HopNelius

New York

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served-on Draft.
Appearance-Dark brown with creamy white head that diminishes rather quickly and medium carbonation.
Smell-notes of molasses and caramel.
Taste-bread taste, caramel, molases, delicious, oatmeal.
Mouthfeel-very pleasant.
Overall-Great Oatmeal stout, very tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

02-29-2012 14:55:21 | More by HopNelius

dejrrma

Georgia

3.65/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

$4.75 for 8 oz pour at the Porter.

a-Served in a tulip with absolutely no head. it is jet black and looks very still. no lacing.

s- not very much going on in terms of smell, some chocolate and coffee.

t- it tastes like a mix between a coffee stout and a milk stout. it's slightly hoppy and there's a strong chocolate presence. It's roasted and malty.

m- it's creamy and full-bodied with moderate carbonation and well-balanced. the 11% alcohol is hardly noticeable. this was my favorite part about the beer.

o- this was an okay stout. I'm glad I tried it but I'm also glad I didn't pay $9-$10 for a big bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2012 17:28:09 | More by dejrrma

SLeffler27

New York

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours clear black with a slight creamy taupe head. There is minimal lacing that leaves rings on a snifter glass.

Moderate toasted malt with dark bread and a light coffee aroma. There is a suggestion of spruce along with some yeastiness, figs, and plums.

Light combination of sweet and bitter flavors with a modest balance between malt and hops and a short finish.

Oat, Vintage 2009, has a dense body with a smooth, creamy texture that is drying with light alcohol.

Despite the high alcohol, this is an easy-drinking beer that improves significantly with warmth.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 11:36:17 | More by SLeffler27

spdyfire83

Ireland

4.1/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

34th Review
On-tap at The Bavarian Lodge
Served in Bavarian Lodge snifter.

L: Burnt, dark, roasted coffee with 0.25 fingernail pour.

S: Mix of sweet, caramel, vanilla with a hint of roasted malt.

T: Smoked cocoa combined with sweet vanilla bean. Very sweet. Well-balanced and smooth.

M: Light carbonation for the style, but smooth and crisp.

O: Well put-together and nice. I really enjoyed this treat and love to get my hands on ST brews! Well done.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2011 05:26:05 | More by spdyfire83

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.93/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on-tap into a pint glass, presenting with a jet black and viscous look, with a huge, creamy, smooth milk chocolate colored head. Aromas of nut and bread, with some dark fruit sweetness. Flavors are dark cherry bittersweet, coffee, and a steady backbone of dark chocolate. The aftertaste is bittersweet dark chocolate, and the finish is ridiculously smooth. Very tasty brew!

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2011 01:51:03 | More by GarthDanielson

LittleDon

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A 10 oz. pour in a tulip at the Blue Monk, Buffalo, NY 5/26/11.

Dark, opaque, with a tan well retained head and no lace. Aroma of latte and chocolate. Flavor has elements of dried fruit, with lots of molasses sweetness in the middle and finish. A hint of alcohol comes out middle to end. Carbonation is a on the medium high side. Medium body.

Serving type: on-tap

05-27-2011 08:23:10 | More by LittleDon

Jesse13713

Ohio

1.95/5  rDev -52.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2

Appearance - A pitch black brew with average lacing. No froth or head on this one. It looks quite thick and powerful in a way.

Smell - Not much going on here. It of course smells of oats. It has hints of slight cocoa, but not much else.

Taste - A slightly bitter oat stout; surprisingly not much chocolate. Medium bodied and extraordinarily dry. Very very alcoholic.

Mouthfeel - Absolutely horrible. Just an awful ethanol taste.

Drinkability - By the end, this was just barely sippable for me.

Verdict - I personally did not enjoy this beer at all. The first sip or two were interesting. But after that, it was just painful for me to drink. The 11% alcohol did not balance well with the rest of the ingredients.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2011 19:44:25 | More by Jesse13713

jabergess

Georgia

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I'm back and forth with Southern Tier. This one is forth. It's excellent and unusual. Lot's of alcohol presence. If you don't like that, you won't like this. I can't say I detect any oatmeal or mouthfeel of it on this brew. The alcohol is that overwhelming. The stout flavor is also secondary. It's there, but masked by that ABV. Normally I would't like that but it seems to work for this particular beer. Two of these will probably knock you on your a$$. I might tempt fate it's that good...

