Beer of the Weekend #569: Zipline Oatmeal Porter
One good thing about the Hawkeyes’ one-and-done performance at the Big Ten Tournament is that I get to take the rest of the weekend “off.” I can sit back, watch some round ball, and enjoy it without any rooting interest.
With St. Patty’s Day just around the corner, I thought it would be fitting to try a stout (porter; whatever). For whatever reason, I have not tried too many stouts this winter. Therefore, the beer of the weekend is Oatmeal Porter, brewed by the Zipline Brewing Company of Lincoln, Nebraska.
Speaking of Nebraska, I would say I was saddened by the Cornhuskers’ loss to Ohio State today, but I would be lying. (I think Iowa needed Minnesota and Nebraska to lose today. If the Hawks would have won at least three games at the end of the regular season, I would have wanted Nebraska to earn a trip to the Big Dance. But I think the Hawkeye men may have played their way onto the bubble. They are, at best, on the inside moving closer and closer to the edge.)
While at John’s today, I started chatting with the cashier about Zipline, porters, and stouts. He said he had had Oatmeal Porter before and I asked if it was robust and creamy. To my amazement, he described it as “crisp.” Hmm… When I think oatmeal stout, “crisp” does not cross my mind. Needless to say, this could be interesting.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The “BOTTLED” date printed on the label is “2014.01.31.”
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is non-opaque black. A finger and a half of head, consisting of tightly packed tiny bubbles (wait — isn’t that what foam is?), dissipates evenly and slowly.
Smell: I can smell the chocolaty, roasted blend from an arm’s length away. Up close there is a lot more roasted malt, reminiscent of coffee. It is kind of like espresso, but not as intense. That is partly because it is counterbalanced by oats and a mix of dark and milk chocolate. (The roast is probably making me think dark chocolate.) A little dark fruit comes into play, mostly because I want to say there is something else, but it is dominated by the roasted malts and chocolate. As the beer continues to warm, the coffee does start to resemble espresso.
Taste: Not crisp, thankfully. The mouthfeel is deliciously smooth and creamy, as I expect an oatmeal stout to be. The roasted, coffee-like bitterness is spot on, counterbalanced by the oats and chocolate. Dark fruit plays a little role in the background — mostly dark cherry and maybe plum — but it is very subtle. Molasses also emerges late, and the roasted bitterness lingers on the back of the tongue long after each sip.
Drinkability: Simple but superb. Oatmeal Porter is very drinkable and tasty. This is among the best oatmeal stouts I have tried.
Fun facts about Oatmeal Porter:
-Style: Oatmeal stout (or porter; whatever), of course.
-Price: $7.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
-IBU: 36.
-According to the beer’s webpage, it is brewed with organic rolled oats from Nebraska. Also:
-Do you know what I just realized? I should probably change “Drinkability” to “Overall.” I think that would be much more fitting. Hmm… I may do that.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A.
With St. Patty’s Day just around the corner, I thought it would be fitting to try a stout (porter; whatever). For whatever reason, I have not tried too many stouts this winter. Therefore, the beer of the weekend is Oatmeal Porter, brewed by the Zipline Brewing Company of Lincoln, Nebraska.
Speaking of Nebraska, I would say I was saddened by the Cornhuskers’ loss to Ohio State today, but I would be lying. (I think Iowa needed Minnesota and Nebraska to lose today. If the Hawks would have won at least three games at the end of the regular season, I would have wanted Nebraska to earn a trip to the Big Dance. But I think the Hawkeye men may have played their way onto the bubble. They are, at best, on the inside moving closer and closer to the edge.)
While at John’s today, I started chatting with the cashier about Zipline, porters, and stouts. He said he had had Oatmeal Porter before and I asked if it was robust and creamy. To my amazement, he described it as “crisp.” Hmm… When I think oatmeal stout, “crisp” does not cross my mind. Needless to say, this could be interesting.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. The “BOTTLED” date printed on the label is “2014.01.31.”
Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is non-opaque black. A finger and a half of head, consisting of tightly packed tiny bubbles (wait — isn’t that what foam is?), dissipates evenly and slowly.
Smell: I can smell the chocolaty, roasted blend from an arm’s length away. Up close there is a lot more roasted malt, reminiscent of coffee. It is kind of like espresso, but not as intense. That is partly because it is counterbalanced by oats and a mix of dark and milk chocolate. (The roast is probably making me think dark chocolate.) A little dark fruit comes into play, mostly because I want to say there is something else, but it is dominated by the roasted malts and chocolate. As the beer continues to warm, the coffee does start to resemble espresso.
Taste: Not crisp, thankfully. The mouthfeel is deliciously smooth and creamy, as I expect an oatmeal stout to be. The roasted, coffee-like bitterness is spot on, counterbalanced by the oats and chocolate. Dark fruit plays a little role in the background — mostly dark cherry and maybe plum — but it is very subtle. Molasses also emerges late, and the roasted bitterness lingers on the back of the tongue long after each sip.
Drinkability: Simple but superb. Oatmeal Porter is very drinkable and tasty. This is among the best oatmeal stouts I have tried.
Fun facts about Oatmeal Porter:
-Style: Oatmeal stout (or porter; whatever), of course.
-Price: $7.99/sixer at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 6 percent ABV.
-IBU: 36.
-According to the beer’s webpage, it is brewed with organic rolled oats from Nebraska. Also:
This porter was our original winter seasonal, but an angry mob of cult followers threatened us when we proposed to stop brewing it. For our safety and your pleasure, the Oatmeal Porter is now offered year-round.
-Do you know what I just realized? I should probably change “Drinkability” to “Overall.” I think that would be much more fitting. Hmm… I may do that.
The Quiet Man’s grade: A.
