Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout

Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout

Very very tasty. I've had many other Rogue beers before; however, this is my first encounter with this gem. Switching to the Beer Advocate Standard now to make things easier. (Decant, Appearance, Smell, Taste, Mouthfeel, Drinkability)

D: Bottle, 1 pt. 6 oz. @ approximately 50-60 degrees F

A: Black. Even holding it up to 60W bulb one can barely see hints of brown. Nice brown/dark beige head. Pours creamy and thick leaving a syrupy tide as it recedes down the glass.

S: Very aromatic. Hints of a malty (blame it on the Klages) roasted chocolate with slight undertones of espresso. The smell enhances as it approaches room temperature.

T: Wonderful. Almost a dessert beer- closest thing to an "adult" milkshake I've ever had. Moderate to high bitterness (69 IBU). Crystal hops shine as a supporting cast member and brilliantly step aside when it's the other flavors' turn. Perhaps you remember having your first Guinness and thought that it was a "mans" beer? Now, having developed tastes Guinness is watery with flavor, albeit a mellow one. Drinking this reminds me that beers can have balls without being assholes. Not too strong at all, but a presence none the less. Initial flavors of roasted chocolate hit the tip and sides with a nice roasted hoppy back finish. I'm very surprised at how delicious this beer is. (My expectations were high as I usually get on quite well with Rogue beers and it truly represented). Aftertaste is of hops and hearty malts, the slight chocolate taste receding and preventing this from being too sweet or "sugary"

M: Thick and milky but not filmy. It's definitely a mouthful and still kind enough to recede once swallowed. Doesn't linger on the tongue.

D: Highly drinkable; however, not "poundable." While a little over a pint is extremely doable, I couldn't imagine drinking more than this in a night- I'm full! Often, I find that stouts get harder to drink the warmer they are, thus the last few swallows end up being "tolerable" but not as good as the first. This beer is the opposite. Maybe it's because I'm getting a little buzz, but not likely at 6.1% ABV. At warmer temperatures I can taste Shakespeare more fully. It is truly realized once given the time to sit, warm, and breathe. My only regret is not pouring it, walking away for a few minutes and coming back to it when it's ready. This is a beer that needs some foreplay.

Overall, I can't wait to have Shakespeare in my mouth again... will definitely make another purchase and have a new favorite Rogue. 9/10

Lindman's Lambic Framboise

I'm a self-proclaimed beer lover. I go through phases- Belgian wheat one month, porter for a summer, IPA for a week and then revisiting for the Spring, etc. With this in mind, it might be considered odd that I'm currently sipping on some Lindman's Black Cherry Lambic Framboise. While technically considered a Lambic Ale, I feel that it's further from a beer and closer to a wine. I've had the rasberry before and thought it was quite delicious so the lady (my reason for having ever tried it in the first place) and I decided swoop by Weiland's and pick up some of the the Black Cherry. Well... truthfully, this is her beverage of choice for the minute. I thought the rasberry was quite tasty; however, slightly unworthy of the $9.99 price tag it garners for 1 pint 9 ounces. But it is a specialty beverage so perhaps I just haven't acquired the taste for it.

Please don't let me be misunderstood, I do enjoy the Lambic Framboise; however, it is definitely not a beery ale (if that makes sense). It smells a lot like a sweet red table wine, or a very sugary, sweet, red. There's nothing dry about this. Upon de-capping and uncorking (yes it's got a cork, building my case that it's secretly a wine disguised as an ale) a very sweet, natural, fruit smell arises. I say "natural" because most people will agree that cherry Kool-Aid and actual cherries seem to be related by color only, and I would hate to discredit the natural aroma and flavor of this by imposing sugared up Wonka thoughts. The pour is rather clean, virtually no head (even with a terrible straight pour) but it does leave a foam on the glass with each sip.

And now for the flavor and finish. This is really tricky- having finished dinner approximately an hour before with no desert I was in the mood for sweet and, boy, did this deliver. The first sip is incredibly tart. So much so that my girlfriend and I both puckered up (I think she may have even slightly teared). She almost immediatly decided she didn't like it. I, on the other hand, can't determine if I dislike a beverage until it's completed. Based on first sip alone, I would have given this a 5/10. However, I continued to drink it, and, after calming my tastebuds and bracing for impact, found it quite drinkable. After the initial shock I felt as though my taste buds were saying, "ok we're ready, and we like this!" It is very sweet, very tart with not nearly as heavy a cherry flavor as the smell might warrent. What else can I say? It's tart! It's not particularly thick. If I had to compare the texture to a well known beer I'd have to say Killians. The flavor resides in the mouth and isn't as hearty as a cabernet and has more closely relating reisling. Finishes clean, with a light tart aftertaste that disipates after only a few moments and leaves no cheery burps behind- very clean.

Overall, 7/10. I think this rating might increase if it was marketed towards wine drinkers and less toward beer drinkers. It's very good, but definitely not something I would get more than once in a few months. Great drink for that person who likes adult beverages but doesn't have a tolerance for stroger, fuller flavors.