Effervescent Refractions » Sweet Stout

Nimbus Oatmeal Stout

Stephane — Tue, 07 Nov 2006 01:17:06 +0000

Terminus of my Nimbus voyage and certainly the stop I most anticipated. Pitch black and topped in two fingers of the darkest brown foam I’ve seen, this oatmeal stout definitely appears sumptuous. The nose, however, tells a different story, a conversely unbalanced and awkward mélange of luscious chocolate, Kona coffee, oats and maple syrup with talcum powder, fresh leather and rubbing alcohol. A charred flavor develops on the palate, and again the malts interact maladroitly with sour pineapple, cherry and rubber. The combination could have been a success if it weren’t for the obvious tartness which unfortunately detracts from the whole experience. Even so, I found this stout to be the most enjoyable (or the least unpleasant) effort of the bunch.

rating: 66/100

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout

Stephane — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 02:51:27 +0000

Several nights ago, I decided it was time for an introduction to the Oatmeal Stout style, so I went back to back with Bristol’s Winter Warlock and Samuel Smith’s own interpretation. Needless to say it was quite an oatmealicious evening. The pour produced an ordinary dark beige head cascading into a deep black body reminiscent of every other stout I have had. Nothing bad about that, as I generally enjoy the mysterious yet comforting aura that they reveal - more so than say pale lagers which are also commonplace. The aroma was of straightforward coffee and dark chocolate, with notes of Irish creme, soap and a certain alcohol tinge. Not complex but still a pleasant nose. The flavor shared a similar composition with a notable glue-like component that I found hard to get past but edulcorates over time. The finish is sweet and makes this brew easy to enjoy.

rating: 74/100

Bristol Winter Warlock

Stephane — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 03:43:52 +0000

I’ve been meaning to get my hands on Winter Warlock because it’s one of the best offerings of my local brewer. I finally sneaked a few sips from a bottle before acquiring a full glass directly from the brewery. To my great surprise they were very different from one another. I’m not certain if adjustments were made to the batch on tap at Bristol or if the bottled version I tasted was accidently exceptional, but the question will be easily answered. In appearance both held similar character: a deep hearty black crowned of a rapidly diminishing creamy cocoa head. The nose bore similarities in the warm wet straw odor and sweet coffee qualities but the primary chocolate aroma had a much darker tone out of the growler. The flavor only furthered this impression by delivering an overly dark bitter ending. I much preferred the sweet and rich milk chocolate profile found in the bottle but luckily the bitterness mellows out as this beer warms up. An interesting brew either way, monotone but distinct and a pleasure to drink during a cold winter day.

rating: 74/100