Trader Joe’s Stockyard Oatmeal Stout

This is a Trader Joe’s branded beer. I’ve liked the Unibroue brewed Vintage Ale, so I know they can put out some alright stuff under their name. I believe (and correct me if I’m wrong) that this beer was originally brewed by Firestone Walker, but is now brewed by Gordon Biersch.

Stats:
Oatmeal Stout. 5.0% ABV. California.

Not a super dark stout, dark brown on the edges. Tan head, but doesn’t last too long.

The nose is quite roasty. It’s nutty with lots of coffee. Yeah, actually it reminds me of roasted almonds and coffee, that’s about it.

Light mouthfeel with high carbonation.

Palate is sweet and roasty. A little bit of coffee, vanilla, chocolate, with a nutty flavor like the nose. The finish seems really roasty and smokey.

This is pretty straight forward. It’s sweet, light, and sessionable, but it’s not great. It is, however, better than I was expecting, and would recommend it. The flavors are slightly disjointed and artificial, though. 83 points.