BJCP 16B · Dark British Beer
Oatmeal Stout
A stout with a silky body from oats, with coffee, chocolate and a nutty or grainy touch. Neither very dry nor very sweet, with medium bitterness.
Oatmeal Stout by the numbers
- Alcohol (ABV)
- 4.2 – 5.9%on a scale of 2.0 to 14.0
- Bitterness
- 25 – 40 IBUon a scale of 0 to 100
- Color
- 22 – 40 SRM43–79 EBCon a scale of 1 to 40
- Original gravity
- 1.045 – 1.065on a scale of 1.026 to 1.130
- Final gravity
- 1.010 – 1.018on a scale of 0.990 to 1.040
What Oatmeal Stout is like
A very dark, full-bodied stout with a silky texture that comes from the oats. The roast is moderate and the sweetness sits between a dry and a sweet stout.
Appearance
Medium brown to black, opaque. Creamy tan to brown head with good retention.
Aroma
Gentle coffee and chocolate roast over a background of oats or nuts. May have light esters and little hop aroma.
Flavor
Milky coffee or chocolate, sweet malt and a nutty or grainy touch from the oats. Medium bitterness and a medium-dry to slightly sweet finish.
Mouthfeel
Medium to full body and a silky, almost unctuous texture. Medium to moderate carbonation.
Where Oatmeal Stout comes from
Oatmeal stouts appeared in England in the late 19th century as nourishing beers. The style had nearly disappeared when an American importer revived it in the 1980s with Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout.
Ingredients
Pale ale malt with 5-20% oats, chocolate malt, roasted barley and crystal. English bittering hops and English yeast.
Brew it yourself
How to brew Oatmeal Stout at home
If you use flaked oats, you can toast them in the oven at about 150 °C (302 °F) until they smell like cookies. Mash at 66-68 °C (151-154 °F) and add rice hulls so you don't get a stuck sparge. Ferment at 18-20 °C (64-68 °F); if the oats feel sticky or gummy in the mouth, you used too much.
Food pairing
Goes well with game, oysters or oatmeal cookies.
Glassware: nonic pint glass, the classic pub glass, made for long drinks.
Classic examples
- Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
- Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
Frequently asked questions
How strong is Oatmeal Stout?
Between 4.2% and 5.9% ABV, according to the BJCP 2021 Style Guidelines. That is a moderate strength.
How bitter is Oatmeal Stout?
It has 25 to 40 IBUs, a moderate bitterness. For reference, a mass-market lager is around 10 IBUs.
What color is Oatmeal Stout?
Dark brown to black: 22 to 40 SRM (43 to 79 EBC).
What food pairs well with Oatmeal Stout?
Goes well with game, oysters or oatmeal cookies.
Which styles are similar?
If you like it, also try Sweet Stout, Irish Stout and American Stout.
If you like Oatmeal Stout, try these
Classification and statistics: official Oatmeal Stout guidelines from the BJCP, 2021 edition. Original text by Hacer Cerveza Casera.