Firestone Walker 'Parabola' 2016 Vintage. Bourbon Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout. 13.1% abv. 79 IBU. Dark brown, nearly black. Two fingers of dense beige head that slowly recedes to a thick reliable collar. Superb retention, outstanding lace. Nose of bourbon, caramel, brown sugar, oak expression. 

Front taste of sweet dark fruit, vanilla, bittersweet dark chocolate, molasses, heavy roasted malt, mellow oak, bourbon back end. Aftertaste is dark berry, raisin, notes of charred wood, bourbon ribbon throughout. Full body. Mouthfeel is hot, thick, creamy, silky, carby, astringent sustain.

This is a world-class beer, a shining example of barrel aging. The profile is full of aromas and flavors, including dense dark fruit, rich caramel malt, tons of bourbon, with a wood/oak expression that starts mild and steps forward in the aftertaste, with a charred nearly smoky taste. The 2015 vintage was phenomenal, and this year's vintage follows tradition with a equally royal taste. One of the best. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Parabola is a beer of darkness and immensity, a barrel-­aged beast that is routinely ranked as one of the top beers in the world. This Russian imperial oatmeal stout is aged for a full year in a blend of bourbon barrels from Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Pappy Van Winkle, Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace, developing flavors of rich, chewy roasted malts, charred oak and bourbony vanilla. Parabola bares its teeth with its impenetrable black hue and soaring alcohol, yet its bite remains refined with a silky, balanced fiwish."
[source: firestonebeer.com]

Buffalo Bill's Brewery 'Black Pumpkin' Oatmeal Stout. 7.5% abv. Dark brown, near black. Two fingers of foamy tan head. Outsranding retention, excellent lace. Nose of sweet bread, pumpkin pie, vanilla. Front taste of roasted malt, oats, caramel. Aftertaste of pumpkin, vegetal, herbal hops sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, silly, carby, tingly from the spice.

This is an excellent pumpkin beer. The flavor profile approaches pumpkin pie and its trimmings, with a sweet cream/bread taste behind the abundant pumpkin spice. The oatmeal shines through from the first sip, providing a silky feel and toasty grainy taste. This is an oatmeal beer first, pumpkin second. That being said, this is one of the better pumpkin beers I've had this season. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A creamy oatmeal stout layered with pumpkin, spice, and chocolate accents. Black Pumpkin Oatmeal Stout boasts a rich roasted malt flavor, subtle sweetness and 7.5% ABV."

[source: buffalobillsbrewery.com]

Central Coast Brewing 'Stenner Creek' Oatmeal Stout. 6% abv. 31 IBU. Black in color. Finger of mocha head. Excellent retention and outstanding lace. Nose of roasted malt, coffee beans. Front taste of roasted malt, dark chocolate, black coffee on the back. Aftertaste is bitter earthy grain, sweet malty sustain. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is silky, warm, smooth.

This is an excellent oatmeal stout, true to its category, with a freshness that rises it above many of its peers. The aroma is roasty malt with coffee notes, while the taste is that same coffee sense misled with chocolate and an earthy sweet finish. The body is rich and smooth, perfect for this beer style. Definitely worth seeking out. Highly recommended.

Oatmeal stouts and coffee stouts are often called "breakfast beers" and I enjoyed this one indeed at breakfast, on a cool morning in San Luis Obispo, home to Central Coast Brewing. We wandered in the small brewery after a night of Downtown SLO's many other breweries and pubs. If you ever find your way there, I encourage this new morning ritual, one that my friends and I intend to experience again.

From the brewery:

"An English seasonal variant of sweet stout, the liberal use of flaked oats adds a silky creaminess to the mouth feel. Packed with notes of caramel, chocolate, and coffee this full-bodied beer is luscious, balanced, and extremely drinkable."

[source: centralcoastbrewing.com]

Lagunitas Brewing 'Equinox' Pale Oat Ale. 8% abv. Golden color with two+ fingers of thick foamy off-white head. Outstanding retention and superb lace that goes all the way down. Nose of herbal spice, oat grain, light sweet malt back. Front taste of herbal bitter hops, earthy grain, spicy, woodsy. Aftertaste is complex with herbal spice bouquet, bitter hop bite, pine notes, malt sweet sustain. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy.

This is an excellent beer, my first oat pale but definitely not my last. The spice is notable yet balanced throughout, the oat is well used for a creamy, silky mouthfeel from first taste to last. The aftertaste shines with a tall, complex flavor. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A creamy pale oat ale hopped up with a huge charge of Equinox and Simcoe hops for a piney, eucalyptusy, cedary, sprucey, foresty blast."

[source: lagunitas.com]

The serious lacing on this beer goes all the way down.

Ninkasi Brewing 'Vanilla Oatis' Oatmeal Stout. 7% abv. 50 IBU. Black in color. Thick creamy dense head. Outstanding retention. Excellent lace. Nose of roasted malt, dark chocolate. Front taste of roasted malt, bittersweet cocoa, vanilla on the back end. Aftertaste of vanilla, toffee, bitter hops, some dark fruit. Full body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, smooth, slightly astringent.

