Boundary Bay Imperial Oatmeal Stout - Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro

zacharius

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a dark black body with a thick frothy tan head. The smell of this beer is sweet and chocolately with hints of fruitty esters. This beer's taste is dominated by malts, roasted and chocolately but still very smooth. There is no oat taste to this beer, but they certainly add smoothness and body. Hops are just there for balance. Nice thick mouthfeel without being sickly sweet. Hides its 8.5% alcohol content well, it is a very drinkable beer--I had no problem finishing the deuce deuce.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2005 02:09:35 | More by zacharius

kemoarps

Washington

3.74/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Nice looking pour; cola dark, with a bubbly tan head. even after it dissipates it leaves enough to look nice.

sweet-ish nose. some caramel, some chocolate, a little oily, oaty, mostly kind of sweet.

initially, it was just kind of sweet, in an unfinished sort of way. A liiittle bit of bitterness to finish it off.
As I drink (and it warms), however, it gets a distinctly chocolate character; a rich creamy chocolate, with a subtle bitterness that drags it from creamy milk chocolate into a bittering cocoa by the time it's done, with even a hint of coffee grounds on the aftertaste.

This beer has changed quite a bit even in the ten minutes I've been ruminating and drinking it. My initial reaction was one of underwhelmedness: it felt unfinished, rushed and sweet. As I continue into its depths, however, I find nuance and find myself perplexed. I feel like the ratings I gave it don't do it justice, yet I don't feel that it deserves higher ratings. If that makes zero sense to anyone else out there, that's the dilemma I face with this beer: it's more than what it's weak links would suggest, but not quite as good as the positive aspects impart. Or maybe I'm just super indecisive. My best advice: drink it and judge for yourself. The bottom line is that it is still enjoyable, whatever it is.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2013 20:06:39 | More by kemoarps

sloelco

California

4/5  rDev +3.4%

12-26-2012 00:09:51 | More by sloelco

benbjb

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

11-09-2012 06:59:05 | More by benbjb

adkieffer

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

10-05-2012 22:31:15 | More by adkieffer

nsabo

Washington

2.38/5  rDev -38.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

About what I expect from a low ABV imperial stout. Thin mouth, but smooth sipper, no booze heat at all, vanilla and roasted (not heavily) grain. As far as imperial stouts go, this is a great example of a beginner’s one, though I give it credit for not striking out where other novice imperial stouts often do: harsh booze heat, overly roasted grains, etc.
I spent $5 at the brewery for this. 25 miles down the road, I spend $7 for Skagit River’s RIS that I consider to be the superior “local” imperial stout. Neither are heavy hitters in this genre, but I think both are better than the much hyped and widely available Dragon's Tooth Stout from Elysian.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 03:02:39 | More by nsabo

Adamostella

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%

04-21-2012 23:44:43 | More by Adamostella

jmccraney

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

01-08-2012 06:05:11 | More by jmccraney

beefandbean22

Washington

4/5  rDev +3.4%

11-23-2011 19:32:08 | More by beefandbean22

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.28/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Black liquid with slight mocha coloured head.

S: Toasted malt, coffee and dark chocolate.

T: Coffee and toasted malt up front which transitioned to a dark chocolate finish.

M: Thick viscosity and a medium level of carbonation.

O: Very nice taste profile on this smooth Imperial Stout.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2011 15:56:57 | More by DaftCaskBC

grittybrews

Washington

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured near-black with a finger of creamy khaki head. Roasty aroma of chocolate and coffee.

Moderate carbonation and a full, smooth, and super-creamy mouthfeel. Mild milk chocolate sweetness up front followed by gentle coffee, hints of vanilla, and some slightly bitter roast on the tail end.

Fairly tame for an imperial stout, but the oatmeal character really comes through. Would never have guess this was up around 8.5%...very easy-drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

10-24-2011 04:28:50 | More by grittybrews

barleywinefiend

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured black with a little carbonation and a tannish ring

S: Smell of oats, chocolate and some citrus

T: Oats were smooth and subtle, roasted malts, some light cocoa anf finish of citrus hops

M: Was more crisp than creamy for me. Very good, hops and oats on the palate. Could have been a little heartier on oats

D: Good

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2011 21:47:28 | More by barleywinefiend

LazyL

British Columbia (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Very black with a small espresso coloured head. Big roasted malts, coffee and chocolate on the nose and taste. Very low carbonation which added to the creamy moutfeel. Sweet finish, and at 8.5% a very yummy stout that had a real easy drinkability quotient.

