Flying Dog Oatmeal Raisin Stout with Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
The last pairing that arrived from Flying Dog Brewing is a combination that essentially pits similar entities from two worlds — brewing and baking — against one another. I know that this is supposed to be a tasting event, but when you combine an Oatmeal Raisin Stout with oatmeal raisin cookies, you’re not really looking to accentuate anything. The flavors between the two halves of this pairing are so similar that neither really does the other any favors. That said, this was still a tasty combo.
Flying Dog’s 6.6% ABV oatmeal stout is one of the more unique examples of the style. It employed an English yeast strain, Belgian malts and whole raisins during its crafting. The result is a beer that, perhaps, isn’t as fruity as expected and one that leans heavily on the strong Belgian influence. The dark, cola brown stout is quite tasty, but a bit thin on the palate, coming across more porterish than stout before fading through the lingering and lightly drying finish.
The oatmeal raisin cookie from Otterbein’s looks and smells great. There is a good amount of spices and raisin filling the nose immediately upon opening the bag in which they arrive. It looks like it’s going to be hard, crunchy cookie, but is wonderfully chewy. I would have loved to have tried these warm, right out of the oven.
The flavors between the brew and cookie are so similar that they really don’t add much to the other. The spices within the cookie add a little something to the stout’s character, but not overly so. When all is said and done, the combination brings a seasonally appropriate flavor ideal for the colder months ahead. I liked both of the cookie and the stout on their own, but they just didn’t offer me much when brought together.
Rating: 3.75/5
This is a review of a promotional sample.
