Ommegang Game of Thrones Take the Black Stout

Ommegang Game of Thrones Take the Black Stout - Ale brewed with Star Anise and Licorice Root (2013)

Limited Release (Brewed Once).

25.4 fl. oz. / $8.99 USD / 7% ABV

About: "Ommegang and HBO announce the newest beer in the Game of Thrones collaboration series. Through its first three seasons, the critically acclaimed drama has become the biggest show on HBO. Take the Black Stout follows the highly coveted Iron Throne Blonde Ale, which flew off of shelves earlier this year. Inspired by the brotherhood of the Night’s Watch, Take the Black Stout was made to be deep, dark and complex like those who have sworn the oath to defend Westeros against threats from the north. The label depicts the Weirwood tree where Jon Snow recited the oath before joining the Night’s Watch."

Thoughts: TtBS poured a pitch black hue with a really bright tan head. Interesting.

Smells kinda fruity at first. Belgian yeast and bananas. I'm not really getting the usual coffee or chocolate, which is a nice change. Instead, that thick yeast melds with a soft yet pungent booze sting and huge aromas of black licorice and star anise come through. It's sweet, prickly, a little dank and very inviting.

Let's burn rubber! *GULP* This one's got a fair bit of char on it. Starts off with a sting, a soft bitterness rolls in, a touch of grass, some dirty cake, and a lingering soft malt characteristic all set to the tone of Belgian yeast and overly apparent booze. It's a really gentle type of roasted brew. The coffee and chocolate tones are super subtle and hardly even noticeable. The char is ever present, and there's a pretty strong haze as well, especially for a 7%.

It's a bit of a mess actually. After a while it gets to be like a few extinguished cigs... only with a really sweet and out of place taste to it. This beer is pretty weak for the most part, but on top of that it's really just not that good. It's a bit harsh, raw, and somewhat unpleasant. Mouth is a medium and a little slick. It tastes like stale burnt coffee after sitting at room temp and there's a sour aftertaste when it's all done with. While I love the idea of this beer and the previous GoT beer, they both didn't really please me in any way. Hopefully the next one will set that whole thought ablaze...

Cape Ann Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout

Cape Ann Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout (2013)

Autumn Seasonal.

12 fl. oz. / $1.49 USD / 7% ABV?

About: "Fisherman’s Pumpkin Stout is a dark stout accentuated by flavors of the Autumn season. Using real pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, the Cape Ann Brewing Company took a fresh take at the common fall seasonal. This rich dark stout offers an inviting pumpkin spice aroma that gives way to the delicate essence of real pumpkin."

Thoughts: Poured a dense black hue with a small, light yellowish tan head on top. 

First whiff, and yup, that's sea water alright! Not too heavy on the coffee in this one, but rather some mild chocolate just offshore. It's got a hint of a dark plum like fruit way in the background. Spices are hard to identify, as is that pumpkin as they're so incredibly mild, but I'm pretty sure it's there. 

Well, the taste on this one just isn't my cup of booze. It's really watery tasting. Whatever yeast and water they used to make this, that's the first strong flavor I got.... and it's not all that splendid, let me tell you. The malt base is just unfathomably weak on this one. You see what I did there? It's not roasty or interesting at all; it's just kind of there. Really bland, no real flavors going on, and the spices are so dull that even though they're here they may as well be swabbing the deck. Also, it's a bit tart and funky tasting. I'm not digging this one at all. 

The main problem with this beer is that it doesn't feel like a stout, both in taste and in mouthfeel. The color of this beer doesn't fool me, man. This one is far too thin. Sure it may put Shipyard's Pumkinhead to shame, but what beer doesn't? While that one's been lost at sea, this beer just isn't in the same... league, as the others. *dr. evil pinky* I had already reviewed their Imperial Pumpkin Stout in 2011 and had it again just this last month, and that beer too fell flat. An amped up boozier version of this brew, it carries all the same weaknesses over to a higher ABV.

Mixing Brews #4

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (2012) "VS" Cape Anne's Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout (2012)

WHAT'S GOIN' ON: DFH Punkin Ale has a lot of hardcore fans, it's a fact. Personally, I think they (Dogfish Head) make a lot of other beers that are far superior to this seasonal. I still enjoy a few bottles whenever it comes around, but it's by no means a holy grail of pumpkin ales. I've tried Fisherman's Imperial Pumpkin Stout last year and it was a pretty cool experience. How their "regular" version of this brew holds up, I do not know... and I probably won't know, since I'm mixing it with the Punkin for my first try. Oh well. Both of these brews clock in at a respectable 7% ABV, and are regulars this time of year for languishing on the singles shelf. So why the hell not?