Serving type: on-tap

02-14-2011 01:59:12 | More by LazyL

Bfarr

Washington

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

This beer has a little bit of everything. It's a little black, a little viscous, a little chocolatey sweet, a little smokey, a little creamy, a little meaty, and a little carbonated. You would think it would all add up to a little beer but because it's an imperial, it has a very robust alcohol retro-olfaction. It's a very easy drinking imperial that's not as meaty as I would like but has a pleasant taste you can sit back and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2010 02:37:56 | More by Bfarr

RedDiamond

Oregon

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This stout delivered welcome and appealing contours that were quick to grab one's attention. It is sinister black with low suds and offers up roasty-sweet qualities with a big wash of dark malts followed by a smack of American hops. Along the way are notes of molasses and some smell of sherry.

Sullen but proud. A welcome sipper though they serve this big boy in full pints. 8.5% ABV.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2009 03:36:42 | More by RedDiamond

erikm25

Washington

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: From notes taken on 03/31/09. Appearance was a dark chocolate brown. Head was light caramel and minimal. Some crimson highlights but overall a generally blackened beer.

S: Strong hints of chocolate and caramel. Aromas of freshly ground coffee towards the back. Brown sugars.

T: Surprisingly complex tastes. Chocolate sweetness with some roasted mocha and pine bitterness. Some toasted dark grapes towards the back. Sugary with a subtle vanilla undertones. Heavy on cocoa inspired tastes without being overly syrupy and rich. A slight citrus backdrop helps to round off the swirling tastes.

M: Low carbonation with a full mouth feel.

D: Though a pretty big beer it was smoothly drinkable and not overwhelming. Makes for a good lunch appetizer and one I would like to go back for a few more of.

Serving type: cask

04-06-2009 01:55:55 | More by erikm25

herbalist

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Had it on cask from a local bar and it poured a dark black color with almost no head at all, a light brown lace would be an appropriate way to describe it. When I looked closely at the glass there was almost a redish-brown hue to the beer but black was its predominant color.

It did not have a very pronounced aroma to it, in fact the beer's smell is where I felt it lacked most. There were hints of chocolate, coffee, oatmeal, yeast and alcohol but in comparison to other imperial stouts you really had to search for any real bold aroma.

The beer's taste is quite nice, much more appealing than its aroma and it features a yeasty, almost breadlike base with overtones of chocolate and good coffee.. there might even be hints of smokey fruit also, overall a very complex tasting stout. The dark malts really shine through and the beer is pleasant to drink. The low carbonation along with the complex flavor makes it relatively easy to drink. It is kinda syrupy and medium bodied. Not nearly as thick as I had expected it would be.

I was considering getting another one but with numerous other choices available it just wasn't captivating enough to get another. Still a very good stout though that is def. worth trying.

Serving type: cask

03-01-2009 00:19:36 | More by herbalist

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had on tap at the brewpub, but after already enjoying a glass of the dunkel, DIPA and old bounder. Hence, my notes are a bit brief for this beer. :-)

The beer pours an impressive brooding dark black color, but with minimal head retention and lacing. The nose is pretty impressive on this beer, with some very noticeable licorise intermingling with the sweet malt and raisany caramel. The abv. is pretty noticeable on this beer, although it's still quite luscious. One gets licorise, coffee, vanilla and caramel, with a very full bodied mouthfeel. The flavors are long and soft, although this stout comes across as pretty rich and powerful. It's definitely a big stout, and there is a long, lingering finish to it.

This is a very impressive, albeit somewhat unusual, imperial stout.

Serving type: on-tap

05-29-2008 16:30:44 | More by johnmichaelsen

allergictomacros

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pitch black, head and lace is only OK.

S - Toasty grain, heavy molasses with a light raisin-y fruit.

T - Moderate sweetness, with lots of dark fruit and a modest toastiness. Bitterness is toasty, and not very hoppy.

M - Soft, creamy body. Nice but not outstanding.

D - OK. A big sweetish stout.