This is an excellent beer. The roasted malt is complemented well by the ample vanilla taste and the oatmeal is used well to build a big yet silky smooth body. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"A delicious oatmeal stout with just enough hops to balance the copious quantities of dark roasted malts, oatmeal for a creamy smooth drinkability, and whole vanilla beans for a rich complexity. To achieve this higher level of decadence, we added in whole vanilla beans to the final stage of conditioning – the same process we use to dry hop a beer. Vanilla Oatis Oatmeal Stout is characterized by a roasted front flavor, smooth rich oats, a touch of chocolate flavor, and a rich vanilla complexity imparted by whole vanilla beans. It is bigger than a traditional stout with more alcohol, body and a touch more bitterness to keep it balanced."

[source: ninkasibrewing.com]

House of Pendragon 'Overzealous' Double Espresso Oatmeal Stout. 6.5% abv. 42 IBU. Black in color. Finger of creamy tan head. Excellent retention and lacing. Nose of roasted malt, ample fresh ground coffee. Front taste of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, dark fruit on the back. Aftertaste of coffee, bittersweet chocolate, earthy, faint nutty. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is silky, creamy, rich, warm.

This is a wonderful coffee beer, a bigger, bolder version of their excellent 'Zealous'. The espresso tastes very fresh and compliments the roasted malt. The oatmeal serves the beer well, adding a big body and smooth mouthfeel, making a bold yet easy-drinking beer. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Many of you have had Zealous in the past. Zealous is an Oatmeal Stout that has been aged with coffee. We have recently teamed up with the Sierra Nut House acquire all our coffee for our beers. Sierra Nut House is well known for their Dried fruits and Nuts, but also roasts their own coffee beans locally here in Fresno. We found after tasting many blends that the Espresso roast was perfect for Zealous. Cheers!"

Firestone Walker 'Velvet Merlin' Oatmeal Stout. 5.5% abv. 27 IBU. Black in color. A finger of creamy beige head falls quickly to a scattered surface and ring. Low-moderate retention. Very little lacing. Nose of grain, cocoa, bread. Front taste of rich malt, chocolate, coffee, vanilla notes. Aftertaste of oat, herbal hops, milk chocolate on the sustain. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is creamy, silky, rich.

This is a fine oatmeal stout. As the name implies, it is indeed velvety smooth. The oatmeal comes through in the aftertaste and the silky texture. The chocolate and coffee flavors go well with the oatmeal taste. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"A decadent oatmeal stout.  Velvet Merlin offers robust cocoa and espresso aromas with subtle American hop nuances.  Rich dark chocolate and roasted coffee flavor with a creamy mouth feel and wonderfully dry finish create the perfect balance in this full-bodied stout.  Ideal for sipping in the winter months or at the end of a meal."

[source: firestonebeer.com]

Mendocino Brewing Oatmeal Stout. 6% abv. 35 IBU. Black in color. Thick, creamy tan head. Superb retention and lacing. Nose of roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate. Front taste of coffee, bittersweet cocoa, sweet malt. Aftertaste of roasted oat grain, caramel, faint notes of vanilla. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is rich, silky, creamy.

This is an excellent beer, well made on every point. The rich texture from the ample use of oats is evident throughout, the roasted grain comes through with strong coffee and cocoa flavors, and the aroma shines long from the creamy sustaining head. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Nature has this uncanny way of knowing what is best for us. Take Oats for example. History records that it has been used by brewers since ancient times. Today we continue that tradition and present our winter seasonal Oatmeal Stout, a glorious jet black stout endowed with a rich long lasting tan creamy head with a captivating aroma of fresh brewed coffee. This winter seasonal has a flavor profile replete with nuances of bold dark chocolate and black coffee, embellished with a tint of a hint of creamy caramel.  These are equably well balanced by the nutty biscuitty notes, a result of the more than generous use of rolled oats.  These myriad taste sensations are enveloped with an artful use of hops, and the outcome is a suitably pleasant dry and lingering finish.  At 6% alc./vol., this winter seasonal Oatmeal Stout may be enjoyed singularly or as the perfect complement to winter hearty fare and rich chocolate or berry desserts."

Stockyard Oatmeal Stout. 5.2% abv. Dark brown in color. Thick tan head with good retention and lace. Nose of oat grain, coffee, notes of chocolate. Front taste of roasted sweet malt, oat, chocolate, raisins, distant vanilla. Aftertaste of malt, bittersweet chocolate, notes of coffee. Medium body. Mouthfeel is creamy, silky, with a dry finish.

This is an excellent beer, better than some oatmeal brews at higher prices. Recommended.

This beer is a product of Josephs Brau (Trader Joe’s) but was actually brewed by Gordon Biersch. Prior to this, it was brewed by Goose Island.

From the brewery:

"Stockyard is a meticulously crafted stout, positively brimming with oats, chocolate and roasted malt flavors. This is a hearty, creamy stout in the Irish tradition, with a deep, dark color and rich, tan head. Its chocolate, roasted oats and coffee flavors make it incredibly smooth and just a touch sweet. It's an excellent match for our Huntsman Cheese or pretty much anything made with dark chocolate. We'll also confess that it's quite delicious on its own."

[source: traderjoes.com]