The drink comes in 1 pint bottles available at most retailers for a little under $5.00. First, we will be taking a quick look at the history of the brew.
History
Oatmeal Stouts such as this one have a strong history, particularly in the U.K. Oatmeal stouts had their starts in medieval England, where ale was actually a type of alcoholic porridge. (Yes, the kind that required chewing. Bleh.) However, the oatmeal stout would fall out of favor during the mid 20th century and not enjoy a strong revival until the Samuel Smith offering was made popular in the 1980's.
Differing from the traditional ingredients of barley and wheat, oats used in beer were usually expected to yield a smoother taste when used in the correct proportion to the brew. Too much would lead to a more bitter taste. The first stouts expected the brew to be around one-third oats, where modern versions now favor a greatly decreased 5%.
Taste
Right out the gate, the Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout is upfront, honest, and not going to whack you over the head with a billy club when you are not looking. The initial taste is a very balanced darker presence without being too strong on the tip or the middle of the tongue. The beginning notes of the beer can best be described as being "hearty" and nothing else. The brew does not feel a need to beat you in the face until you call it manlier than you are.
After the initial tastes, this particular brew then goes on to leave more bitter notes on the sides of the tongue and a slight sweet aftertaste on the back of the tongue if you are really paying attention to it. When all of the tastes are combined, it gives you a very nice "blanket" effect all around the tongue. It more or less covers everything that it needs to, again, without being too strong or dominant in the tastes.
However, since the oatmeal stout does not beat you over the face and the tastes are very simple, that means that the beer has little else to offer aside from that. While it does not stand out very much on the palate, it is still a very formidable offering to other somewhat darker brews.
After the initial tastes, this particular brew then goes on to leave more bitter notes on the sides of the tongue and a slight sweet aftertaste on the back of the tongue if you are really paying attention to it. When all of the tastes are combined, it gives you a very nice "blanket" effect all around the tongue. It more or less covers everything that it needs to, again, without being too strong or dominant in the tastes.
However, since the oatmeal stout does not beat you over the face and the tastes are very simple, that means that the beer has little else to offer aside from that. While it does not stand out very much on the palate, it is still a very formidable offering to other somewhat darker brews.
Food Pairing
The beer has a U.K. background and given the overall calm yet noticeable tastes the beer is offering, I would ideally like to enjoy the beer with a shepherd's pie. Both the beer and the dish would display the appropriate hearty essence while at the same time complementing one another with their strong-but-not-too-strong tones.
Song
Lastly, we get to the very point of SOSD: what song is the equivalent of this beer. The beer puts it all out there and is honest without yelling. It has few components and those mix well together. Bitter? Check. Sweet? Check (barely). So therefore.... bittersweet? You got that right. So with the hearty and strong parts of the ale, those give it a clear "rock" attitude. So if we are looking at this beer as a song, we are looking at a bittersweet, simple, rock anthem. Ladies and gentlemen I point to this beer and hear "My My, Hey Hey" by Neil Young. Both the ale and the amazingly well written and performed song have much in common and are not there to cause screaming and shouting, but rather simplistic enjoyment.
The song by Neil Young on Youtube (offsite)
In the end, due to the Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout giving a solid delivery, but not putting anything extra into the mix, I would have to give this beautiful offering an 8.5 out of a possible 10. Well done, Mr. Smith.
Until the next round, make sure the only flat notes are the ones in your music, not your beer.
All images copyright their respective owners. Sources cited: http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/samsmith_oatmeal_stout.html , Wikipedia.org
Lastly, we get to the very point of SOSD: what song is the equivalent of this beer. The beer puts it all out there and is honest without yelling. It has few components and those mix well together. Bitter? Check. Sweet? Check (barely). So therefore.... bittersweet? You got that right. So with the hearty and strong parts of the ale, those give it a clear "rock" attitude. So if we are looking at this beer as a song, we are looking at a bittersweet, simple, rock anthem. Ladies and gentlemen I point to this beer and hear "My My, Hey Hey" by Neil Young. Both the ale and the amazingly well written and performed song have much in common and are not there to cause screaming and shouting, but rather simplistic enjoyment.
The song by Neil Young on Youtube (offsite)
In the end, due to the Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout giving a solid delivery, but not putting anything extra into the mix, I would have to give this beautiful offering an 8.5 out of a possible 10. Well done, Mr. Smith.
Until the next round, make sure the only flat notes are the ones in your music, not your beer.
All images copyright their respective owners. Sources cited: http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/samsmith_oatmeal_stout.html , Wikipedia.org