HOW IT WENT DOWN: I couldn't stop smelling that Punkin once I popped the cap off the bottle. It's wondrous. I stood there with my nose in the bottle for about a minute straight. The Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout smells pretty good too... you definitely get that pumpkin, but there's a half and half with a coffee scent.

These two beers have quite a similar density as the stout just creeped right in and blended with the brown ale. The final result is a pretty deep brown, but while dark in tone, it's still a really clear beer mix. A lot clearer than I thought it would be actually. Head was minimal, though I poured carefully and had a few issues.

Well, that coffee comes through first, dominating the scent. It pretty much drowns out the spices from the other beer, and in itself for a while. There's a pumpkin mash in the background, and the spices have all but been subdued. It smells a little bit like Dr. Pepper now. Weird.

Taste is very smokey. Minimal bite. There's a gentle bitterness, and a toasty, roasted note throughout the whole thing. It's not terribly exciting. The smokiness from the cloves and that roasted coffee are really battling it out here, and neither one is winning. It's a stalemate. And speaking of stale, well, quite frankly this all tastes a bit like day old coffee with a shot of cough syrup in it. It's mildly spicy, but that shit fades instantly!

Mouth is a bit thin, and slightly frothy. It's also flat feeling too, which is weird since both bottles pretty much exploded when I opened them up. Must have let out all the carbonation. Huh.

This one is going to get a great big MEH! from me. I'm not the biggest fan of coffee flavored stouts to begin with, especially the weaker versions, and also brown ales aren't really my thing. So perhaps I'm getting the worst of both worlds here. It just tastes rather bland. Heavy clove, stale coffee, extremely mild cinnamon and a touch of sour pumpkin flesh. Consider this Experiment, failed. At least the DFH Punkin smelled really good.

Santa Cruz Ale Works IPA and Dark Night Oatmeal Stout

Santa Cruz Ale Works I.P.A. (2012)

 Brewed and Bottled by Santa Cruz Ale Works in Santa Cruz, CA. USA.

Year Round Brew.

22 fl. oz. / $4.99 USD / 6.5% ABV

About: "Another excellent example of how brewers out West can manipulate hops. Originally designed by the British, this style was made with more hops and alcohol in order to survive the long traveling ships from Great Britain to India, at the time a new English Colony. This lightly colored ale is very aggressively hopped from start to finish. From the first sip the hop bitterness and aroma are overwhelming then rounds off nicely with a citrus finish. Including dry-hopping we use over 30 lbs. per batch (2 lbs. per bbl)."

Hey, thanks for the descriptive description!

Thoughts: This beer's got a hazy, lemony yellow color and bursted with a quick building and long lasting fluffy white head.

The scent... is pretty dank. It's extremely floral, there's a slight citrus tone, and it's got a heavy, pungent odor.

First gulp, and I get bitter, crackling hops. It's zesty, lemony, and quite a bit funky. After a while a flowery and grassy mix of fuzz coasts the back of the tongue. It's got a hint of sweetness, but it's clouded by a bitter and earthy taste. Too strong of yeast perhaps? It's not the most pleasant tasting beer, but I can tolerate it.

Medium and feels like a solid brew. Not too thick and not really watery at all.

This beer is way too flowery and acrimonious (O_o) for me. It's not horrible or rancid or anything, a bit gamy rather, but I'm not digging it enough for a 22 oz. Though I'll finish the bomber, a 12 oz would have been enough for a one time try. I could see if this beer was incredible, that they may be a little secretive about how they brew it... but it wasn't really all that good, so what's with the lack of info? Does dry hopping = "manipulating" hops? Is that what they call it out west? Innovative stuff.

Santa Cruz Ale Works Dark Night Oatmeal Stout (2012)

Year Round Brew(?)

22 fl. oz. / $4.99 USD / 6% ABV

About: This beer isn't even listed on their website, and also, I don't have the bottle any longer so I cannot write what was on the label (and I don't recall there being much).

Thougths: Poured a pitch black hue with a light tan head that faded into a few strange looking puddles that resembled the shape of sea-horses.

