Oat (Imperial Oatmeal Stout) - Southern Tier Brewing Company

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

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

This is series #2 at 11%, licoricey and chewy. Columbus and Chinook and chocolate and de-bittered black barley from Belgium. A very rich and oily imperial stout that is a meal in itself. A sipper that goes down well with a meal. Very satisfying. Thick black and an aroma that is chocolatey and somewhat hoppy.Mollasses and cocoa.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2007 03:49:25 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

"Alimony is like buying oats for a dead horse."

--Arthur Baer

Pitch black with a faint glimmer of sepia along the bottom edge. The mocha colored cap is incredibly thick and rich, leading to slow-motion meltage and impressive sheets of residue that become seriously shredded as the coffee milkshake-like foam continues to deflate.

The aroma is everything one could want in a beer of this style. Although it isn't quite as chocolate-like as Choklat's nose, nor quite as java-like as Jahva's nose, it's wonderfully roasted malty and I love it. Looks like Southern Tier has come through yet again.

Simply put, Oat tastes like an Imperial oatmeal stout ought to taste. The only possible negative (and I would argue that it isn't one) is the fact that there isn't the same flavor focus as in the offerings mentioned above. However, those of us who love expertly crafted, big-ass stouts that derive their flavor from a well-chosen malt bill will be in seventh heaven.

Flavors include charred dark chocolate, dark caramel, blackstrap molasses, a double shot of espresso and a single shot of Sambuca. There's a fraction more unmasked alcohol than is ideal, but there's so much flavor that it's easily ignored. Big beer occasionally requires a few small compromises. Besides, this ain't no sissy session stout.

The body/mouthfeel is excellent... for a 7.0% stout. An 11.0% Imperial stout requires something a bit more viscous and more nougat chewy. On the other hand, the sneaky amount of silky smoothness that appears as the beer continues to warm is more than welcome.

Oat may not be as superb as Choklat and Jahva, but it's an excellent stout that drinks like a dream. It explodes out of the gate and cruises across the finish line in the manner of a true thoroughbred. This brewery is more than solid. Many thanks to far333 for sending me the bomber.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2008 21:40:31 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

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

I picked up a couple of these in a trade recently as I had never had a chance to try it and I really do love the Southern Tier imperial series. This one I just had to get. Served at cellar temp and poured into an over sized wine glass, this one was consumed on 09/14/2008.

The pour was very nice, lots of rich looking deep chocolate brown notes. A small head of tan poked up through the bottom of it, quietly sitting on top for the remainder of the session before slipping back down to just a veil over the top that easily set me up for some fine, and thin side glass lace.

The aroma was about as rich as they come. Deep notes of alcohol came tumbling in at the start. Lots of sweet chocolate like notes that were mingling in and out the entire time, really just pushing through on this quite well. Some lactose, and sweet sugar like notes coming through as well. A very tight flavor profile here, and extremely rich. I was actually quite shocked by this to be honest. This one seems as though it could hang up there with the best of the big boys for sure. Rich notes of vanilla and chocolate were dominating here, along with a nice tight profile of almost bourbon like alcohol. Creamy and smooth, this was a full bodied stout at its finest. I had no issue polishing off the sweet stout over the course of the night, but I was feeling it this morning for sure.
Overall I have to admit this one took me by surprise. I did not expect it to be anywhere near as good as it was. In fact this was downright excellent. One of the best bigger stouts I have had in a long time, and hands down my favorite of the big southern tier beers. I would like to have one of these everyday it would seem. Really go check this one out, it is absurdly good.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2008 00:12:38 | More by mikesgroove

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

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

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

2007 Vintage received in a trade with rciesla.

Appearance: Pours a black, thick-looking body with a thin, khaki-colored head. Lovely legs on this one!

Smell: Full nose smelling of dark malts, with chocolate sauce, and oats, natch. All layered beneath crusted chunks of dark, gooey sugar.

Taste: Heavily sugared, chocolate-coated oats slide and smear over the tongue along with bountiful tastes of marshmallows, second molasses, humble caramel, and sweet licorice-flavored candy. There's a huge burst of dark fruitiness early in the taste and it lasts well beyond the finish. Very faint, subdued bitterness. Transitory spiciness. Then, it's back to the heavy, heady dessert-like flavors with a far-off, faint touch of roastiness. Finishes decidedly sweet with lasting tastes of fruit and Godiva Chocolate Liqueur. There are some warming qualities, but, for the most part, the 11% ABV goes down very, very easily.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium-low carbonation. Excessively smooth, tongue-coated mouthfeel.

