I’ve never been an oatmeal guy. Warm, lumpy goo replete with such treasures as apple and cinnamon, blueberries or *shudder* raisins. I mean really, it does nothing for me – not even in cookie form. The pie form, complete with white icing, does very little for me. Not even Wilford Brimley’s Quaker Oats Commercials could convince me to give it a fair shake.

Eat some oatmeal … it prevents diabeetus.

Now, that being said, make a beer with the stuff and you have my attention. Oatmeal Stouts are generally medium to full bodied and sport an unreal smoothness to them from the addition of oats to the mash. It pours a dark dark brown with ruby highlights, and the nose is grainy dark oats, coffee and chocolate (giving way to an almost licorice wafts as it warmed). You know I repeatedly tell you how much more enjoyable a GOOD beer is when it is enjoyed out of a glass … the aromas and complexity of this brew does not disappoint. The color, the aroma, the gorgeous tan head that leaves gorgeous latitudinal lines of lacing as you sip. Magical stuff!

My kinda oatmeal

The oats not only add a lot of smoothness to the mouth feel but give a touch of sweetness that is unlike any other type of stout. Think chocolate, oatmeal, molasses along with cereal grains. The finish is dark fruit: dark cherry, plum and grapes. If you’re a fan of porters or stouts, you owe it to yourself to try this one. Lastly, if you need further convincing, it sports an impressive rating of 99 at ratebeer.com. Bazinga!

4.5/5 -joel