Summit Oatmeal Stout - Summit Brewing Company

JamesMN

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on-tap which is currently the only way to get this particular brew.

Appearance: Completely opaque black with a very light brown creamy head.

Aroma: Malts. Oatmeal. Not really much to smell here. I find with nitro-beers the aroma isn't as strong.

Taste: Dark chocolate and coffee. Malty goodness. The oatmeal is there, but it's not super apparent. Bitter chocolate aftertaste leaves you wanting more.

Mouthfeel: Thick but pretty drinkable. Really coats your whole mouth with malt.

Final Thoughts: This is one of my favorite offerings from Summit. It's also one of the hardest to get. If you are a fan of stouts or porters then give this one a try if you are lucky enough to find it on tap!

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-28-2012 04:12:46 | More by JamesMN

soju6

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Served a dark brown-black color with a creamy tan head that fades slowly to lots of lacing.

S: Nice rich aroma of roasted malt and grain, with a bit of chocolate and coffee.

T: Flavor of roasted malt, some grain, with a mixture of chocolate and coffee. There is a mild bitterness and a clean finish.

F: Fairly full body, smooth and creamy with a velvety texture. Very good balance

Easy drinker. Excellent stout, a good example of the style. Well worth checking out.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-03-2012 22:38:36 | More by soju6

manitouman84

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep brown black with a dense foamy three finger khaki head. Very mild on the nose, a hint of dark roasted chocolate malt, oats and leather. Pleasant flavors, chocolate, bit of cocoa, mild oatmeal, and a smidgen of smoke rounds out the dark roasted malt backbone. Fairly dry, modestly carbonated, creamy and smooth. Solid offering from Summit.

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-02-2012 03:24:22 | More by manitouman84

kojevergas

California

3.88/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Served on nitro-draught in a bar in St. Paul, Minnesota. Reviewed from notes taken over a Thanksgiving Holiday. Expectations were high given that I love stouts and it was on nitro. I thought it was curious that an oatmeal stout was on nitro, which got me excited.

A: Pours a two finger head of absolutely lovely cream lacing, wonderful thickness, and great retention. Moreover, a bubble show accompanies as tan bleeds into black. Colour is a solid black. Very appealing.

Sm: Cream and nitrogen. Some roast. A mild strength aroma.

T: Cream, oats, very light roast, and extremely light notes of coffee and chocolate. Not horribly complex for its style, but extremely refreshing and quite flavourful. Near perfectly balanced. Quite nicely built.

Mf: Lovely creamy mouthfeel - very smooth and quite wet. Those oats were put to good use. This texture complements the style quite nicely. Nitro was the right option for this beer; well done Summit. Incredible.

Dr: Incredibly drinkable. Uses cream to overcome stout dryness instead of succumbing to porter-esque workarounds. The oat smoothness synergizes brilliantly with the nitro-draught system.

Serving type: nitro-tap

12-19-2011 00:17:30 | More by kojevergas

MsRif

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Had on nitro-tap at TJ's in Paoli, PA. Poured a dark brown/black color with a bit of ruby on the peripheral. Creamy beige head that kept retention and left nice lacing. Had an aroma of roasted malts, smoke, leather (?) and coffee. Tasted of coffee, smoke and seriously, leather. Was a touch metallic towards the beginning but as it warmed that flavor seemed to fade.

Full-bodied with low carbonation. This is a dessert beer at best...do not drink it with food like I did or else you'll be unable to finish your meal.

Overall, not a bad brew, but definitely not a favorite. Still, good and fairly drinkable as a night-cap.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-20-2011 14:59:05 | More by MsRif

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

First had: on nitro at TJ's, Paoli, PA

Poured into a pint glass, a dark brownish black, a bit light and clear around the edges when held to the light. A creamy tan head that retained and laced well. Smell of roasty malts and smoke. Taste was very dry and roasty, dark malts, and smokey leather, with a beef jerky sensation detectable. Coffee bitterness in the finish. Medium-bodied and fairly drinkable, though not the kind of stout I'd want to order for a casual session.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-19-2011 04:59:59 | More by Rifugium

zhanson88

Montana

2.45/5  rDev -40.2%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours close to black with ruby hints around the edges. About 2" of light tan head forms which has extremely good retention and lacing.

