Beer of the Weekend #183: Gray's Oatmeal Stout
I was a busy boy tonight. I went to the Iowa State-Iowa game and then to “The Best of” No Shame Theater (which was excellent), so this BotW may be short and sweet.
The beer of the weekend is Gray’s Oatmeal Stout, brewed by the Gray (or maybe Gray’s) Brewing Company of Janesville, Wisconsin.
I should be hitting the winter seasonals hard; they are only around for another month or so. However, I know little about the ones I have yet to try and had the craving for thick, creamy, motor oil this week. It’s dark beer time!
Oh, Wisconsin. Not only do our Badger friends have the Heartland Trophy, but they also have a major thirst for beer. (My dad’s family is from Wisconsin, so maybe that explains my love for beer.) Though Milwaukee’s days as the country’s macro capital have passed, Wisconsin seems to be home to a growing and enthusiastic microbrewing scene. The most notable, as far as I know, are New Glarus Brewing Company and Sprecher Brewing Company, two breweries worthy of a road trip. I am dead sure there are many more, and, while Iowa has a budding micro scene of its own, I hope a little of Wisconsin’s talent and zest crosses the Mississippi.
On a side note, my dream woman would either be from Minnesota or Wisconsin. There is just something about the girls of the Upper Midwest, especially in the Twin Cities, that piques the animal in me.
Along with having a bevy of cuties, Wisconsin also has the coolest state motto, if there can be such a thing: Forward. Very minimalistic. I love it.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. No freshness date or batch code on the bottle at all.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is non-opaque black; when I held it to my lamp, the pint became an attractive, deep ruby. Perhaps I poured it too well (maybe), but there was almost no head; only a half finger of tanned foam developed and then dissipated quickly to leave a ring around the edge and a couple wisps of lacing in the middle.
Smell: It has a nice, roasted aroma, and it is giving me flashbacks of Stockyard Stout, though faintly. The smell is dominated by roasted chocolate/cocoa malts, but there is a nice roasted coffee bitterness to make it well balanced. There is a slight hint of oats and maybe some oatmeal, but nothing substantial; perhaps I am imaging that.
Taste: Yummy. Burnt, not roasted, coffee bitterness dominates the flavor, and it is tamed by roasted chocolate/cocoa malts. However, an element of singed edges remains. Deep down, as the pint warms, flavors of cherry and plum emerge, and oats provide a nice bready/cereal quality.
Drinkability: Good stuff. The carbonation is a little weak, but other than that it is a pretty decent beer. Not excellent, but decent.
Fun facts about Gray’s Oatmeal Stout:
-Style: Oatmeal Stout. Here’s what BA has to say:
-Price: $7.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: BA recommends 50-55ºF — their “warmer” standard.
-Alcohol content: 5.21 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: Recommended on BA are earthy cheeses (Camembert, Fontina), chocolate dessert, shellfish, and smoked meat.
-The “56” on the label and carrier (which may or may not be part of the beer’s name; I have no clue) is a reference to 1856, when Gray was founded.
-Awards for Gray’s Oatmeal Stout include those from the World Beer Cup (Gold, 2003; Silver, 2002; Bronze, 2006) and the Great American Beer Festival (Gold, 1994).
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
The beer of the weekend is Gray’s Oatmeal Stout, brewed by the Gray (or maybe Gray’s) Brewing Company of Janesville, Wisconsin.
I should be hitting the winter seasonals hard; they are only around for another month or so. However, I know little about the ones I have yet to try and had the craving for thick, creamy, motor oil this week. It’s dark beer time!
Oh, Wisconsin. Not only do our Badger friends have the Heartland Trophy, but they also have a major thirst for beer. (My dad’s family is from Wisconsin, so maybe that explains my love for beer.) Though Milwaukee’s days as the country’s macro capital have passed, Wisconsin seems to be home to a growing and enthusiastic microbrewing scene. The most notable, as far as I know, are New Glarus Brewing Company and Sprecher Brewing Company, two breweries worthy of a road trip. I am dead sure there are many more, and, while Iowa has a budding micro scene of its own, I hope a little of Wisconsin’s talent and zest crosses the Mississippi.
On a side note, my dream woman would either be from Minnesota or Wisconsin. There is just something about the girls of the Upper Midwest, especially in the Twin Cities, that piques the animal in me.
Along with having a bevy of cuties, Wisconsin also has the coolest state motto, if there can be such a thing: Forward. Very minimalistic. I love it.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles. No freshness date or batch code on the bottle at all.
Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is non-opaque black; when I held it to my lamp, the pint became an attractive, deep ruby. Perhaps I poured it too well (maybe), but there was almost no head; only a half finger of tanned foam developed and then dissipated quickly to leave a ring around the edge and a couple wisps of lacing in the middle.
Smell: It has a nice, roasted aroma, and it is giving me flashbacks of Stockyard Stout, though faintly. The smell is dominated by roasted chocolate/cocoa malts, but there is a nice roasted coffee bitterness to make it well balanced. There is a slight hint of oats and maybe some oatmeal, but nothing substantial; perhaps I am imaging that.
Taste: Yummy. Burnt, not roasted, coffee bitterness dominates the flavor, and it is tamed by roasted chocolate/cocoa malts. However, an element of singed edges remains. Deep down, as the pint warms, flavors of cherry and plum emerge, and oats provide a nice bready/cereal quality.
Drinkability: Good stuff. The carbonation is a little weak, but other than that it is a pretty decent beer. Not excellent, but decent.
Fun facts about Gray’s Oatmeal Stout:
-Style: Oatmeal Stout. Here’s what BA has to say:
These are generally medium to full bodied stouts that have an unreal smoothness to them from the addition of oats to the mash. The oats not only add a lot of smoothness to the mouth feel but give a touch of sweetness that is unlike any other type of stout. Both levels of roasted flavor and hop character will vary.
-Price: $7.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: BA recommends 50-55ºF — their “warmer” standard.
-Alcohol content: 5.21 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: Recommended on BA are earthy cheeses (Camembert, Fontina), chocolate dessert, shellfish, and smoked meat.
-The “56” on the label and carrier (which may or may not be part of the beer’s name; I have no clue) is a reference to 1856, when Gray was founded.
-Awards for Gray’s Oatmeal Stout include those from the World Beer Cup (Gold, 2003; Silver, 2002; Bronze, 2006) and the Great American Beer Festival (Gold, 1994).
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
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