Name – Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Brown Ale
Country – United States
Type – American Brown Ale
Cheating is frowned upon in almost every aspect that it can occur. Athletes on steroids, big no no. Being unfaithful to your significant other, way bad. Having a nice big piece of chocolate cake while on a diet, probably not as bad as the previous two examples but in many minds it’s still bad.
Well I think I have found one instance where I cheated and it’s okay. Hear me out first before clicking back or the X in the corner. You see I have had the beer I am about to review numerous times in the past. But it has always been off tap that I have enjoyed it.
Cigar City now makes their Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Brown Ale in bottles. And I for one think this was a great idea. Ever since the first time tasting it at last years Jupiter Craft Brewer’s Festival I said this needs to be in bottles. Well now it is. And now I have some bottles to enjoy in the comfort of my own home. So let’s see how it is.
The top is popped and I pour the brew into my Cigar City snifter. It lays in the glass a dark brown color with a sandy tan head. It looks a lot like a cola in the glass.
The smell is bursting with cinnamon and oats. This really reminds me of the draft version so far.
The moment the first sip hits my tongue I know what it is. Lots of mixing of raisins, cinnamon, oats and a little bit of vanilla.
The bottle is dead on to what I was hoping it would be. It tastes just like the last draft I had. And most importantly it tastes just like an oatmeal raisin cookie.
Many breweries make beers that have a certain food in the name and a lot of the times they fall short. But when a brewery can make a claim and call their beer something like Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and have it taste like that then they have done something magical.
Great job to the boys at Cigar City on this one. You hit the flavor profile dead on and made an amazing beer.
Grade – A
10 Comments
I like this one but I’ve taken a lot of shit for not thinking it’s the greatest thing ever. I’m probably biased because I hate raisins in cookies. Everyone loved this at JCBF ’10 but I was actually more partial to their double cream ale they were also sampling. I’m guessing you picked these up on the Sarasota trip? Should we be expecting bottles in south Floriduh any time soon?
January 18, 2011 at 9:41 amTo each their own. I catch a lot of crap for not liking coffee stouts. I just don’t like coffee. So I can sympathize.
I did get this in Sarasota and I asked Ian from Fresh a couple weekends ago about getting these 12 oz bottles and he said he was unsure. So we shall see.
January 18, 2011 at 9:47 amI don’t interact with the distributor dudes as much as the rest of you guys, so I’m always a few steps behind when it comes to all that insider info on who’s getting what/when. Plus, I don’t trade much or travel outside the county, so I’m basically limited to the mercy of Total Wine’s inventory (and even then, I don’t have the freedom to check the store every day). I try not to get frustrated but sometimes the uncertainty surrounding various beers’ availability drives me insane. Did you see the twitpic from @brewner today? His store in Ohio has Hopslam cases out the ass, and we’re going to be limited as to what we can acquire, if any. Just an example of south FL inferiority, I guess. Still, I think it should be easier to get more CCB down here. Ok, I’m done whining 🙂
January 18, 2011 at 10:35 amAnd you know what Joel? I think we are getting screwed out of Hopslam. Over the weekend I spoke with the guys up in Sarasota and one of them is buying two cases of it. Two cases! We are going to be lucky if a store gets two cases let alone someone being able to buy that many.
I really don’t understand how Central Florida stores can get so much more Hopslam than South Florida. I don’t know if it’s Bell’s or if it’s Gold Coast. It just doesn’t seem right considering we are only a few hours apart.
January 18, 2011 at 10:39 amAnd now Bell’s has pulled out of JCBF ’11. I’m told we don’t get enough Hopslam because we don’t buy enough of other Bell’s products and now they are declining the festival because their resources are better spent elsewhere. Sounds like a big “Fuck you, Floriduh”.
January 18, 2011 at 1:25 pmWhat? They are not going to do the festival!? Where did you hear that?
January 18, 2011 at 1:31 pmI don’t know if he wants his name used, so let’s just call him “Howard Stern”. I’m sure you can guess. He spoke to the FL Bell’s rep. No Bell’s anything at JCBF ’11 period.
January 18, 2011 at 1:43 pmDamn that blows!
January 18, 2011 at 1:45 pmIt’s 8:45am and my mouth is watering. This beer looks abso-freaking-delicious. I wish I could get Cigar City here in MA.
-Lost
January 20, 2011 at 8:40 amMaybe if you ask nicely we can work out a trade for some stuff. 🙂
January 20, 2011 at 9:45 am