From The Cellar: Stone Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

In Cellared Beer Reviews by The Guys

Stone Brewing Company says:

“Our Anniversary Ale this year stems from 2 pilot beers that were brewed by members of Team Stone. The first was Jeremy Moynier’s incredibly delicious Oatmeal Stout, and the second was Jake Ratzke’s amazing homebrewed Imperial Stout that had authentic Oaxacan chocolate added to the boil. We loved both beers so much that we decided to combine the recipes to make this year’s Anniversary offering: Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout.”

stonebitterchocolateoatmealStone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
Imperial Stout, 9.20% ABV

Karl: Here’s the thing about the Stone Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout – I generally don’t get into oatmeal stouts.  But as I go to my notes, here’s what I wrote down:

Pours like rocket fuel.  Viscosity.  Smells like Raisinets and pain.

You get the idea.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bYdMc2TLyw

Warning: The above video has some language that’s not exactly work friendly, but sometimes you can’t help it.  We’d been drinking.  Please forgive.

This is a one-and-done kind of beer.  The ABV is up there but not completely ridiculously high (compared to other craft brews, that is – I suppose I’m starting to get jaded if I’m calling a 20-proof beer reasonable) and I definitely did get the bitterness of the chocolate in a good way – too many other stouts back off of the natural bitter flavor of cocoa and I appreciate that the Stone gave me some of that back.

Ryan: One man’s pain is another man’s pleasure. I absolutely love a good oatmeal stout.  Throw in some chocolate & bump it up to an imperial & I am one happy man.  This beer pours jet black.  You almost expect it to come out in clumps.  Thankfully, it does not.

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The smell is incredible; bakers chocolate, toffee, caramel and raisins.  The taste is a mix of a dark, bitter German chocolate, some maple syrup and dark fruit – like plums.  This beer has a wonderful hop presence that rounds it out nicely.  It’s a sipper, though.  And I would recommend using heavy machinery like forks & spatulas after drinking this.

Andrew: This was probably my favorite beer of the night (even better than the 2010 Old Guardian) and if my reaction in the video wasn’t clear enough, this poured thick…I’m talking, motor oil-milkshake thick.

A strong dark chocolate flavor was very pronounced on the front end of my first sip, which quickly shifted to an unexpected hoppiness. I was pleasantly surprised by that, but to be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect. I also noted there seemed to be some plum or raisin undertones to the beer, too.

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Written by many, compiled by one, this is a collaborative post with contributions from at least two writers at Guys Drinking Beer.

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