Drinkability: A tasty Imperial Stout that glides across one's palette with sheer ease, though the grotesque hedonist in me is left yearning for a bottle of Choklat, oooh, or even their new Mokah. Still, it's one I recommend.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2009 05:42:36 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a viscous dark brown color with a gooey tan head that leaves droplets all around the chalice

Smell: Rich dark chocolate aroma with a subtle blend of dark fruit sneaking through

Taste: Opens with a dark chocolate flavor that is joined by dark fruit and hints of molasses; after the swallow, some piney hops peek through and take the beer in an unexpected direction

Mouthfeel: Thick and viscous with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: These bombers that Southern Tier put out are just an adventure that I am ready to take whenever I see them; another great achievement

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2007 21:53:12 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

3.88/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to mjtiernan for sending me this one!

Pours a pitch black color with a small 1 inch tan head that fades to a tiny cap. No real lacing on the drink down and what is present seems to drip back down into the beer. Smells of malted milk, milk chocolate, oatmeal, and some dark fruits like raisins. I get a distinct smell of Whoppers candy and that is awesome. A very sweet beer here, which sort of detracts from the overall tastes. The taste comes through as roasted malts, bittersweet chocolate, sweet dark fruits, and toasted oatmeal. Mild cocoa powder bitterness on the palate lasts after each sip. Beer is nicely carbonated and is thick and creamy in the mouth. Overall, this is a good beer and my first from Southern Tier. I liked it overall, but it's a bit too sweet in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 00:25:12 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle courtesy of Jerc: Poured a pitch-black color ale with a dark brown foamy head with good retention and some good lacing. Aroma consists of well balance of sweet oatmeal malt with some coffee and bitter roasted malt. Taste is also dominated by a rich creamy texture with some notes of coffee, medium sweet black chocolate and a light bitter ending. I have to admit to being very impressed by this beer that retains some balance while being very extreme.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2007 21:05:10 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.2/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Insanely rich, thick, and silky smooth, the roast character of this larger-than-life beer is tempered by the creamy solace of oats that makes the beer velvety unitl the end.

"As dark as a moonless night" ...or at least that's how the label describes the appearance of this lush stout. The beer lives up to the moniker with a rich black viscocity and a completely opaque appearance. Releasing a lightly tanned head, the beer holds onto an espresso-like creme of foam for nearly half the session, but then colapses and the beer falls into stillness.

Roast is the dominant aroma, along with heavy toast, espresso-like coffees, cocoa-rich chocolates, heavy cream, a hint of vanilla, and a balance of woody and grassy hops. With no fruity esters or phenolic spices detected, the aromas remain focused and assertive in it's creamy roast character.

Strong flavors of roast also dominate the taste profile. Deeply roasted coffee, bittersweet cocoa, charred breads and woods, and a malty-rich taste of sweet breads, burnt caramel, and heavy cream- this Oatmeal Stout undoubtedly takes top honors with the strongest version of the style, but never brings attention to the flavor of oats...

...but the oats have a dramatic impact in mouthfeel! The aggressive roast bitterness and harshness is tempered with the protien-rich creamy, velvety, and silky smooth texture that oats provide. Very robust, viscous, and chewy to start, the beer transitions nicely across mid palate and arrives with a warm, malty-rich finish with an extended aftertaste of coffee and vanilla.

Along with Hoppin' Frog BORIS, these beers accend the thresholds for traditional Oatmeal Stouts and thrust into the realm of Imperial Status while retaining a true base recipe. If this is the new world for Imperial Stouts, then I'm all in on the shift!

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 04:20:17 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.53/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Part of the Black Water series of big beers from ST,11% ABV per label.Poured an opaque black with a thinner deep mocha colored head atop that left a half ring around my Guinness pint glass.Deep bitter chocolate and espresso coffee in the nose that brought on a bit of earth and fruitiness very deep and entrenched "dark" aromas,pretty much perfection on the palate deeply roasted and rich flavors bitter chocolate and molasses dominates up front with a bit of vanilla and dark roast coffee and wood hovers, a big earthy almost leafy presence shows up in the finish.Complex and well rounded the alcohol begins to show some heat after a bit but never intrudes on the flavors,kick ass new "big one" from Southern Tier wich I expected.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2007 21:47:02 | More by oberon

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

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Solid, impenetrable black, perfect roasty tan head.

Aroma is right on the money, too. Roasted black malt, flaked oats, grainy a little. Some chocolate coming through, but still essentially dry.

Hefty mouthfeel, a big, solid jump on the mouth, then it's silky smooth. Cocoa meets oats, yum...and then the booze creeps in...

Dark fruit pops up, and bumps into the cocoa/coffee/oat feel. Mighty complex malt character here, and terrifically tasty.
And here comes the booze...