Smell: A touch of roast, chocolate and coffee. Pretty weak smell overall.

Taste: Weak roast and chocolate with an odd fruity finish. Nothing in the way of smooth oatmeal and rich roast and chocolate flavors.

Overall: Medium bodied with low carbonation. Pretty good here. I did not care for this oatmeal stout much. Maybe due to the fact that it was on nitro tap it killed the flavors, but I found it pretty weak all in all. I'd try this out again if given the chance.

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-29-2011 17:35:39 | More by zhanson88

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had on tap at the Muddy Pig in St. Paul, MN. 12 oz pint glass.

Appearance: A very dark brown with a moderate amount of bubbles. Solid two and a half finger lightly tan head with good retention and lots of lacing.

Smell: Aroma of dark malts and chocolate with some oats, caramel and coffee. Hints of earthy hops and vanilla.

Taste: Sweet taste of chocolate, dark malts, coffee, and oats with some hints of vanilla and grassy hops. With the cream and chocolate this tastes like a cross between a Schwarzbier and a chocolate shake. Mild bitterness balances things out.

Mouthfeel: Very creamy and smooth. Medium body with a medium to high carbonation.

Overall: A very solid version of an oatmeal stout from Summit. Great for when you want a dark beer with a lighter body or something that goes great with a scoop of ice cream.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-08-2011 19:46:04 | More by MattyG85

morimech

Minnesota

4.05/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Glad to finally get to try this beer. Nitro-tap at Hautedish. Very dark brown color with one finger of dense, tan head. The head never really settles but stays firm. Heavy lacing is left on the glass.

Aroma consists of roasted malt with hints of chocolate and coffee. A little bit of minerals as well but that may of been the glassware.

Plenty of roasted malt qualities in the flavor. Plenty of chocolate and subtle hints of coffee. Bitterness is not that high considering the roasted qualities of the beer.

Being on nitro it is difficult to determine the true nature of the body. It could be a little more full bodied. Nice creamy texture.

A nice low ABV stout that is very easy to drink.

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-31-2011 19:49:31 | More by morimech

duffcalifornia

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a nonic pint at the Milwaukee Ale House.

A: Dark brown with the deepest mahogany. Mocha colored head which stuck around for half the beer. Better than average lacing.

S: Roasted malts and hints of dark chocolate. Vague smell of oatmeal cookies.

T: Roasted oats, chocolate, malty deliciousness.

M: Thick, oily, low carbonation. Exactly what a stout should be.

D: Very high. At 4.7%, it's extemely sessionable, and a great winter warmer. I couldn't wait to order a growler of this.

Serving type: nitro-tap

01-29-2011 05:25:41 | More by duffcalifornia

kbutler1

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Draft. On tap at Town Hall Tap on nitro. Super dark brown color, almost black, with a tiny bubbled tan head. Roasted malted, coffee, and dark chocolate notes in the nose. Nice lace on the glass. Smooth, velvety medium mouthfeel, mmmm only nitro can be this smooth. Very smooth flavor, roast coffee and dark chocolate notes with an overall nice rounded out flavor. Tasty. Ends fairly dry.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-22-2010 15:41:37 | More by kbutler1

APTrue7

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +22%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Had this on tap at the brewery this weekend. Freshly tapped keg, only 6 days old. It was fantastic. I am a fan of stouts above all else, and this was truly up there with some of the most magnificent I have ever had. If you have the rare opportunity to try this, you are lucky. It is in limited distribution, and even the pub I went to the next day for another pint does not go through enough for the absolute ideal pour (perhaps why some outside of the Twin Cities may not have enjoyed it as much as I).

A: perfect cascade, the perfect deep black hue that television manufacturers wish they could match.

S: Fresh and creamy with some sweetness to the bouquet

T: Delicious, smooth, and creamy. It rolls around on the palate delicately and builds in flavor with every swirl.

M: Very smooth and delicate. Almost silky (perhaps some may think too smooth for an oatmeal stout if they are used to the nuttier, heavily oat based flavors, or perhaps the less filtered grittier tastes of others)

D: Goes down so smooth, it is almost dangerous. Great at any time of day, from morning (on the special occasion or before a great sporting match) to the evening. Only drawback is availability. I wish I could have a pint by the fire on a cold Minnesota night, but absent a nitro-tap and keg fridge, I will have to save it for special occasions.

