Na Zdravi !: Sless' Oatmeal Stout

Wednesday, December 06, 2017

Sless' Oatmeal Stout

Iron Springs Pub & Brewery (Fairfax, CA)

"Dark, hardy, thick, rich, roasted and chocolaty, this ale is amazingly smooth due to the generous addition of whole oats. Named for a friend of Iron Springs and easily the finest pedal steel player around, Barry Sless, this one is layered with flavors."

Rich, full flavored. Dark (bitter) chocolate. Roasted malt. A nice hint of molasses. Wonderful mouthfeel ... you want to chew it the feel is so "thick".
Sweet finish that leaves a pleasant aftertaste.
Exceptional!

7.5% ABV, 26 IBU

Na Zdravi!

A 10-second take.
Not really reviews, just my way to keep track of the beers I've tried.

My mother's family is Czech. They emigrated from Bohemia and settled in Nebraska in the mid-1800s.
They were from the region that included the town Pilzen (Pilsen) where a brewery called Měšťanský pivovar Plzeň, now Pilsner Urquell (Plzeňský Prazdroj in Czech), started brewing a uniquely Bohemian-style beer we now know as pilsner.
So, as I raise a glass in honor of my Bohemian roots ...

Na Zdravi! (to your health).

Hops?

A "hop" is the cone shaped resinous flower of the female hop plant. It is used in brewing to add bitterness, flavor, aroma, and stability depending on when it is added.

Hops are one of the 4 basic ingredients of beer although they are not esential in the brewing process. The are used simply to add flavor and complexity to the brew.
Double and even triple IPA's feature an extreme amount of hops, and an ABV to match.
Noble Hops - The traditional varieties of hops that were used to make early European beers. Medieval brewers used Hallertau, Saaz, Spalt, and/or Tettnang hops. All are from Germany except Saaz from the Czech Republic (Žatec in Czech). All are still used today.