It smells pretty good, like a standard stout actually. It's got a rich, hearty aura to it though I'm not really getting much oatmeal... only coffee.

The taste is bitter coffee and grass for the most part. Oatmeal is severely lagging behind, and there really isn't much else. And for some reason it seems really watered down or something. Huh, it's not that interesting at all, just kinda there. Meh!

Mouth feel is watery, thin, lacking... it leaves no trail. Well, aside from some grass on the back of the tongue.

This isn't rich or indulgent enough for me. It's actually pretty bland. Damn shame. This is a pretty weak beer on it's own, but when I think back to Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout this one becomes downright horrendous compared.

Dogfish Head Chicory Stout

Dogfish Head Chicory Stout (2011)

Seasonal Brew (Winter, Nov/Dec)

12 fl. oz. (x2) / $4.99 USD / 5.2% ABV

About: "Chicory was one of the first beers we started brewing at our pub back when it opened in 1995. It's a dark beer made with a bunch of roasted chicory, organic Mexican coffee, St. John's Wort and licorice root. We use whole-leaf Cascade and Fuggle hops, as well as pale, roasted and oatmeal grains. Chicory Stout is our winter seasonal and released in bottles each year in November and December. We do brew this beer in smaller, draft-only batches for our brewpub throughout the year. Chicory is roasty and delicious, and it's a fantastic food beer. It pairs very well with chocolate!"

Thoughts: Poured a medium shade of brown that filled the glass with a pitch black hue. The cocoa tan head was disobedient in its forming and once the sliver of it made a presence, it immediately disappeared.

First scent is pretty sweet with a strong aroma of coffee. The roasted chicory makes it stand out a bit, but it smells pretty much of an average quality stout.

The taste is a lot more bitter than the smell led on. It's not super bitter, but by no means is it sweet. It tastes mostly of oatmeal and a lightly roasted non-offensive coffee. The licorice root used is really what sets this one apart from other stouts however. It's a bit underused for my tastes, but the blend is very well done considering it takes the emphasis off the heavy coffee tones. There's a bit of a toasted nutty taste between gulps.

Mouthfeel is pretty light and a little watery, but the brew itself is very filling.

This beer is a bit too mellow for me. The licorice is a really nice touch, but it's not enough for me to be impressed by this beer as a whole. Once it starts to get warm there's a bit of a sour bit at the end of each swallowing. It's not terribly distracting, but it doesn't help this rather standard stout. Don't let it warm, as the low ABV and gentleness of the beer does not bode well.

Innis and Gunn Irish Whiskey Cask

Innis and Gunn Limited Edition Irish Whiskey Cask - Barrel Aged Scottish Stout (2012)

Limited Edition Release (Brewed Only Once)
12 fl. oz. (x4) / $11.99 USD / 7.4% ABV

About: "Not only the first brewed Scottish stout to join the award-winning Innis and Gunn portfolio, but the world's first beer to be aged in the former triple-distilled Irish whiskey barrels, a result of the company's mission to produce flavorul, appealing and sensational oak-aged brews. It all began in October 2011 when Innis & Gunn’s Master Brewer and Owner, Dougal Sharp, filled four hundred rare oak barrels, previously used to mature whiskey from a famous Irish distiller, with their specially brewed stout. As the beer matured the flavor seemed to improve more and more and come into its own as time passed. After aging the beer for sixty days, and using a three-step maturation process, it was finally ready to be released. Malts: Chocolate and Roast Barley / Hops: Fuggles / Woods: Rare triple distilled Irish Whiskey Barrels / Aged: 60 days / Maturation: Three separate maturations follow fermentation; oak maturation, cold maturation and in bottle."

Thoughts: This beer poured a dark brown with burgundy tones out of the bottle and left a solid, near black inside the glass. The three-finger khaki colored head formed quickly even with a very careful pour and not a single bubble popped for about two minutes.

The smell of this is definitely unique. The Irish whiskey in this is actually pretty mild (much unlike their insanely strong smelling Highland Cask which was aged in 18 year old single malt Scotch Whiskey barrels). This stout smells very sweet and the oak barrel notes linger throughout the entire scent. There's little hints of chocolate and vanilla at the same time. Very nice.

