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Wolaver’s Oatmeal Stout
Middlebury, Vermont
BJCP Category: 13C Oatmeal Stout
Otter Creek Brewing Co. <visit site>
43
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[expand]Total Score: 43/50
Excellent oatmeal stout, organic or not. Bitterness level is a bit high resulting in a drier example of the style. Still delicious, very drinkable and quite representative of an oatmeal stout. more >
[close]Total Score: 43/50
Aroma: Nuttiness from oatmeal stout with sufficient coffee-like roastiness to know this is a stout. Low earthy hop aroma. No DMS. No diacetyl. No distinct alcohol. Light fruity fermentation esters. A very inviting aroma setting high expectations. (10/12)
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Appearance: Very deep red, nearly opaque, but bright clarity with ruby highlights. Large, thick, dense, tan head with excellent retention. Beautiful beer. (3/3)
Flavor: Roasted malt and barley and nutty, grainy oatmeal flavors dominate. Hop bitterness is medium-high—perhaps a bit high for the style—but still fairly well-balanced with a moderately dry finish and lingering bitterness and caramel notes. Earthy hop flavor is quite low; OK for style. No DMS. Slight diacetyl. No specific alcohol. (17/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Smooth, creamy mouthfeel with noticeable bitterness but no astringency. No apparent alcohol warming. (5/5)
Overall Impression: Excellent oatmeal stout, organic or not. Bitterness level is a bit high resulting in a drier example of the style. Still delicious, very drinkable and quite representative of an oatmeal stout. I can only wish I had a Reuben or Swiss-on-rye grilled cheese to enjoy with this beer. This beer lived up to the initial expectations. (8/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 45/50
A brewer friend once referred to bock as a hydraulic sandwich. In that light, this beer is a hydraulic cookie with coffee, cream and chocolate. more >
[close]Total Score: 45/50
Aroma: Coffee, mocha malt with sweet creamy protein aromas, like coffee with ice cream, but nuttier and rich, like opening a bin of rolled oats. Very light floral hop aroma. Some faint ripe plum fruity esters emerge as the beer warms. Very clean. (11/12)
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Appearance: Deep ruby brown-black with garnet highlights (try putting that into SRMs!) with well-formed rocky persistent light tan head. Brilliant clarity. (3/3)
Flavor: Chocolate with fresh Italian roast coffee, and fresh rolled oat nuttiness, reminiscent of slightly scorched oatmeal cookies dipped in chocolate milk. Hints of ripe prune esters add complexity; otherwise very clean fermentation. Balance is toward chocolate sweetness with a bit of roast. Lingering moderate hop bitterness combines with roast for a long, dry, memorable finish. (18/20)
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with firm carbonation produce a silky, creamy texture. Low roast notes provide a clean, dry, lingering finish. A hint of alcohol as the sample warms pleasantly intensifies roast astringency. (5/5)
Overall Impression: A brewer friend once referred to bock as a hydraulic sandwich. In that light, this beer is a hydraulic cookie with coffee, cream and chocolate. The substantial roast character provides a clean finish for a rich, silky protein-y oatmeal flavor and texture. I can’t decide if this is a breakfast, snack or dessert. Would go equally well with chocolate decadence, plain New York cheesecake, or cherry pie. (8/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 40/50
This is a very good beer that improved as the coffee and roasted malts toned down. more >
[close]Total Score: 40/50
Aroma: Initial aroma is a combination of fruity esters and bittersweet chocolate. The ester level is higher than most examples of the style and adds some solvent notes. The roast barley gives a little coffee aroma and sharpness. The malt character is complex, but a little overwhelmed by the fermentation character. (11/15)
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Appearance: Good head retention and excellent clarity. It’s almost opaque—just a bit of light gets through the meniscus. (3/3)
Flavor: The dominant flavor is roasted barley, which provides a powerful coffee flavor and gives bitterness to the finish. It doesn’t have as much creaminess up front as classic examples of this style—the roast barley trumps any oats that were used in the recipe. The fruitiness is more balanced here than in the aroma, and the moderate hop bitterness melds with the roasted malts to give a little more bitterness than is needed in the finish. (16/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium body and creaminess are both appropriate for the style, but it has a little too much mouth-puckering astringency from roasted malts in the finish. It has just a touch of alcohol warmth. (3/5)
Overall Impression: This is a very good beer that improved as the coffee and roasted malts toned down. The initial fruitiness was also intense, but was more balanced in the flavors and was at a level that works well with the malt. The roast barley notes yield coffee notes that are welcome in any stout, but they could be reduced a little to soften the acidity and bring out the silkiness of the oats. (7/10) -
[expand]Total Score: 46/50
A very clean and tasty beer. Significant oatmeal flavor. Well-developed coffee roast flavors without any harshness. Smooth, silky and satisfying. more >
[close]Total Score: 46/50
Aroma: Moderate coffee-like roasted grain with some malty sweetness. Clean, with no noticeable esters. No hops. Chocolate, coffee and nutty notes—very enticing. Distinctive oatmeal aroma, as from freshly baked cookies. (11/12)
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Appearance: Deep brown color, opaque when viewed in room light. When held to a flashlight, the beer is very clear with a deep garnet color. Tall light tan head, settled slowly. (3/3)
Flavor: Moderate malty sweetness initially but finishing with a nutty, coffee dryish finish. Medium bitterness but the malt dominates in the balance. Light chocolate, deep coffee and cream flavors. With the sweetness, it tastes a bit like bittersweet chocolate. Oatmeal flavor noted. Low hop flavor, quite restrained. Cleanly fermented with no esters or diacetyl. Some grainy dryness in finish. (18/20)
Mouthfeel: Medium-full body, medium-high carbonation. Smooth, silky and creamy. Not harsh or astringent. No alcohol warmth. (5/5)
Overall Impression: A very clean and tasty beer. Significant oatmeal flavor. Well-developed coffee roast flavors without any harshness. Smooth, silky and satisfying. A dryish interpretation of the style (but well within style parameters), but with a great depth of flavor. Very fresh and clean. Nicely drinkable. (9/10)
