Friday, February 1, 2013

St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout

 McAuslan Brewing Co.   Montreal, QC

Notes:
Oatmeal Stout
11.5oz Bottle
5.0% ABV


Appearance:  Pours a nice black color…two finger thick, mocha colored head formed, settling down to a more conventional layer…very inviting…(4/5)

Smell:  Tons of oatmeal aroma upfront…chocolate, dark fruit (fig, raisin) sweetness, toffee, caramel, alcohol, roasted malts, light cream, light coffee…while it’s not pungent, it smells fantastic, with a classic oatmeal stout smell…as it warms, the chocolate alcohol and caramel come out more, supporting all that oatmeal…(4/5)

Taste:  Starts out in traditional fashion, creamy oatmeal, toasted malts and coffee flavors but then takes a dramatic turn with tons of citrus bitterness…it’s almost sour towards the after taste, not in a bad way though, but in a flavorful, somewhat unique way…definitely different from any stout I’ve had in a long time…the roasted malts give way leaving a lemony citrus freshness on my palate that fades into a dry bitterness…it feels like coffee bean induced bitterness…think dry bitterness that comes with an espresso shot…it’s different that’s for sure, not the flavor I wasn’t expecting…(3/5)

Mouthfeel:  Light body with medium carbonation…wet, light, coffee bitterness on the palate…dry bitterness in the after taste…(3.75/5)

Overall:  This is a good brew…it comes from Canada so I suspect this is a more European style stout with its bitter-to-almost-sour flavor…it’s malty beginning is rich and flavorful, the bitter finish is watery and sour…is it good, yeah, but I don’t think I’d see this out again…I would try it on tap if I ever saw it, but I don’t think I’ll ever scoop up another bottle…it’s worth trying, but not the stout flavor I’m accustomed to or one that I’m gonna add to my lexicon…(3/5)

Score:
(3.51/5)

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