For this week's Tasting Tuesday, Christian has an oatmeal stout that tastes spot-on, and then some.
Originating in England, oatmeal stouts are dark, malty beers made with a variety of grains - including oatmeal. This addition not only creates a heavier beer, but actually adds a toasty, slightly bready flavor that complements the beer.
Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen but, in the case of Brickhouse Oatmeal Stout from Brewer's Alley (Maryland), it happens in a wonderful way.
As expected, this pours a dark, black color with mild carbonation. What's not expected is the 6.7% ABV alcohol content, which is a little higher than usual for one of these.
The malty, chocolatey aroma is quite strong, and continues into the taste. There's a lot of sweet maltiness, along with some dark chocolate and coffee, but it's balanced out nicely with some very mild hop bitterness. And, of course, there's that comforting, mild oatmeal aftertaste.
Overall, it's a great stout that's not heavy-handed with any one particular flavor (which tends to happen), and is a smooth beer that's great for both casual beer fans and geeks alike. If you're in the Maryland area, this is definitely one to try in the bottle or at the brewery (try their award-winning Kolsch).
Cheers!
Christian & Eric