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-13-2010 16:58:07 | More by APTrue7

armock

New York

4.13/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured a black color with a tan head that leaves lacing behind

S - Is of roasted malt with chocolate scents

T - Follows the nose roasted malt with chocolate flavors

M - This beer has a creamy smooth body with light carbonation to it

D - This is probably the best Oatmeal stout I've had very good taste thats very easy to drink worth getting if you see it on tap

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-05-2010 22:34:20 | More by armock

wagenvolks

Texas

3.83/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on nitro-tap at the Draught House in Austin.

Thick, blackish-brown body with a typically gorgeous head of tightly packed, creamy brown bubbles. Makes for excellent head retention and lacing, but I've seen better from a nitro-tap. Slightly muted aroma of burnt chocolate and coffee. A little vanilla interplays with the toastedness of the malts, as do a pinch of earthy hops.

Flavor is also a bit muted, with creamy oats and charred chocolate malts leading the way. Summit's oatmeal stout is tasty, but I expected a bit more from this beer as it fell a bit flat in the middle. Noticeable blandness towards the finish, but thankfully a bit of roasted chocolate malt picks up the slack. Great mouthfeel, courtesy of our friend, the 7th atomic element. Smooth, chewy, slick, velvety...all of the above in terms of body. All in all, a decent brew, but I would choose several other stouts over this one. Still, it's definitely worth a try.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-28-2010 00:57:22 | More by wagenvolks

herman77

Minnesota

4.47/5  rDev +9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

On tap at Green Mill in Uptown

A: Jet black with a creamy thick head. Nice cascading affect as it settles. Very visually appealing. Tons of gooey lacing.

S: Roasty toasty malt, a little cream and a hint of coffee.

T: Toasted malts, oats, sweet cream, a hint of chocolate. There is a little bit of coffee bitterness that balances out the sweetness. Clean creamy finish. Awesome!

M: Wonderful. Silky smooth full bodied, but it doesn't seem overly heavy. Very low carbonation, just how I like it in an oat stout.

D: Very very drinkable especially with the lower abv. A session stout for sure.

I love this beer. Best offering from Summit. Wish more places had it on tap.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-23-2010 03:45:05 | More by herman77

Arnie2709

North Dakota

3.43/5  rDev -16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Served in a 16oz chilled pint glass at JL Beers in Fargo, ND
Looks like espresso during the first second of the pour followed by the nice cascade effect from the nitrogen and just under two fingers worth of creamy nitro-head. Smell is very similar, espresso and coffee, with a very slight sweetness of chocolate. First taste is of roasted barley finishing with a malty sweetness. Full Bodied and lingers for little while after it's gone. A very nice alternate to Guinness for desert.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-23-2010 02:24:36 | More by Arnie2709

pmccallum86

Minnesota

4.22/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a deep dark opaque color with a think coffee colored head that dissipates slowly.

The smell is of roasted malts and oatmeal.

Super smooth taste, oatmeal definitely there with maybe some coffee. Roasted malts are also there behind the oatmeal.

The mouthfeel is very light, smooth and refreshing, for a stout. This beer feels like silk on the tongue.

Drinkablility is great, this may be the definition of a session stout.

Serving type: nitro-tap

12-10-2009 19:54:41 | More by pmccallum86

bsp77

Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Serving glass: Poured from tap into Imperial Pint.

Appearance: Jet black with thick creamy tan head expected for a nitro beer. Fantastic lacing lines.

Smell: Dry roasted aroma with chocolate, light coffee and oats.

Taste: Somewhat sweet creamy taste with light roasted character, highlighting light coffee, milk chocolate and oats.

Feel: Exceedingly smooth and creamy but maybe slightly thin. Expected nitro feel, which is quite nice.

Drinkability: Very easy to drink with more flavor than a typical nitro beer. Great Oatmeal Stout overall.

Serving type: nitro-tap

11-22-2009 00:15:31 | More by bsp77

cokes

Wisconsin

3.7/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Clear, very dark brown with a thick nitro-juiced tan head.
Java nose, with the creamy, flaky oatmeal as a pronounced secondary aroma, along with cocoa nibs, and grain.
Roasty up front and throughout. Coffee beans and bitter chocolate. Oats bring their creamed graininess, and stay awhile. Low hop profile, but the counteracting (and complementary) bitterness is there.
The nitro brings a fleecy full body upfront, which sags over the sip and thins a great deal.
I'd like to see a fuller, non-nitro version bottled, because it has a lot of upside, but the current situation is akin to an oated Guinness. Good session stout, but a bit hollow.

