Schlafly's Oatmeal Stout

In the past, I have enjoyed many brews by Schlafly, all at a very reasonable price. And I have noticed a trend with this St. Louis brewery - when they do a flavored beer, it's often overkill (most notably, their pumpkin beer that I tried last year). But within their 80 some brews, many are truly delicious, e.g., their Coffee Stout. However, this was not the case with the Oatmeal Stout. I must say that this is the most disappointing beer I have tasted since Granite City tainted their delicious Dopple Bock with their deplorable Lite Lager.

So, here goes:



Schlafly Oatmeal Stout
5.7% ABV

Appearance: Dark brown to black in color, yet watery when poured into a glass. A good deal of carbonation yielded a nice, khaki colored, foam head that dissipated rather quickly.

Aroma: Light hop aromas, a bit floral. A very "closed" beer. Slightly caramely.

Taste: Moderately dry. A bit of chocolate, hint of caramel. Nothing outstanding. Very hoppy. Reminiscent of a dark lager.

Mouthfeel: Thin and watery. Very low final gravity. Very snappy. Loads of carbonation.

Drinkability: Not worth buying again. I would rather shell out the extra buck and grab a Goose Island Oatie Stout or a Breckenridge Oatie Stout - both much better small stouts in this price range. The main problem I have with the Schlafly beer is that the malt body doesn't stand up to the amount of hops in it. The original gravity of this beer is 14 plato, dead average for the style, but the International Bitterness Units (IBUs) are 40, which puts it at the top end for the style. Kind of a mismatch if you ask me. This beer just a bit of malt kick to balance out the intense hops.

Now, back to my Flying Dog - Gonzo Imperial Porter. mmmmmmmm.

Cheers