Serving type: on-tap

05-19-2008 05:09:50 | More by allergictomacros

carln26

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Deep black color with mild mahogany highlights. No head on this beer. The carbonation does seem a little low, and there is not a ton of alcohol, so I fear this is a touch flat. The nose has a lot of dark caramel, mild roast malt. Just the lightest citrus character from the hops. The taste is very sweet and roasty, almost a coffee character. Call it a latte not a mocha. The mouth feel has a nice dry oatmeal character. Good drinkability. I’ve had this before and the carbonation was fine, so I won't hold that against it. Really well done beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2006 17:05:50 | More by carln26

Crosling

Colorado

3.1/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Cheers to Brian for sharing this. Black with a small and mostly diminshing head that can’t quite be considered tan. An aroma of oats, chocolate, fruits and roasted malts. Coating malt texture with hints of fruit (grapes, plums), chocolate and roast. Lacking in texture and body but it is silky. Still pretty tasty though.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2006 01:53:25 | More by Crosling

Derek

British Columbia (Canada)

4.33/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I had this on-tap at the brewery, 5 oz sample. It really stands out from their other brews.

A: Tar-like motor oil, a little head, leaves more of a leg than a lace.

S: Fruity chocolate and molasses.

T: Hop bitterness is more apparent than the roasted bitterness (no harsh burnt flavours at all). Mocha, a little licorice, some fruitiness from the yeast, and a nice wallop of Northwest hop flavour. The hop flavour is surprisingly complimentary, something like a "Terry's" chocolate orange. A VERY nice Northwest take on this style!

M: Chewy, chalky, moderate to heavy body, light to moderate carbonation.

D: Quite drinkable for the style.

I like it a lot. This is their "MUST TRY".

Serving type: on-tap

12-18-2005 04:37:31 | More by Derek

MuddyFeet

North Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at Redbones with dinner on December 9. Typed up from notes taken while drinking and eating.

Chocolate brown in color with a brown head that receded gracefully slow. Lots of pretty lacey lace worked around the glass. Nose was mildly sweet with dark and bitter chocolate.

Flavor was complex and absolutely solid. At first tere was plenty of aoty sweetness. That initial flavor was folowed by a myriad of sweet chocolate, bitter cocoa, subdued vanilla and a mildy rich coffee. Just a slight hint of minty hops towards the back end. Very full, creamy and chewy mouth that I really had to wrap my cheeks around. Just a slight alcohol burn at the very end.

Such a great beer. I had to force myself to limit myself because there were some great porters and stouts on that night that I also wanted to try.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2005 00:18:23 | More by MuddyFeet

orbitalr0x

Illinois

2.45/5  rDev -36.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

The Boundary Bay Imperial Oatmeal Stout pours from the bomber an oily viscous onyx with a nice inch of bubbly dark tan head on top. Light does not even dare to attempt to escape through the depths of this brew. Aromas of roasted, toasty rolled oats dance alongside hunks of bakers chocolate and hints of dark fruit. Sweet and roasty with a smattering of alcohol and hops sitting in the background.

First sip brings a roasted rolled oat maltiness with notes of chocolate, followed by a long wave of sourness on the way down. Puckering...this one seems to be infected...and how I was looking forward to it...damn. There's a slight hint of hops on the finish but the overbearing sourness ruins the overall character of the brew. Just not a good experience here.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied with lots of active carbonation. Smooth, but it could use a little more body overall. Drinkability would probably normally be good, but as of now it's basically zero. The rest of this bottle will meet its unfortunate doom by flowing down the drain. Thanks to skyhand for the opportunity...I wish this one would've worked out nicer!

Music: Boards of Canada - Chromakey Dreamcoat

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2005 19:53:37 | More by orbitalr0x

superdavex

Washington

4.63/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance-Dark crude oil black. Beautiful. Not too much head because of the low carbonation but a decent lacing.

Smell-Strong chocolate and coffee notes along with the oatmeal(I think)and alcohol. Ahh.

Taste-Wonderful chocolate and coffee along with some sort of fruit. UNBELIEVABLE.

Mouthfeel-Thick and syrupy. I almost feel like I'm eating oatmeal.

Drinkability-Not too great because of the thickness and alcohol but very good for the style.

This is the type of stuff to inspire monks to go on two month beer fasts. I drank my growler in one day and only had room for a few chips. It really is a meal in a bottle. I'm always sure to pick up a growler of this stuff anytime I'm up in B-Town.

Serving type: growler

09-09-2005 23:05:16 | More by superdavex