I still don't think oatmeal stouts need to be "imperialized", but they didn't ask me what they should do, did they? On the other hand, maybe it's an Imperial Stout with oatmeal. Oat tastes almost exactly like an RIS and an oatmeal stout blended. With over the top booze.
And it's damn good!

Serving type: on-tap

11-06-2008 07:12:46 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a deep dark black color with a thick frothy brown head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is great. It has a rich, warm black malt scent that is quite powerful. It is full of black patent and some chocolate malts along with a very dry oatmeal aroma. The taste is excellent as well. It is thick and rich with black malts. It goes down slow and warms on the finish. It is really dry and earthy. The mouthfeel is good. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a great drinking oatmeal stout. It's one you want to drink slow, but it's a good drinker. I have been waiting for the local "ale house" to put this on tap for some time now. I was worth the wait.

Serving type: on-tap

03-09-2005 21:59:00 | More by WesWes

Mora2000

Texas

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Exiled for sharing this bottle. I had been looking forward to this beer for a long time.

The beer pours a dark brown to black color with a tan head. The aroma is heavy on the roasted malt and chocolate. The flavor is great, with roasted malt and chocolate up front as well as some burnt malt. You also get some oat flavor as well as the creaminess in the mouthfeel that you expect from oats. The alcohol is very well hidden in the beer. Thick mouthfeel and low carbonation. A very nice imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2010 02:24:41 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is jet black in color and poured with a thin tan head that quickly faded away and left very delicate lacing covering the surface.
S: There are light aromas of chocolate and roasted malts in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell, but is much stronger and intensifies even more as the beer warms up. There are also some notes of coffee beans and oatmeal in the flavor.
M: It feels medium- to full-bodied and smooth on the palate and coats the mouth. A light amount of carbonation is perceptible.
D: The beer is quite drinkable considering its strength because the alcohol is well masked from the taste.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2011 02:38:23 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

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

A - Poured out a jet black and opaque. There were a few light brown bubbles on the surface of the beer. Absolutely no lace.

S - It smelled of oatmeal, coffee and some floral notes.

T - It tasted of bitter dark chocolate and oats. There were toffee and molasses flavors, too. Despite the high ABV, no boozy or alcohol flavors.

M - It was soft and smooth with a dry finish. A medium bodied beer.

D - This is a pretty good Imperial Stout. The ABV is sneaky...watch out

Serving type: bottle

12-11-2009 22:05:20 | More by zeff80

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.28/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Fall 2007 Release, Sampled December 2007
A vigorous pour produces a three finger thick, richly browned, tan colored head in my 25cl tulip glass. The beer is an opaque, black color no matter what angle I look at it. Aromas of tempered black coffee, dark chocolate, and acidic espresso are strongly noticeable and dominant, though the chocolate note is the least noticeable. Behind this are aromatic notes of deeply toasted grain, blackened malt, and carbonized wood. The aroma is really dominated by overly roasted malt characteristics; sharp, acidic and harsh some feeble attempts at balance are made by weak chocolate notes and concentrated caramelized malt sugars. The aroma is not bad and would in fact appeal to those who like hugely roasted beers, but it is fairly uni-dimensional / one sided.

The taste is thick and rich up front with an ample, deeply caramelized, dark, malt sugar profile. The light carbonation makes has this leaning towards a creamy mouthfeel, but the roast acidity prickly carbonation cause the beer to thin out unsatisfactorily in the finish. Up front, creamy dark chocolate notes lend a richness and texture that is really quite nice, unfortunately the finish ruins this with sharp, bitter, burnt grain-husk flavors and a lingering roasted astringency. The harsh finish doesn't quite banish the rich, textured malt character though it gives it harrowing blow. A bitter, roasted, almost tepid, overly drained espresso flavor with blackened vegetal characteristics in the finish really gets in the way.

While the aroma is way too one-dimensional, the front part of each sip is quite enjoyable; the rich, textured grain character (of which the oatmeal plays a significant role) accents a delightful chocolate flavor and reasonable espresso flavor. The finish though is overly sharp and roasted; harsh, off-putting and acidic, at best this beer needs five years to mellow. At which point it might actually be quite sublime. If you only have one bottle, I would highly recommend holding on to it for quite some time.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2007 04:12:03 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2007 release, poured from a 22oz. bottle into an imperial pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep black color with a short brown head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of dark chocolate, roasted oats, dark malts, some alcohol and a touch of hops.

T: The taste is malty and very creamy up front with strong flavors of roasted oats and dark chocolate. There are background flavors of coffee and dark fruit. There's a mild but complimentary hops presence and there's very little trace of the 12.50% ABV. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth but kind of slick due to the heavy viscosity, heavy body, light-to-medium carbonation, finish is sticky.