Serving type: on-tap

01-16-2011 19:09:49 | More by jabergess

generallee

New York

3.48/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Presentation: It was poured from tap into a small (10 or 12oz) nonic pint glass and served right at the brewery in there own bar The Empty Pint.

Appearance: The body has a very dark black color which I can't even see through. On top of this opaque body sits a small tan head which fades quickly leaving just a ring of lace. Glass lacing is minimal and very slick.

Smell: The aroma is over the top sweet and roasty. It's heavy on roasted barely, burnt caramel and dark toast. I also pick up light notes of toffee and hard butterscotch candy.

Taste/Palate: The flavor sweet sweet sweet!!! It has a full bodied hit of sticky sweet roasted malt that delivers notes of burnt caramel, burnt toast and burnt raisins. Molasses and chocolate also hit the sweet tooth and then everything hooks up with the boozy alcohol and rides slowly off into the finish. The palate is smooth creamy and sticky all at the same time and the carbonation offers little help in lifting this feeling.

Notes: For me this one was a bit hard to finish. It has a lot going on but it's all cloyingly sweet and there is little to no balance at all.

Serving type: on-tap

01-03-2011 00:17:25 | More by generallee

Axic10

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at U Pick 6 in Erie, PA

Appearance: Pitch black with a thin mocha head.

Smell: Oat, dark chocolate, roasted malt, some slight coffee.

Taste: Sweet chocolate and roasted malt. Nicely done.

Mouthfeel: Full bodied and very smooth.

Drinkability: I haven't had this one as much as I've had their other offerings, but wow on tap this is just awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

12-31-2010 22:47:42 | More by Axic10

paulozanello

Brazil

3.9/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pitch black and opaque color with a thin mocha head that leaves medium lacing.

Aroma is of dark roasted malts, oats, light coffee notes and some booze. Smell could be stronger.

Taste starts out with dark malts, charamel, mollasses and little oats and coffee. I also get some nice alcohol warmth in the end.

Body is heavy with medium carbonation. Aftertaste is very sweet and charamel-like with mild bitter notes.

Mouthfeel is chewy and sticky.

This is a good oat imperial stout but a little too sweet for my palate.

Serving type: on-tap

11-20-2010 03:38:28 | More by paulozanello

oglmcdgl

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A pint on tap at terrace taproom. Wow a pint, I'm in for it now.

A- comes my way with a small cap of latte colored creamy head that settle quickly leaving just a thin ring. Almost pitch black in color with just the faintest glimmer of super dark brown at the edges.

S- dark roasted malts and slightly burnt oatmeal with molasses and a hint of raisins and other dark fruits. Hint of cocoa powder and some coffee.

T- roasty oatmeal that's for sure with bakers chocolate and light roasted coffee beans that bring in some dark fruits and brown sugar. Malted milk powder waffle cones, I know sounds crazy but not when you used to work at an ice cream shop, its fucking in there. Hints of sweetened condensed milk.

M- full bodied with a good amount of chew to it and a lowish carb that has to fight its way through the slightly syrupy brew.

D- this is one of my favorite offerings for them and on draft is fucking awesome. No sign of the abv and for a much flavor and as big as it is this pint will be no problem.

Serving type: on-tap

11-14-2010 04:20:07 | More by oglmcdgl

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served in a snifter at The Barley House.

Another nice tap sighting out here in the 'Burbs. It pours a deep obsidian topped by a finger of light brown foam. The nose comprises wheat, oats, grass, very light chocolate, flowers, and light honey. The taste holds notes of roasted malts, light chocolate syrup, toasted oats, vanilla, and a hint of tobacco somewhere in the back. The body is a light heavy, with a light carbonation and a chewy feel. Overall, a very nice and tasty bit o' stout. Another win for ST.

