Hinterland Stovepipe

December 10, 2021

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Hinterland Stovepipe Imperial Stout.

I have had this a few years ago, but never did a post for it. 

Ahh yeah. Imperial stout. On tap and poured into a 7oz glass. Very nice dark tan head and jet black. Maybe even more than jet black.

I’m going to let this sit a bit, because it’s very cold. Gotta let this open up and maybe let that head fall to get some aromas.

(10 minutes later..)Ok been warming the beer as best I could, so let’s get into it.

The head did fall and I’m getting a big amount of roast in the aroma. Both the coffee and burnt type roasts are there. Some alcohol and a bit of chocolate-like sweetness. But nothing for hops or yeast contributions.

Looks fantastic. But let’s get to what this tastes like. 

Right up front is roast,, but not bite your face off bitter roast.. then alcohol bite. Off in the distance is a hop blast in taste and bitterness. But again, not much for yeast. Really feels like this one has been aged a while and everything is perfectly melded and rounded. Could this be the same batch as the last time I had this?? 

But longer this warms, the more the alcohol burn takes over. Plus starting to get a chocolate note in there.

Body is not thick, but more than medium and decently carbonated to keep a tingle on your tongue.

I like this one a lot. Roasty. Bitter. No distractions. Although, now that I’m looking at the notes, it says its bourbon aged… but I got none of that.  Oh and it’s 9.5%. what more could you ask for? 

Imma gonna have to go.. 4.5/5. I like this alot and will be back for more of this.

Petskull Hello Wisconsin Porter

December 9, 2021

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No idea what this is.. they poured the wrong beer for me.  But of course I’ll drink. Plus, he said it was a porter. That’s all I know about it

Poured into a shaker pint.  Very thin head. Deep deep brown. A few ruby highlights but not much.

Whoa. Heavy chocolate aroma with,, something I cannot put my finger on, but something sorta familiar. There is bit of roast.. but that chocolate, woooo, it covers everything.

Take my first sip.. wow is this heavy. Thick body. Very thick body. And more of the chocolate. There is a bit more roast in the taste than aroma. But that unknown aroma, can taste it now. Its like… ok yea, its that fake maple flavoring they put in cereal. But.. it works with the chocolate and roast. There is a nice level of hop flavor and sugary sweetness. Tastes like some kind of breakfast cereal.

The bitterness is not that noticeable,, but must be fairly up there to be able to feel it in this thing and sweet of a beer. But that body, its very intimidating. I don’t think I had a beer this thick before. 

Now that it’s warming, that maple flavoring and the hops are taking over, but the roast is leaving and the feel of the sweetness is growing. Really noticing how carbonated it is now for this thick body now. Not sure what the alc is, but I can feel a bit of warming in the mouth and up the nose.

It is a very weird kind of beer. It is definitly one of those where I can drink one and like it.. but between the thick and sweetness,  plus that fake maple stuff.. I think it’s a one and done.

If I had scored this at the first few sips I would have scored a bit higher.. but now that it warmed and can taste all of it..all I can muster is 2.5/5. But I think this is one you should try just because its so… different.

Ohio City Oatmeal Stout

December 8, 2021

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Tonight we are having Great Lakes Brewing Ohio City Oatmeal Stout. I do love oatmeal stouts, but they sure have changed in the past few years. Great Lakes usually does good stuff So I am looking forward to this.

From the label, it looks like we are sitting at 5.4% and 25 IBU and it is in a 12oz bottle.

Lifting the cap we get very little hiss or Co2 release. Not that concerning in this style, but curious as to be almost nothing.
Pouring it into my usual garage tulip glass I get about ½ inch tan head. That’s about what you would expect from an oatmeal beer.
Very black. No highlights red or brown and no noticeable carbonation bubbles.

The first aroma I get, surprisingly, is oatmeal. I say surprisingly because it has been rare these days to find that. But here it is, Mmmm. Then comes sweetness and roast. Not a lactose sweet (I’m glad for that) but more of a low crystal malt note. The level of that roast is just noticeable, but that oatmeal is keeping it down. And Its not roast barley roast,, more of a black malt or chocolate malt kind of roast with almost burnt notes, like a good oatmeal stout should be. This smells fantastic!

Before I can get to the first taste, the head has completely disappeared. But thats usually is the case with Oatmeal stouts. That oatmeal has quite a bit of oil in it and generally destroys the head retention.

As I take the first sip, the first thing that I notice is not the taste, but the feel. Its thin and fairly high carbonation. It has like a foamy feel to it. My guess would be that they tried to up the carbonation, to give it at least a bit of that tan head.

The roast is the first taste I get, then chocolate then a bit of raisin and toasted malt.. In that order. These all really work in a stout, and particularly in an Oatmeal stout. No hop and no yeast contributions which is fine here, because the balance of those roasty/chocolate/raisin really really is spot on.

Other than the thin body, everything about this beer is what an Oatmeal stout should be. Its not as heavy a beer as you would think would be, and I can definitely drink a couple of these.

3.75/5 that body and foamy carbonated feel makes me think more of Porter, but either way I like this.

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