Well, there’s a first time for everything, I guess, and for the first time I find myself disappointed in a beer from New York’s Blue Point Brewing Company. I’ve enjoyed all of their previous beers I have come across (and you can click on the “Blue Point” brewery button just above to see links to a list of them if you care to). The Blue Point Oatmeal Stout that I’m sipping right now is leaving me a little cold, though, for reasons we will see shortly.

Now, Blue Point highly touts this beer on the label, but I guess that is to be expected. You don’t sell a lot of beer, after all, by saying it’s “just ok” or “about average”. Here is what they do say:

Commonly referred to as a “meal in a glass,” our Oatmeal Stout will make you appreciate that oats aren’t just for breakfast anymore. Carefully selected pale, crystal, chocolate, and roasted malts along with just the right amount of flaked oats make for uncommonly silky, deeply malted dark beer drinker’s dream come true. This full-flavored and rich tasting legendary dark beer is a romantically delicious Please share with someone special, no matter what time of day…or night.

Sounds, good, right? Well, let’s see, Blue Point Oatmeal Stout has an alcohol content of 5.2% by volume with 30 IBUS. I paid $5.99 for a 22-ounce bomber bottle, a very good price these days.

Blue Point Oatmeal Stout pours to a dark black (but not opaque) color with a medium head of spritzy tan (short lived) foam and a big beautiful nose of dark roasty malts and lots of licorice. Taking a sip, I have to say that the first thing that struck me was a thinness of body. Flavor wise, the beer isn’t lacking, and I get some pasty oat notes and lots of licorice. But that thin body took away from everything, it’s almost watery, and I can’t appreciate the smooth silkiness I want in an oatmeal stout here. It is balanced in the finish by a big roastiness, but it’s too little too late.

The thing about oats is that they should add body, smoothness, and texture, or why bother? Here, I don’t get the body to support that. With all the hype on the label, I found this to be a big let down. For sure, I’m not asking for a stronger beer (I like the moderate strength that adds to drinkability). But you can still have more body in an average strength beer. Probably not a beer I will buy again.



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