It's like candy. Sugary sweet, a little bitter midway through, but offset with this almost ice cream like flavor. The alcohol haze at the end of this, before the roasted toasty aftertaste sets in, is so remarkably light... but, it compliments the beer so well. This one seems to go through about five stages of flavor sensations, and each one is just fucking beautiful. After finishing off a bottle the tastes fade away rather quickly, leaving only a thin layer of oak on the tongue.

This beer is very smooth and silky. Mouth feel is a little watery and thin, and it is very drinkable. I'm sipping this, but I could put the whole thing down in one gulp.

Innis and Gunn's very first stout is a gentle, milky brew and on its own may not have been so amazing. But of course, with Innis and Gunn, they're always OAK AGED and this batch with these extremely rare oak barrels they used takes everything to a whole new level. Of the five beers of theirs I have tried, this is on the bottom of the list, only for the fact that I don't feel I don't prefer really Stouts over Ales or Beer. That being said, this company never ceases to amaze me.

The rest of the Samuel Adams Winter Pack.

Samuel Adams Holiday Porter (2011)

Winter Seasonal (Yearly Release)
12 fl. oz. (x2) / $2.50 USD / 5.8% ABV

About: I couldn't choose a quote I liked and didn't feel like combining them, so here's two: "In total, four types of malted barley are used in the brewing process including a variety of German malt called Carafa. This specialty malt, along with a bit of flaked oats, gives our Holiday Porter its smooth, roasted malt character. Add generous portions of imported hops to the mix and one has a brew that is both robust and drinkable."

"Samuel Adams Holiday Porter is a full-flavored porter inspired by the famous drink of London's Victorian era luggage porters. Brewed with generous portions of Caramel, Munich and Chocolate malt, this hearty porter finishes with traditional English Fuggles and East Kent Goldings. Cheers!"

Thoughts: Poured a very dark amber that turned to an almost non-transparent brown.

Scent seems pretty uneventful. Little bit of sour hops slowly find their way through the Munich and light caramel malt. It's a pleasant experience, but still, things seems a little light.

Taste fares quite a bit better. Nice blend of hops and malts here. It's a little heavier than their standard stuff thankfully. This porter has a pretty cool smokey flavor to it, there's minimal bitterness and it tastes quite good. Only problem is that it's a bit tame. I'm halfway through and not excited at all, nor half-way interested even. 

Feels like a medium-thick. It's creamy and mouth coating.

I'm not much of a Porter guy. And even then, some of the Imperial Stouts seem to test my patience. Also, it seems I'm one of those Keep Giving Sam Adams Another Chance guys. That, on top of my declining Most Beer Is Nothing But A Chaser attitude, this doesn't bode well at all does it? The lack of kick here just doesn't do it for me. Or was "lack of kick" what they were aiming for? Perhaps I've been spoiling myself lately and just fail to see the silver lining anymore when it comes to "normal" brews. Maybe I should be eating some kind of meal while I'm drinking this one. It only seems fit.

This beer is not unpleasant, don't get me wrong... It's actually pretty decent. Will I buy it again? Well, I was forced to this time around you see - as it was sold only in the "Winter Classics" 12 and 24 packs. If I could have I would have preferred to just drink a 22 or 40 oz. of Fezziwig and leave the rest to my imagination. I don't mind it all that much however. I'll just chalk it up to another Porter for the experience of learning more about this style. Hey! There it is. The silver lining. Well fuck me silly with a crutch and call me Tiny Tim.

Samuel Adams Black and Brew Coffee Stout - Ale With Coffee Added (2011)
Winter Seasonal (Yearly Release?) - New Style

12 fl. oz. (x2) / $2.50 USD / 5.8% ABV

About: "We use 1.5 pounds of Sumatran coffee beans per barrel, roasted to nearly an espresso level roast to ensure the strong coffee character, added late in the brewing process to provide the most flavor possible."

Thoughts: Poured a very dark brown, almost blackish, but you can still see the dark auburn brown tones in the pour and the swirling. The head is a chocolatey tan that's a bit frothy and beautiful like a milkshake. It's taking a while but the head is slowly bubbling itself away.

Smells pretty sweet at first, almost like Wachusett's Milk Stout. Let it warm for a minute or two... sweet coffee comes through a little stronger. Just sneezed. It smells a bit malty, and the head is clinging to the glass.

Let's taste it. Yep. Tastes like coffee. One more time. It's decent. Little bit flavorful, malty, and there's those semi-bitter roasted coffee beans on the second try. Not that I was searching, but it seemed as if the sweetness was toying with my emotions.

