Raisin Oatmeal Stout

Can from Beverage Warehouse, Winooski. A bit more alcohol to this version (5.5%) than last rating 9 YEARS AGO, so hopefully recipe has been reworked because this did not receive high praise before, to say the least. Opaque dark brown, thin head quickly fading to thin ring, tons of sparkle, no lacing. Aroma is strong oatmeal raisin cookie (how much raisin does one really get from this kind of cookie?), late lightly roasted malt. Taste is oatmeal raisin cookie but an invasive, overly roasted, ashy malt presence that immediately takes over (and doesn't let go). Smooth, thin texture, light bodied, average carbonation and crisp, dry finish as taste with overriding lingering roasted bitterness. While the Untappd universe appears to like this version better than the 4.7%, very familiar problems... Aroma is pretty darned good. Taste is like an oatmeal raisin cookie that fell in an ash tray. :-(

This was poured into a nonic pint glass.
The appearance was a dark brown close to black color with a white foamy head that dissipated at a moderate pace. Light lacing ran here and there.
The aroma started off with some burnt toast, crisp ruddy dark bread, burnt cocoa beans. Oh yeah, the raisins, well, hmmmm...ruddy to dark fruitiness (is that really raisins, hmmmm...me, I’m not exactly sure).
The flavor starts bready sweet with some dark and roasty coffee bean to edgy bitter/roasted malts. Definitely bitter/edgy malty aftertaste riding into the finish.
On the palate, this one sat about a light to medium on the body with a decent sessionability about it. Carbonation rides light.
Overall, ok, not one of their bad ones, but hey, the burnt flavors do seem a bit off all around. That’s too bad.

Paid $5.99 at a small corner store in Warren, VT. For a 22 oz bottle. Black with fast dying head, aroma is dark fruit that does come across as a raisin note, maybe it’s in my head but cookie dough?

The flavor shows mostly raisin. Not much roasted malts or barely, or chocolate. Yes it is a lower ABV so it is light and sessionable but.. It really needs more body and character. Still all-in-all it’s drinkable.

Bomber from AirForceHops, $5.99 price tag bought in Warren VT enjoyed at 50F in a snifter. A dark reddish brown with a fast disappearing 1 finger head. Nose is a little ashy with some sweet raisin and fig, dark chocolates, maybe some peppermint. It’s not bad, the only bad thing about this beer is the raisin, that and it’s very thin. Yes under 5% might equal thin in some cases but it’s a thin body overall. There’s some chocolate, some fruitiness, a touch of leather. thin overall. not a big fan.