Broughton Scottish Oatmeal Stout

I was actually given this last Christmas as part of my 'secret santa' present if I remember correctly, but that could be completely wrong as my memory is dreadful my wife keeps telling me. At least I think she's my wife, that's what she tells me.

It was one I was looking forward to, as it was one listed in the '300 beers...' book I have, the other beers in the boxset were reasonably good also.

Broughton's Scottish Oatmeal Stout is 500mls, with an abv of 4.2%.

Perhaps I was expecting to be amazed by the beer, built up my expectations, but it was rather ordinary to me. Still though quite drinkable.

The body seemed a little thin, other oatmeal stouts have been heavier in the mouth. It pours with a nice brown head with aromas of rich roasted malt and coffee.
 
 I got again the malt and coffee, chocolate, but it did not taste or feel as smooth as an oatmeal stout as I thought it would. Rather too fizzy, with a light bitterness on the finish.

a year on......

and i'm still going. Happy 1st Birthday to me, Cheers!!!

Yes its been a year since I started this blog, mainly as a personal record of the beers i'm trying, but its also great to get feedback and opinion from others reading and drinking the same beers.

I was hoping to get a special bottle for tonight but in the end was unable to get it together to get any  Cantillon in, which is what i was hoping for. So in the end I thought I'd better stick to the title of the blog and go for some stouts.

I started with Hook Nortons Double Stout. 500mls, 4.8% and bottle conditioned.
The information on the label states it is brewed to a 100 year old recipe, and expect a smooth and full bodied beer.

It has a dark earthy and coffee aroma, very enticing indeed. Colour is black with dark ruby red edges., lovely creamy light brown head.

It has a nice medium body, with coffee, bitter hops that are quite noticeable, burnt undertones, and roasted malts. Lovely chocolate sweetness throughout.

Very enjoyable and a good start to the evening.

 



 Next was the Cream Stout from the St. Peter's Brewery, a recent addition to supermarket shelves here.

Lovely light green bottle, presentation is nailed by this company, 6.5% abv, 500mls.

It poured in the glass a very nice very dark red/brown with creamy head. Its aroma was light but sweet with chocolate and coffee.

A nice medium body that's very drinkable, smooth chocolate, some vanilla,alcohol warmth, some spices that linger nicely.
The evening progresses nicely!





Third beer of the night is from the Welsh brewery Newmans, and its their Cave Bear stout , which is 330mls, 4.0%abv and packaged with a nice wrap around label.

Pours excitedly into the glass, well carbonated at first but calms down,  but little in the way of a head.
Aroma is roasted malts and fruit, a little coffee too.

It has a light body, see-through darkish red/brown in colour. Its quite dry, light on the coffee and chocolate, moderate bitterness too.
Overall an easy drink, too thin in the body for me, it has nice dry and earthy tones, but sits well behind in third place on tonight's drinks.

Quantock Brewery Stout

Okay so i'm offically on holiday after todays shift. Yayyyyyyyyy!!!
And what a better way to start it than an award winning tasty beer.

Somerset brewery Quantock have won SIBA double gold in 2010 with this stout, a 4.5% 500mls and bottle conditioned. 
When i poured it into the glass its black, so black, hardly any hints of light at the edge when held up to the light. The head was a light milky chocolate colour, aroma - light coffee, milky coffee even, smoke, blackberry.
This has a great smooth taste, and all the elements i like in a stout - it has a good medium body, creaminess balanced with a hop bitterness. The coffee again come through, and again berry fruits, dark roast malts, black chewy licorice. Again i say balanced very well, i would imagine a judge just ticking all the boxes when considering the style of a stout. But tasty too, very drinkable.

This was totally one of those 'moment' beers that you have. Sitting here after a long day, now in the happy knowledge that a holiday has begun, tomorrow meeting old friends, a week of relaxing with beer, company and food;
whilst i sit watching tv i'm sinking into the sofa and tickling my taste buds in the best possible way, smoothly easing my way into this break. Perfect.

I would like to thank Rob from Quantock for generously providing these beers for reviews, i honestly enjoyed them all, he has a good solid range with the Royal Stag, Stout and Quantock ale for me being their standout beers. My apprehensions about reviewing free beer have dissolved, if all could be as good as these then all reviewers would have an easy job.

You can buy Quantock beers from local farmers markets, or from myBrewerytap, or West Country Ales.
Again, thank you to Rob from Quantock.

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout

From their website:
  At one time promoted as a drink for lactating mothers, oatmeal stout was described as nutritional on early labels. Oats are in the same family as barley, and a small addition yields great flavor and adds smooth body. Popular in the late 1800’s, the last oatmeal stout was brewed before the First World War until Samuel Smith reintroduced this style in 1980. 

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout

This is the first oatmeal stout i've had, and was quite looking forward to it and i was aware of this style of beer from reading the Michael Jackson and Roger Protz books.
It is a 550ml bottle which is obviously a little larger than most other bottled beers you see these days. 
Pours in the glass a black colour with a light cappuccino colour head, slightly sweet aroma but also a roasted malt element.
Good heavy body, i was surprised how strong yet pleasant it was, it was almost vinous on the tongue. Smooth flavours of coffee and what reminded me a little of Coca-Cola. As you get further down the glass it lessens up on the heaviness but retains great flavour, creamy and silky.
I really enjoyed this, I'll be keeping my eye out for other oatmeal stout style beers from now on.


Bigger Picture here