Shadow Mountain Stout - Grand Lake Brewing Company

angelmonster

Colorado

2.75/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a pitch black body, head is a mocha color and 3/4th inch. Head retention is above average and lacing is average.

Smell is mostly of lightly roasted and chocolate malts. There is also a bit of sweetness, like bakers chocolate. Hops and alcohol are not present at all.

First thing that strikes me in the taste department is that the beer taste watered down or diluted. One of the least flavorful oatmeal stouts I've had. Theres a little sweetness and some smoky burnt malts but just not enough to excite the palate. There is also some chalky biscuit malts that is most often found in irish dry stouts, not oatmeal stouts. Hops and alcohol cant be detected.

Mouthfeel is watery and disappointing. Extremely light bodied, there is no silky smoothness that I usually get from oatmeal stouts. Head was semi present throughout the glass, but this beer was doomed from the beginning.

Overall , I was pretty let down by this beer. I would rather drink Guinness and I'm not a big Guinness fan. Too bland, not enough body to stand up to even the most modest stouts

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2012 04:40:00 | More by angelmonster

homebrew311

Illinois

3.71/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured Into pint glass. Appearance is like a dark cola with almost no head. Light around the edges. Nose features strong chocolate malt presence along with creamy oats. Taste is a bit thinner than the nose lets on, light chocolate and roast with a bit of a creamy finish. The body detracts from the brew as it is a bit on the light and thin side with overly fizzy carbonation. Overall, nice flavors, but my an entirely well executed brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2013 23:26:48 | More by homebrew311

Ispeakforthetrees

Colorado

3.25/5  rDev -11.2%

01-19-2013 00:26:37 | More by Ispeakforthetrees

Bitter_Echo

Michigan

3/5  rDev -18%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Full disclosure: This is my first oatmeal stout, and not knowing if this one is IT, which I think it not, I'm still confused, so not sure if this is good, I'm not sure what you could do even in the philosophical vicinity of this, and I'd still be thinking I don't get it. OK, so not bad at all, but just weird to me, in a 'I had coffee already' kind of way, and its cold and just well, weird to me. Black as pitch pour...sucks in photons like crazy. Smells like late, super ripe fruit, and sombre somehow. Too ripe Tastes roasty and caramelized, and tannic, and mildly bitter and balanced and malty...but still weird to me. Carbonation is really on the low side, I think, and the mouthfeel is almost heavy, laborious, weird. Not really my thing, I'll give it average across and maybe try another sometime.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 23:27:10 | More by Bitter_Echo

stampfler07

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%

09-06-2012 03:11:10 | More by stampfler07

jrohrbacher

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +9.3%

08-03-2012 02:06:05 | More by jrohrbacher

MumboJumbo

Colorado

2.5/5  rDev -31.7%

04-10-2012 20:15:55 | More by MumboJumbo

beergoot

Colorado

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Rich, opaque black body. Creamy, thin and tan head.

Robust chocolate and cocoa aroma. Sweet and rich roasted malts, too.

Bitter sweet chocolate flavor dominates. Chocolate cake notes. A relatively light bitterness is hidden amid all of the chocolate sweetness.

Medium body, somewhat chewy yet seems a tad light for the style.

An excellent stout with resounding character and taste. Big and bold yet tamed with a cloying sweetness. Well worth looking for...

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 03:34:00 | More by beergoot

Huffaroma

Montana

4/5  rDev +9.3%

01-16-2012 05:20:41 | More by Huffaroma

hoggywood

Colorado

4.05/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Never thought I would enjoy a dark beer but Shadow Mountain oatmeal stout was the exception. It had a subtle chocolate tone and depth of flavor but it was not overpowering and did not have a chewy feel to it like some dark beers do. The darkness of this beer is deceptive. It tastes smooth and is very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

12-02-2011 02:50:56 | More by hoggywood

denver10

Colorado

3.7/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours black with a brown head, that quickly dissipates down leaving only a little remaining head around the edges of the glass. No lacing.

S: Rich and sweet. Heavy malt aroma cut with some chocolate covered cherry aroma.

T: Matches the smell pretty well with some roastiness in the finish.

M: Silky and creamy texture to it with a little carbonation.

O: A solid oatmeal stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 00:59:36 | More by denver10

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Review based on notes, part of mixed 6'er from 3 months ago...

Pours ebony with a finger of mocha head. Good lacing & average head retention

S: Dark fruit & charred grain

T: Dark chocolate & coffee. More of the same as this warms, plus vanilla & dryness. Finishes sweet, smooth &dry

MF: Smooth, medium bodied, & nice silkyness
A nice oatmeal stout

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 02:43:49 | More by russpowell

claytong

Vermont

4.28/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a great oatmeal stout. one of the best ive had.
creamy, roasted oats, caramel, and toffee.
i was surprised. im a big fan of the style and didnt expect much from it but it was delicious one of my favorites of the style so far.
highly recommend it if you liek the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2011 05:37:07 | More by claytong

rawfish

California

3.68/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a New Belgium globe. Thin mocha head, half a finger sits atop a very dark brown body with slight milk chocolate highlights. Both retention and lacing are very little to none.

