Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout

Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout clocks in at a reasonable 5.8% ABV, no bottle date.

This pours with a deep black color with a big fluffy brown head. The aroma presents a balanced blend of roasted barley, malt sweetness, rich chocolate and just a touch of hop bitterness. I expect a more velvety chocolate flavor after the smell, but the taste is less sweet with a baker’s chocolate thing going on. The malts have a considerably more charred/burnt character which is creating a mild smokey flavor that mixes well with the chocolate. A slight bit of much needed sweetness comes in towards the finish, followed by some dark roasted coffee that lingers in the aftertaste. The mouth-feel could stand to be a bit fuller, but there is a wonderful smoothness to this Oatmeal Stout.

The amount of flavor you get out of this 5.8% stout is an achievement in and of itself, it sure is hard to beat this when it comes to everyday stout drinking.