The Triangle

Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: Karl Kuchs The beer leaves you to question the more existential points of life, such as, "Why would I gaze upon another beer when Fat Dog looks so good?"

I've said before that I don't really like stouts. That's a gross overgeneralization, but it's a common statement.

"I don't like dark beers" is often the credo of people intimidated by black beers (they usually like brown ales like New Castle, though). Anyway, I blame Guinness for this, especially Guinness Extra Stout. People either love it or hate it, and because it is such an iconic stout, if you love it, you only drink Guinness, and if you hate it, you assume all similar looking beer tastes similar. The latter couldn't be further from the truth. Stouts come in all kinds of flavors, from light and creamy to heavy and bitter. The one thing they all have in common though is their black body and malty flavor. Today's stout is more on the heavy end of the spectrum. Fat Dog is an apt name for Stoudt's Oatmeal Stout because its flavor is big and relentless.

It pours as black as soulless cola with just a teensy bit of tan head which dissipates quickly to leave behind almost no lacing. Seriously. This drink is black. It oozes out of the bottle and as it slowly makes its way into your glass, you'll be wondering what you've got yourself into. It's dark, and no light can escape it. Once inside, the darkness of the beer overtakes all that enters, leaving it to question the more existential points of life, such as, "Why would I gaze upon another beer when Fat Dog looks so good?"

The aroma here is all malt. There's a bit of a chocolate aroma followed up by a tinge of burnt sugar. Aside from that, there is also the tiniest grain scent. The smell is light and refreshing, in contrast to the beer's dark complexion and complex taste. While advertised as an oatmeal stout, Fat Dog tastes just like a barley wine. It starts off with a malty rush. There's the dark chocolate flavor, the toasted oat flavor and a touch of caramel.

This is backed up by the biting bitterness from the hops and finished off with the astringent taste of alcohol. It's no big deal that you taste the alcohol. At 9 percent ABV, it's expected. The aftertaste is medium and smooth and features the complex mix of malts that constitute the beer. It's a good tasting beer, but the bitterness and alcohol are just a tad too strong in the otherwise balanced beer.

It is surprisingly smooth for such a big, full-bodied beer, but it is best enjoyed in sips and gulps. It has a good amount of carbonation that meshes well with the mouth coating of the ale. The beer's flavor would match well with some dark chocolate if that's your thing. As far as the main course, I'd go with a big steak or something gamey. You want something with flavors strong enough to stand up to the beer. In this case, that might be a little tough. As far as stouts go, Fat Dog is fine in my book.

What can I say? Maybe you'll find that there is more to the style than the stuff they drink on St. Patty's Day.

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