Serving type: on-tap

11-12-2010 23:16:09 | More by TMoney2591

Vdubb86

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a snifter on-tap at the Barley House in Algonquin

This beer pours a blackness that no color is anywhere near. Finger of head that is a pretty sandy brown. The smell of this beer is rather odd. The smell is of ash (smokey char), chocolate and booze. This beer tastes mostly of the booze, it's possible I missed the oat on the nose, but my palate distinctly noticed it missing here. There is a caramel and chocolate flavor that does work rather well. Odd mouthfeel to be as smooth as it is with all the burnt remnants involved on the palate. Overall it has some very good characteristics and some ones that I don't like very much. I suppose this beer comes down to personal palate. I wouldn't dissuade anyone from having it.

Serving type: on-tap

11-11-2010 00:53:42 | More by Vdubb86

glid02

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Taco Mac Metropolis in Atlanta.

Pours black with a half-finger tan head. The head recedes into a wispy layer on top leaving solid lacing.

Smells of rich dark chocolate with solid amounts of roasted malts. Also present, and more prevalent as the beer warms, are slight hints of sweet oats.

Tastes good. Equal parts roasted malt and dark chocolate flavors kick things off. The chocolate flavors integrate better with the roastiness of the malts than I had anticipated from the nose. Midway through the sip the flavor profile does sweeten a bit then carries through to a moderately bitter ending.

Mouthfeel is great. It's got a nice thickness to begin with and the oats intensify it even more and make the bubbles feel more fine.

Drinkability is very good. I finished my glass without a problem and could have another.

Overall the thing that stood out most about this beer was the mouthfeel - until I found out that it is 11% ABV. A flavorful beer that is not quite over the top and does a very good job of masking the alcohol. Well worth a shot.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2010 21:34:21 | More by glid02

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.45/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes.

Pours nearly black with a light mocha head without too much retention. Nose brings forward some chocolate, light espresso, and roasted malt and oats. The taste is a bit harsh with some booze as well as a lot of roasted character. Feel is heavy and a bit boozy. As is often the case with this series, the beer shows promise but gets to be a bit much with more than a few ounces.

Serving type: on-tap

10-26-2010 10:53:46 | More by Thorpe429

ffejherb

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Brass Rail Deli on 11/23/09.

A - Oily, dark brown body with deep amber and burgundy hues and a thin but creamy medium tan head that reduced to a patchy retention and sparse lacing.

S - Initial aroma combines a waft of alcohol and a subtle dark fruit tang with a hint of licorice. Chocolate and coffee notes, while also apparent, are relegated more to the background.

T - The tap version of Oat doesn't necessarily strike me as an oatmeal stout, but rather more of a RIS, with hints of licorice, molasses and minimal sweetness. Alcohol is definitely apparent, but not overpowering. Quite a bit of bitterness emerges in the backend, imparting an earthy, leafy (almost clingy) bitterness.

M - Slick, oily texture with a very smooth, softly carbonated body. Finishes with moderate alcohol heat and hop bitterness on the palate.

D - I remember liking this much more out of the bottle. While this was still a good stout, I think it was a tad green. It certainly didn't weigh up to Mokah, Choklat or Jahva. Perhaps it just needed some age.

Serving type: on-tap

12-03-2009 15:31:51 | More by ffejherb

drpimento

Wisconsin

3.23/5  rDev -21.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Served with a nice fine, foamy, thick, creamy, tan head and some lace. Color is an opaque dark brownish black. Aroma is malty, toffee, chocolate, molasses, and dark ripe fruit. Flavor's about the same. The molasses and dark ripe fruits stand out, to the beer's detriment, I feel. Body is decent and so is carbonation. Finish is long and has a flavor with a boozy warmth.

Serving type: on-tap

11-15-2009 22:16:00 | More by drpimento

FeDUBBELFIST

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

into a tulip wine glass. (sidenote: the beer menu and the Southern Tier website record a 9.6% ABV)

The pour. HOLY SHlT. Am I ready for this?!?! Black as satan himself (with ruby traces when held to light), an average, creamy and medium brown head that's gone quickly.