D: Tasty, goes down easily, a little filling, very strong kick, good representation of style, this one definitely falls into the sipper category because of its heaviness and high ABV, but a pretty good beer overall.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2009 03:17:56 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had a bottle of this about a year ago and honestly wasn't too impressed with it. The beer pours out as a deep thick black looking liquid with a thin tan head that nearly vanishes within minutes. The smell is a little grainy with some oats and roasted malts. The taste is rather muted, I can taste the malts and oats but it just seems to be on the faint side. If this is really an imperial I'd expect the flavors to be much more intense. The mouthfeel I thought was thinner than what it looked when it was being poured out. Overall not my favorite brew from Southern Tier.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 15:18:48 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.35/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Got this one from rgtravers, cheers Ryan...

Fall 08 Vintage pours black as night & oily with fairly fast falling brown/mocha head. Some lacing & head retention

S: Dark fruits, raisins, cherries & vanilla & cocoa

T: Leafy hops, dark fruit, licorice & molasses with powdery dryness up front. Dark choclate, figgyness & more dark fruit with a whisper of booze as this warms, plus faint herbal & leafy hops, plus a touch of charred grain. Finishes dry with nice mocha notes & a touch of charred grain

MF: Very oily & smooth as all hell with low carbonation & nice stickyness. Great balance on this as well

Drinks pretty easy for the style & abv, another great dark bruiser from Southern Tier

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2009 04:03:28 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

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

Whoa buddy. This is a monster...don't try to finish one at the end of a session like I tried to do once. Here's a review on a fresh palate.

Woody brown in the light as it's poured into a 22 oz. glass. Black with a dark brown glint at the edge. A finger of tan mocha foam, dense and chocolatey. Spindly ring of lace is draped inside the glass. Roasty with a sweet whiff of alcohol. This hides it's abv, but it still shows around the edges. Ashy char and tobacco meets bitter dark chocolate, with a silky texture that seals the deal. Rich lactic feel, mild fusel note that fades fast. Overall a definite winter sipper...

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2009 03:33:24 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

22 oz. bomber, bought at Lone Hill Liquors, in Glendora, CA, first time I've ever seen a Southern Tier beer in this state,

A: Pours black, with hints of brown, with a small, frankly, mocha coffee tan head, fair retention, limited lacing, not the best looking big stout that I have seen.

S: The smell has an overall smoky feel to it, even though this beer isn't smoked, nice notes of strong coffee and milk chocolate come along for the ride.

T: Never having had an Imperial Oatmeal Stout before, I didn't know what to expect, but was eager to try, I assumed it would be a sweeter version of an RIS-type beer. Very sweet on the first sip, very malty, but not with a roasted flavour, more caramel, then as the flavour evolves in your mouth, the burnt sugar and molasses come with strong espresso notes finishing out the drink. A complex and satisfying stout.

M: Very rich, but actually somewhat light and fluffy on the tongue which lessens its alcoholic impact, making it easier to drink. Very well done.

D: My first beer from Southern Tier and I am impressed, I'd like to try more of their beers if I'm ever in the Northeast.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2007 06:01:48 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

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

Appearance: black in color with a 2" head that slowly falls. Some lacing develops.

Smell: roasted malts, alcohol, and some cocoa is picked up by the nose.

Taste: roasted malt sweetness with some bitter dark chocolate, prunes, mild bitterness, and a good bit of alcohol. The oats seem to mellow out the malt profile a bit.

Mouthfeel: lightly prickly at the start. Smooth almost syrupy at the finish. Heavy in body. Aftertaste is long on the flavor profile.

Drinkability: decent but a real slow sipper here. This bottle will last a good part of the evening. One bomber is more than enough though.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2007 23:13:43 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours black with a tan head that gives an espresso look. The head falls to wisps, leaving some thin lines of spotted lacing.

The smell is of dark maltiness - some coffee/chocolate though neither really stand out - a general dark maltiness fits description well enough. Boozy.

The taste is of sweet dark malt with a bittering touch. The alcohol comes through strongly. Chocolate syrup with thick caramel makes this one sweet and dessert-like. Hot, sweetish finish.

It is rich and hits full-bodied, but not too syrupy. There is a certain smoothness despite noticeable alcohol.

This is a slow-sipper. Personally, not as impressed as I was hoping to be, but an interesting beer, nevertheless.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2007 13:54:25 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Picked up a bomber from Abe's Cold Beer and shared it with a couple friends. It poured pitch black with a short tan head. This is by far one of the smoothest impy stouts I've had. I'd give a higher MF score, but as the beer warmest a lot of alcohol came forward. Otherwise the flavor is a big, rich mix of candied cocoa with a little mocha around the edge. It reminds me of Sam Smith's oatmeal stout on steroids.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2010 15:39:34 | More by tempest