Belfast Bay McGovern's Oatmeal Stout

Finally rating the Belfast Bay Oatmeal Stout I bought last week. I've been drinking it a bottle at a time for the past week, considering the taste. Oatmeal Stout is generally a smooth, heavy stout with all the chocolate and roasted malt flavors you'd expect from a good stout, but this beer is a little different.

The hop character is out in the open, which surprised me a little considering the style. Still, the bitterness, provided by Fuggle hops, I think, competes with formidable malt character underneath. There's a smooth roastedness, and the sweet taste of crystal malt is present. The beer is well-carbonated, which contributes to the hop taste coming out. After the bubbles on my tongue washed away, the hop bitterness got me a second time. Impressive.

I'm not totally crazy about the bitterness of this stout, but you can't argue that it isn't full-flavored. I've bought this before, and I'm sure I'll try it again. It's definitely one of Maine's best stouts. The dark roasting, combined with the bitterness, gives it a black coffee smell. Head is the color of root beer fizz, but it stays around for a few minutes. It's a nice beer overall.

Speaking of Maine's best stouts, by the way, Bar Harbor Brewery, brewers Cadillac Mountain Stout, just released a pale ale. I've got a bottle in my fridge, and when I get out of work tonight I'll try it and share the results.