Oatmeal Stout By Schlafly
I enjoy a lot of stouts. And a lot of different kinds of stout. Many are big, rich and heavy. But occasionally, I want a stout without the heavy body and high alcohol. To cure that craving, I recently grabbed a Schlafly Oatmeal Stout.
Let’s find out what I thought about it and who I think would most appreciate this craft beer.
My Review Of Schlafly Oatmeal Stout
While other breweries have a strong focus on being unique, clever or eye-catching. Schlafly has kept a very simple approach to how they market their beer.
Honestly, I don’t mind it one bit. It would be easy to ridicule them for not being more bold but I think their branding is consistent. And you don’t have to guess what style the beer is based on a name; they keep it simple and direct.
I also think it helps the consumer know what to expect from their beer; more on that later.
Schlafly Oatmeal Stout has an ABV of 5.7% and IBUs of 40.
Here is how Schlafly describes their Oatmeal Stout:
Our Oatmeal Stout is a classic British-style stout brewed with flaked oatmeal and roasted barley. Freshly-roasted coffee beans, cocoa and touches of raisin and dried fruit dominate the aroma of this super dark ale. The richness of the grain blend is balanced by the nutty character of the roasted malt, the creaminess from the oatmeal flakes and a dose of hops.
Initial Thoughts
I’m a big fan of marketing so I am often tempted by flashy labels. But I’ve always liked Schlafly’ beer and this one specifically was recommended to me. Getting a recommendation is one of my favorite ways to decide what beers to try.
Since it was recommended, I had high expectations for this one.
This oatmeal stout pours black with little to no head on it.
There wasn’t a ton of distinct aroma but I did get a touch of coffee and raisin.
Tasting Notes
When trying different stouts, it’s important to know that you should expect different things. Often times, Oatmeal and Milk Stouts have a medium body compared to Imperial Stouts that have a heavy body.
The Schlafly Oatmeal Stout had the perfect creamy, medium body which makes this as approachable as it is easy to drink.
It had a very pleasant blend of roast, coffee and raisin flavors. This worked well with the texture that the flaked oatmeal provides to the body.
It finished very clean and soft making me realize that this is the kind of stout that you can easily enjoy more than one of at a time.
Final Thoughts
The flavors are all there in perfect harmony but it isn’t overpowering.
And since it has a medium body, you don’t feel full or bloated after drinking it. The 5.7% also means that having a few won’t cause unwanted level of intoxication.
Related Post: Porter Vs Stout: Do You Know The Difference?
Conculsion
If you love stouts, I recommend giving this one a try. It’s got great flavor and it’s available year round. And we all know that it can be hard to find a solid stout in the summer.
However, if you are used to heavy Imperial Stouts, you may think this one feels a little weak. But an Oatmeal Stout isn’t supposed to be heavy and rich.
Schlafly has not let me down with the beers I’ve tried from them. And in many ways, I think their understated branding plays well into expectations. They don’t oversell you which is almost unheard of.
Instead, they deliver exactly what they promise – a high quality, great tasting craft beer.