Pretty good aroma wafting from this especially when warm, distinguishable espresso and coffee grounds with baker's chocolate, coarse grains and a earthy woody note, not unlike campfire smoke with the addition of some licorice.

Chocolate sweetness is lost from the nose but everything else stays very consistent, hits early with chocolate malts, a heavy toast and coffee flavor paired with a woody note rising. Middle of the taste is a bit abrasive with a bit of acidity. Earthy hop quality is faint but smooth and balanced. Aftertaste features more coffee but also the same acidity as before.

Very smooth and creamy with a lighter body for a stout which I feel helps the overall drink, carbonation is also very low and appropriate. Very pleasant feel despite the acidity which surfaces, no hint of alcohol.

My first dive into oatmeal stouts and the oats so a good job at keeping everything nice and creamy throughout. I find the acidity to always be unavoidable with the style due to the malt profile but this one seems a bit too noticable. Great aroma and feel, solid overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 06:19:08 | More by rawfish

katan

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz into a pint

A - Pours a dark black color. You have to hunt for some amber highlights against a light. Head formation is strong, 1/8" in height, mocha in color.

S - Lightly scented. Some roasted barley malt, balanced by some bready maltose notes from the unfermentables. Some chocolate sneaks in at the end.

T - Starts off lightly roasted, mostly sweet. The burnt notes are restrained. Mid-stream develops a nice oatmeal flavor, grainy and husky. Throws in some milk like smooth sweetness. Finishes mostly clean with some light burnt notes.

M - Moderate to strong body, decent carbonation. Finishes very clean - no retained flavors.

D - Easy drinking. ABV doesn't feel to be over the top. Flavors are smooth,well integrated. Not filling. Represents a nice easy session drinking oatmeal stout.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2010 07:18:04 | More by katan

emmasdad

Colorado

3.68/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep, dark brown, nearly black color, with just a little bit of light brown foam. Aromas of roasted malt, espresso and chocolate milk. Flavors of dark chocolate covered espresso beans, baker's chocolate, oats and cream. A nicely balanced, smooth and flavorful oatmeal stout.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2010 21:50:45 | More by emmasdad

Haybeerman

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Deep brown color, almost black, with deep ruby in the edges of the glass. Poured a 1 finger chocolate head that dissipated to a skim on th eedges. Thin lace washeddown the glass.

S: Deep toasted malts; espresso and bitter chocolate. Woody, earthy notes as well.

T: Espresso, chocolate and heary oats. Burnt toast in the middle. Finishes with lingering espresso and woody flavors.

M: Light body (for a stout). Low carbonation. Smooth and silky.

D: Lots of complex malts. Flavorful and smooth; just a littel thin.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2010 01:46:18 | More by Haybeerman

Beaver13

Colorado

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

12 oz bottle. Pours a dark brown with a small light brown head that quickly diminishes to a thin film that leaves little lacing.

The aroma is chocolate malts and grains with some coffee and a little note of vegetables.

The flavor is sweet chocolate malts and acidic coffee with a roasted finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with low carbonation.

Overall, a nice oatmeal stout with nice coffee notes.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 19:26:39 | More by Beaver13

drumrboy22

Colorado

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz. bottle into a Grand Lake pint glass. Beer was black, with a one-finger, dark brown head. Soft carbonation and very little lacing around the glass.

Aroma was chocolate, coffee, grains, malt and licorice.

Taste was chocolate, nuts, slightly bitter coffee, grains and malt.

Could be a bit thicker, but very tasty and sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2010 02:23:50 | More by drumrboy22

rowew

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12 oz longneck, label has a fisherman in some ominous weather. No date or ABV.

Appearance: Dark with just a hint of ruby around the edges, thin dark head, fades to almost nothing.

Smell: Coffee, a bit of chocolate.

Taste: Slightly slick, thick mouthfeel. There is a bit of roasted coffee flavors. A bit of sweetness early, but finishes towards dry.

Overall impression: Definitely drinkable - I would have no problem putting down several of these in a session. nice flavors.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2009 20:27:02 | More by rowew

Rayek

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Deep chestnut brown with ruby highlights. Borders on black. A small and soapy tan head struggles to form. It sticks for a moment before retreating to a ring of bubbles. Leaves random spots of lace.

S: Baking chocolate, espresso and a hint of oak.

T: The espresso from the nose transitions nicely to the flavor. The oats can be tasted in the background. A mild burnt wood bitterness provides nice balance. Finishes with lingering espresso and wood flavors.

M: Despite the presence of oats, this beer feels a bit on the thin side. Carbonation could stand to be a hair lower.

D: This is a nice stout overall. While the aroma and flavor are good, the appearance and mouthfeel let the beer down. Fix those and this could be a very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2009 00:41:36 | More by Rayek

mschofield

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep dark brown/black, topped with a one finger dark khaki head, left bands of lacing with webs connecting them.
Lots of coffee and earthy notes in the aroma, with a herbal note.
The taste is very similar to the aroma, but more robust. Good strong coffee flavor, earthy with a nice bitterness.
Full bodied and rich.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2005 00:28:04 | More by mschofield