Ipswich - Oatmeal Stout

Mercury Brewing Company - Ipswich Oatmeal Stout

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits

Serving Type: 12 oz. bottle, poured into a mug

This Oatmeal Stout from the Mercury Brewing Company is a very dark deep brown. The frothy brown head has small carbonation bubbles around the edges, but the center is characterized by much larger bubbles that carry a mild oily sheen. There’s a sweetness on the nose, but it also comes with a charred character and light hops.

The mouthfeel is fairly creamy, likely a result of the oatmeal added to the brew. There’s a mild sweetness up front with the flavors of caramel and toffee. The taste thins out a bit in the middle, but is met soon by considerable smokiness. The finish manages to not be too heavy and the dry hops give a bite on the way out. Smoke lingers well past the aftertaste.

Final Verdict: B+

St. Ambroise - Oatmeal Stout

St. Ambroise - Oatmeal Stout

Purchased From: Harvest Fine Wines & Spirits

Serving Type: 11.5 oz. twist-off bottle, poured into a mug

C’est une bière Montréalaise. And it comes in a strange 11.5 oz. bottle with a twist off cap. In the U.S. 12 oz. is the norm and imports from Europe and other metric-system-using countries usually opt for 11.2 oz., which works out to 33cL. 11.5 oz. works out to about 340mL, who know’s what they’re doing? Besides brewing great beer, of course.

This oatmeal stout pours incredibly dark. I always hesitate to call anything actually black, but this approaches about as dark as I’ve seen a beer. The head is a solid brown and is very thick and frothy. Chocolate and oatmeal pervade on the nose with a mix of sweetness and hops. Tons of lacing on the way down.

The body carries chocolate and oatmeal characteristics with a moderate caramel sweetness, but the toasted malts define the beer. The essence of coffee is clearly present. French roast for days. The beer is both dry and bitter with a serious body of smokiness. The finish again reveals a bit of the underlying sweetness, but the incredible char prevails.

Final Verdict: A-