Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout Review

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout is simply an outstanding beer. The beer is pitch black in color, and has a malty aroma. The beer has a long lasting creamy head, is low in carbonation, and has moderate lacing. Due to the oatmeal, the beer is unbelievably smooth for a stout, and is thick and full-bodied. The taste is bittersweet, and is of roasted malt, coffee, and dark chocolate. I not to prefer bitter beers, and this beer only has the slightest bitterness, which is well balanced by the beer's sweetness. The only negative thing I can say about the stout is that there isn't an expiration date printed on the bottle. Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout is truly a great beer and is highly recommended.

Rating: **** ½

Here's an excerpt from Samuel Smith's website.

Brewed with well water (the original well at the Old Brewery, sunk in 1758, is still in use, with the hard well water being drawn from 85 feet underground); fermented in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ to create an almost opaque, wonderfully silky and smooth textured ale with a complex medium dry palate and bittersweet finish.

Best served at about 55°F (13°C).

Ingredients • Water, malted barley, cane sugar, roasted malt, yeast, hops, oatmeal, seaweed finings, carbon dioxide.

And here's another excerpt from the importer's website (Merchant du Vin).

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.

Almost opaque, with an unusually silky texture and complex, medium-dry velvet palate. Bittersweet finish.

ABV: 5.0% - OG: 1.050 - IBU: 32