Serving type: nitro-tap

10-06-2009 05:16:31 | More by cokes

blackearth

Minnesota

5/5  rDev +22%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

And for my 100th review, Summit Oatmeal Stout. A holy grail of sorts for me since it's only sold on tap and not in bottles because it's tapped with half CO2 and half Nitro. I don't live near the Twin Cities, so it was a treat to finally have some at Stub and Herbs in Minneapolis.

Pours black with a light tan head that cascades in the body of the beer for a while after it's poured. Aroma was of roasted malts and creaminess. The mouthfeel was medium bodied and super silky-smooth. Flavors were a perfect mix of roasted, toasted malt with hints of cream and coffee. I was anticipating that this would be good and it exceeded those expecations. This is to date the best beer I've ever tasted.

Serving type: nitro-tap

09-11-2009 17:39:13 | More by blackearth

hardy008

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Came to the table with a foamy, tan, 2 finger head and a dark black color, with streaks of red when held to the light. The taste and aroma have coffee, oatmeal, and chocolate. Smooth and creamy, medium bodied, the carbonation is fairly light. Nice drinkability, with a mix of sweetness and coffee bitterness. Nicely made.

Serving type: nitro-tap

08-21-2009 23:55:21 | More by hardy008

rkinsella

Minnesota

4.45/5  rDev +8.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

I couldn't wait to try this beer, and it didn't disappoint! Had a pint with my meal at the Groveland Tap in St Paul.

Appearance - Near pitch with some brown/ruby highlights on the edges of the glass. Creamy tan head, thick lacing down the whole glass.

Smell - Toasted malt/oats, roasted coffee, dark toasted bread.

Taste - Sweetness upfront, roasted flavors of coffee, bit of dark chocolate, finishes with a smooth mild bitterness.

Mouthfeel - Although it was a nitro-tap, it wasn't over the top creamy. Tiny bubbles which were velvety, no where near watery. Perhaps the gas mix had less Nitrogen than other nitro-taps. Anyways, it was perfect!

Drinkability - As much of a session beer as Guinness and others like it. Even though it is on the sweeter side.

Would love to see this in bottles sometime. And I would prefer carbonation in the bottle rather than a nitro-widget. This would produce a better match to the "on tap" mouthfeel. Excellent offering from Summit.

Serving type: nitro-tap

04-03-2009 13:37:30 | More by rkinsella

jlb307

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served from the tap in a 16 oz. pint glass.

A: Black coffee, of course. Thick white head that coated the glass the whole way down.

S: Coffee and nuts with a hint of chocolate. Very malty aroma.

T: Out of sight! Probably the smoothest stout I've ever had. Hints of coffee, chocolate, some caramely sweetness too. Roasted malts helped round it out and make it a full-bodied beer.

M: Smooth as satin. Coated the mouth, tongue, and throat like syrup. I plan on using this as cough medicine in the future!

D: Not as smoky as most stouts I've tried which makes it very easy for me to drink. I think I may have a new favorite dark beer.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-07-2009 15:11:56 | More by jlb307

jjanega08

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

a= pours an almost jet black with a nice creamy white head off a nitro tap with beautiful lacing on it.
s= oatmeal smell comes through quite a bit but the thick creamy head covers the odor a little bit
t= a little subdued and dissapointing. tastes a lot like a guiness but better. more flavor in the carmel malts and chocolate flavor.
m= smooth and very creamy
d= very good. pretty decent. i wish it wasnt on nitro tap, it prolly woulda had more flavor.

Serving type: nitro-tap

03-03-2009 20:52:12 | More by jjanega08

AdmiralDiaz

Minnesota

3.85/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Needless to say it looked perfect off of nitro-tap. Amazing two finger head that was almost as thick as whipped cream. Thick lacing all the way down.

S: Very light roasted scents and some chocolate.

T: Similar to the smell, mellow malts with hints of chocolate.

M: Extremely smooth, just what you would expect.

D: Highly drinkable and every sip enjoyable.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-17-2009 20:26:24 | More by AdmiralDiaz