Stern Line Oatmeal Stout

This oatmeal stout looked stellar in the glass, with a dense head of off-white whipped cream. Some lace streamed down the sides as the beer was sampled. It was a medium-dark brown, with tawny red highlights escaping as I shone my flashlight through it. Aromas detected included biscotti, light cocoa, and a faint vanilla character that was almost smoky. Upon tasting, it revealed a medium chocolate presence and mild coffee flavors supported by a fair amount of bitterness. The toasty, light cocoa notes of the beer were quite pleasant, and medium body was true to style. The finish, which was fairly dry, hinted of the silkiness attributable to the oatmeal, and also peppermint, which I can only hazard to guess was hop-derived. It featured a low-to-medium carbonation level, and a standard level of alcohol content, both of which helped provide a good measure of drinkability. For an American-style Oatmeal Stout, the beer was well crafted. It could have been a bit bigger in alcohol, and a little more intense for oatmeal-derived flavors, but still seemed like a good drinker. I would have also preferred a bit more biscuit/toast to the beer, which may have been improved through the use of English-derived base malts, but overall, though, this was a sturdy effort.