Thin and watery. It's a bit tickling after a while. Not really dry, but drying. It's coating around the whole inside of the mouth.

Never really goes too bitter, and it never really gets too sweet. Of course, I should have expected that. I'm enjoying the beer somewhat, even though I'm not much of a coffee fan. It tastes just good enough that I feel as if it's being deceptive. It's just too light for me. Like if this beer were music, it would be a catchy pop song that you know fucking sucks total balls but is repetitive enough that it tricks your brain into thinking it's enjoyable. Remember Britney back in the day when she was doing all that teasing shit? That's this beer.

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock - Ale with Cocoa and Natural Flavor (2011)
Winter Seasonal (Yearly Release)

12 fl. oz. (x2) / $2.50 USD / 5.8% ABV

About: "The flavor of the chocolate is developed by aging the beer on a bed of rare dark cocoa nibs.  The cocoa nibs, a primary ingredient in chocolate, impart an aroma and flavor of fine chocolate to the beer.  As the beer matures, the flavors are released into the liquid to give the brew a complex, full bodied taste and velvety finish. A hint of vanilla is added, also used in making chocolate, to meld the combination of flavors together.  This combination of flavors results in a malty, chocolaty, and wonderfully complex bock beer. Hops: Noble Tettnang Tettnanger and Spalt Spalter / Malts: 2-row Harrington and Metcalfe, Munich 10, and Caramel 60."

Thoughts: Poured a dark brown with shades of deep mahogany, with a thin and rapidly diminishing tan head.

Little bit of a chocolate scent. Something kinda spicy about it, like black pepper but not really.

Tastes pretty standard I guess. Not really diggin' it all too much. Not malty enough, that kinda spicy thing I was smelling sure ain't in the taste. It all seems very clouded. Getting very subtle hints of roasted malt that thankfully doesn't remind me too much of coffee, and some weak cocoa powder. Tastes kinda like a warm, dingy soft serve ice cream from a buffet. You know, one where the vanilla and chocolate don't taste "quite right"? Especially when compared to the gourmet shit.

Goes down like water. Starts to tingle on the tongue if you don't gulp it down right away.

Pretty bland overall. Sam Adams really need to step up their game with their normal brews. This is the last of my Holiday 12'er and I've got to say that I'm pretty disappointed with the pack as a whole. Porter, Coffee and Chocolate were just too similar of styles, feels and tastes. Their Boston and Winter Lager are pretty similar too, with Winter being a slightly superior version; Winter and Fezziwig especially being the standouts, but let's face it: People are being forced to buy what I feel isn't necessarily horrible, but rather mediocre brews, just to get a few beers that are slightly above average.

I don't give a fuck if these are packaged as "incentives" to get you to buy the "variety". It's bullshit(!) because their "variety" needs to be of a higher standard than this. Huh, I guess it's official. I've drank way too many awesome beers. I can't drink this normal shit anymore. It's not cuttin' it for me! Put Old Fezziwig into Holiday 12 Packs of their own, because I'm not doing this Ever Again.

Samuel Adams Winter Lager - Malt Beverage Brewed With Spices (2011)

Winter Seasonal (Yearly Release)

12 fl. oz. (x2) / $2.50 USD / 5.5%  ABV

About: "To put our own twist on the classic bock style, we created a dark wheat bock brewed  with holiday spices of ginger, cinnamon and orange peel. For Samuel Adams Winter Lager, we came to a blend of Vietnamese and Indonesian cinnamons grown in Southeast Asia. The spices for Samuel Adams Winter Lager are fresh ground just before brewing adding character and depth to the generous quantities of malted wheat. Malts: Two-row Harrington, Metcalf, and Copeland pale malts, Caramel 60, malted wheat, Weyermann Carafa Malt, and Munich 10 / Hops: Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble hops / Special Ingredients: Orange peel, Ginger, and Cinnamon"

Thoughts: Poured a pretty rich looking darkish red amber, or light brown, with an off-white head that stayed puffy for a while.

Smells pretty neat. Frosty and inviting. Little mellow. The tiniest bit peppery.

Cinnamon and zesty hops. I'm so used to cinnamon and malt lately that this one (being the first beer of the day) just crept up the sides of my tongue and attacked my pucker sense. Little bit roasty and maltly once that hop bit fades. The taste is pretty mild. The cinnamon and ginger are decently represented and the whole beer has a pretty good flow about it. Orange peel hops dominate, with the cinnamon backing it up and a low roasted malts flavor with a pinch of ginger.

