Saturday, July 19, 2008

Stone's 12th anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout


Brewer: Stone Brewing Company, San Diego, CA
ABV: 9.2%
COLOR: Black. Coal Black.
Aroma: You are really overpowered by a combination of the chocolate and the alcohol--a whiskey aroma.
Flavor: Very dark. Bitter, but not a different kind of bitter, lending itself entirely to the chocolate and not hops. The alcohol is prevalent, like drinking an aged bourbon.

Opinion: The first thing that stands out as you drink it is, this tastes like the kind of chocolate bar that's way too fancy for me. It's like drinking a highly alcoholic bitter chocolate bar that deserves to be made into a cheesecake. They say it themselves, due to the international hop-shortage, they went with a non-hoppy beer for this year's anniversary ale. I think the risk paid off, but I also think this beer is too young. Knowing Stone, they probably aged it about 6 months before selling, but it tastes like it needs a few more years under its belt.

This beer is good for two things:
1) Buy it and store it for ~2 years, then drink it the next time Dr. I.J. Hoffman stops by.

2) Make it dessert. Pair it with cheesecake, or put some vanilla ice-cream in it and make a beer float (if you've never done this before, I recommend you go out and by the first porter/oatmeal stout you find and do this).

If you've decided to just drink this for shits and giggles, be prepared: this beer will knock you on your ass. It's like a Young's double chocolate, but, ya know, for men.

1 comment:

Fyremandoug said...

Oh man that sounds yummy
We have been drinking Deschutes brewery Obsidian Stout
not to shabby