Beer of the Weekend #801: Oatsmobile
BotW was on hiatus last week while I was in Minneapolis for work. Though I was unable to visit The Herbivorous Butcher, I did make it to the Town Hall Brewery and Lakes & Legends Brewing Company tap room. I recommend visiting both if you are in the area.
The beer of the weekend is a beer I have been curious about for a while: Oatsmobile, brewed by the Bells Brewery of Comstock, Michigan.
Why have I been curious about it? Though I’m not an Oldsmobile person, the name intrigues me. (My parents did own a 1982 Oldsmobile 88 when I was a kid. It was a diesel and we nicknamed it “Big D.”) Plus, a pale ale brewed with oats sounds appealing.
The color is hazy, dirty gold. A finger of off-white head leaves a bubble-spotted skim, a thick ring, and spots of lacing along the glass. The aroma is earthy and reminiscent of body odor. It may be spice, but it makes me think of armpits — in a good way, of course. Underneath are hints of citrus and tropical fruit, mostly orange and perhaps mango. The flavor is much more aggressive with a metallic, earthy bitterness, astringent citrus (mostly lemon, orange, and some grapefruit), oats, caramel, and toasted malt. It becomes less aggressive as it warms, but a pleasing and lasting bitterness lingers on the taste buds. The citrus and tropical fruit become more prominent. Though I did not like this beer much at first, it is slowly growing on me.
Fun facts about Oatsmobile:
• Style: Bells calls it a session pale ale.
• Price: $9.99 for a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City
• Alcohol content: 4.3 percent ABV.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
The beer of the weekend is a beer I have been curious about for a while: Oatsmobile, brewed by the Bells Brewery of Comstock, Michigan.
Why have I been curious about it? Though I’m not an Oldsmobile person, the name intrigues me. (My parents did own a 1982 Oldsmobile 88 when I was a kid. It was a diesel and we nicknamed it “Big D.”) Plus, a pale ale brewed with oats sounds appealing.
The color is hazy, dirty gold. A finger of off-white head leaves a bubble-spotted skim, a thick ring, and spots of lacing along the glass. The aroma is earthy and reminiscent of body odor. It may be spice, but it makes me think of armpits — in a good way, of course. Underneath are hints of citrus and tropical fruit, mostly orange and perhaps mango. The flavor is much more aggressive with a metallic, earthy bitterness, astringent citrus (mostly lemon, orange, and some grapefruit), oats, caramel, and toasted malt. It becomes less aggressive as it warms, but a pleasing and lasting bitterness lingers on the taste buds. The citrus and tropical fruit become more prominent. Though I did not like this beer much at first, it is slowly growing on me.
Fun facts about Oatsmobile:
• Style: Bells calls it a session pale ale.
• Price: $9.99 for a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles at the New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City
• Alcohol content: 4.3 percent ABV.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