The aroma. A little tamer. DAMN STRAIGHT I'm ready for this!! Molasses, chocolate and caramel toasted malts. Bit of baked cookie. I can't wait.

The taste. WHAT HAPPENED?? Or in this case, what DIDN'T happen in this grab bag of flavors. Everything that the nose picked up plus hop heavy, resiny, musty/earthy/doughy yeast, oats, alcohol heavy, smoke, tar, charcoal, anise and sour milk.

Pleasant mouthfeel but not very drinkable.

My experience went downhill after the aroma. I am very disappointed in this VERY bitter Imperial Stout.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2009 15:18:09 | More by FeDUBBELFIST

PrinceDarren

Illinois

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours almost black with a forced attempt to induce a little head which quickly dissipates.

Surprisingly drinkable for 11 abv. This is a tasty oatmeal stout with just a little complexity. If you had told me that part of the batch was barrel aged, I would have believed it. Seemed to have a touch of wood, but without the presence of extra alcohol that we typically see in bourbon barrel stouts. My taste buds were fooled.

I would love to try a version of this that has truly been barrel-aged. Add a little more head and a little more complexity and we might have a big winner here. Otherwise, the drinkability characteristic will still keep it on the list of recommended stouts.

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2009 04:35:52 | More by PrinceDarren

brianh78

Washington

4.03/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Randomly found this beer on tap while on a business trip in southern New Jersey, so I had to give it a shot...so here goes...

Appearance: very very dark brown to jet black, with a creamy and slightly caramel colored head which was about a finger thick...left lots of pretty lacing on the glass

Smell: malty sweet; vanilla, caramel, a hint of chocolate and cooked oat overtones

Taste: sweet; malty; caramel and slight vanilla, hint of chocolate/coffee/toffee; light oat flavor which was a bit toasty in the back

Mouthfeel: velvety thick, slightly coating; carbonation in the first sip, but calms down quickly and settles to a nice, slick feel

Drinkability: holy high alcohol content, Batman! 11%? where is it? I didn't taste it at all. This beer is, like many other oatmeal stouts, quite filling. I wouldn't drink more than two in a sitting...but it is quite tasty!

Serving type: on-tap

11-04-2009 03:54:47 | More by brianh78

projectflam86

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- Pours a deep brown/black color with a thin light brown head with a bit of retention.

S- Dark malt and roasted aromas dominate the nose.

T- Full roasted malt flavor with waves of bittersweet chocolate, coffee, molasses and oatmeal. Actually the oatmeal is more prominent than I would have guessed going in. A quick alcohol bite was present in the finish.

M- Full bodied with light carbonation.

D- Nice roasted flavor with a well hidden alcohol burn. Worth getting again.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2009 03:18:18 | More by projectflam86

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer looks the business, and thanks to Cole's for deciding to give me a pint of imperial stout. A deep black body sits under a chocolate milkshake head that laces in sheets as its slowly fades to a cap. The nose is full of that smoky, slightly bready oatiness that I love, but its also complimented by all the regular flavours you would get in a beer of this heft - chocolate, coffee and alcohol. Hmmm... would you like some coffee with your oatmeal? One sip reveals this to be a bang on interpretation of an imperial oatmeal stout. Lots of bittersweet chocolate and burned brown sugar mixed in with a shot of espresso. The oatmeal comes through strongly in the finish, giving the impression of tobacco, and (not surprisingly), oatmeal. There's moderate bitterness, but I feel its mostly from the roasted malt. The mouthfeel belies the alcohol, and isn't as heavy as I would expect, veering more towards that of a regular oatmeal stout. That said it is smooth and well-handled... I just expected something bigger and silkier - Southern Tier don't usually do half measures.

This is an excellent interpretation, and my one real criticism is the same one that applies to all Southern Tier's bigger beers - after a while the sweetness starts to become too much. in fact this would have been excellent in a two-thirds pint glass. Nonetheless, another impressive stout from the blackwater series.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2009 01:46:11 | More by bobsy