It's a light medium with a bit of froth.

Bitter citrus aftertaste. Roasted malt finish. Decent enough brew, but it suffers a bit from being a little too similar tasting, like their other beers.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager (2011)

Year Round (Standard Release)

12 fl. oz. (x2)  / $2.50 USD / 4.9% ABV

About: "Samuel Adams Boston Lager uses only the finest ingredients including two-row malted barley and Bavarian Noble hops. The sole use of two-row barley not only imparts a full, smooth body but also gives the beer a wide spectrum of malt flavor ranging from slightly sweet to roasted. The Noble hop varieties of Hallertau Mittelfrueh and Tettnang Tettnanger add a wide range of floral, piney and citrus notes, which are present from the aroma, through the taste, and all the way to the lingering smooth finish."

Thoughts: Poured a fairly light yellow amber with some orange shades in the shadows.

Not really getting much of a scent at first. After a while it's got a bit of a spicy tone that's pretty nice.

Light hops and malts, blended quite well. Little more hop than malt, which originally made this beer stand out. Compared to other lagers, this one is a bit stronger in the taste department and certainly in the hops. It's slightly bitter but still pretty good. Overall a nice blend with no real downside taste-wise, aside from some a grassy after bite.

A light medium with a bit of froth. Somewhat watery. Mild tingle.

Personally I've never had a problem with Sam Adams lager. Never particularly loved it either. For what I'm getting, their year round six packs are just too expensive for this (which is why I don't buy them normally). Is it better than some of the other lagers out there? Yeah, sure. After all, there's only a few good ones out there anyways. But a Lager is a Lager, and a Lager is a Chaser. If I want to buy beer for the taste I'm not going to buy an everyday Lager, it's a simple... as... that.

So people, including myself, should just shut the fuck up 'bout it. Hey, I buy beer for the taste too! Not that I've got an issue (it can't not be brought up when you review this particular staple of everyday beer), but a lot of people talk down on Budweiser or Natural Ice when there are far worse beers out there. If it's all about taste, then buy something that tastes Exceptional. As far as I'm concerned, Lager wars are about as pointless as The Scary Snowman's Third and subsequent videos. You're still going to watch them all, but the joke gets old fast.

I can't count the times I've imagined taking a flamethrower to my own nuts while listening to some arseholes going on about Bud Light vs. Coors Light. They're Light beers for fuck's sake. And for me, Regular 4.9% through 5.9% ABV beers are Light! Personally, I'm looking forward to more of the higher ABV special releases that Sam Adams will hopefully be putting out next year. I had a really great time with their 4 Batch #1's (Man, I wish I had bought and saved one of those Griffin's Bow bottles for later), and hope the next batch features all new stuff.

Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout

Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Otter Creek Breweing Co., in Middlebury, Vermont. USA.
Year Round (Standard Release)
12 fl. oz. / $1.75 USD / 5.9% ABV

About: "Three cheers for our Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout! This weekend we took 3rd place in the Stout category at the Great International Beer Festival in Rhode Island! You asked for it, so we're brewing it. Wolaver's first dark beer, this oatmeal stout is black in color, with a beautifully creamy head. This full flavored stout imparts hints of coffee, chocolate, and roasted flavors. It is being brewed with organic rolled oats, organic wheat, and of course organic barley and hops."

Thoughts: Poured near black with a tan, tan chocolatey head.

Smells of coffee beans, but it's not overpowering. Malty and chocolatey. It's got a bit of a chocolate chip granola bar thing going for it. Pretty cool.

Tastes like a solid, bitter semi-sweet chocolate. Like cocoa. The dark roasted malt flavor comes in after the initial coffee and chocolate flavor with a light zing of alcohol. It lingers around after the gulp. Coffee and bitter chocolate are very well balanced. The organic oats really bring out a nice fullness to the beer. If the alcohol content were higher you'd most likely not be able to get it so easily. 

It's as the bottle states: rich and creamy. And it goes down super smooth.

This is a lighter stout with a very good taste too it, and a very well accomplished overall beer. It doesn't feel light though, nor does it weigh you down. It's a very approachable stout with no real downside. Wolaver's gets my approval once again.

Check out those bubbles!!