Out.Haus Ales- Coffee-Oatmeal Stout

by Jim MacMillan
Weirs Times Contributing Writer

Continuing the series on individually owned brewers who self-distribute, we will focus on the wide variety of folks who have answered the call to build beers their way. There are more than 40 breweries of all different capacities and varieties of taste sensations around our wonderful state. But these individuals go it alone in their brewing adventures to take their pride and joy to the people, one bottle at a time. And they truly do this… for the love of the beer!
Tom Albright from Out.Haus Ales in Northwood, NH is the person that has been making the magic happen in his single barrel nano brewery since 2013. Wearing a kilt to work is a novel trademark, but the products Tom creates are the true novelty. Distributing only in 22 oz bottles, Out.Haus uses the simplicity of pure white labels and black ink to stand out from other busy labels on the beer aisles. His slogan on each beer remarks “It doesn’t taste like it came from an out house…”
You can learn more about his operation and other brews at www.outhausales.com
“Coffee-Oatmeal Stout” is a winter seasonal that is still widely available and worth pursuit. It is rich in flavor and aroma as you bring the glass to your lips. The immediate recognition of coffee fills the sense, without being bitter as some coffee stouts can be. Chocolate notes also appear within the initial sampling. This is a deep, dark brown brew with a thick mocha head which takes a while to settle. The malty mouthfeel is sensuous. The oatmeal part of this beer is derived from the grains used. The balance achieved through blending coffee and oat yields a smooth, slightly sweet stout, very drinkable and is a modest 5% AVB.
According to Tom, he actually adds coffee grounds in the boiling wort (the liquid achieved from steeping grains and hops during the brewing process) which imparts the flavors realized in this delicious stout. Using milder Northern Brewer and Willamette hops balances the maltiness nicely. Finally, at bottling, Tom adds a bit of lactose to help balance just the right amount of tartness from the coffee. The result is like have a great cup of coffee with the richness of a velvety stout.
Out.Haus beer can always be found at Case-n-Keg, 5 Mill St, Meredith. Many on BeerAdvocate.com have rated this beer 3.75+ to 4.05 out of a score of 5. Officially, they rate this at 87 out of 100. Find this stout before the season is over!

Jim MacMillan is the owner of WonByOne Design of Meredith, NH, and is an avid imbiber of craft brews and a home brewer as well. Send him your recommendations and brew news to wickedbrews@weirs.com.

The Wicked Brew Review is sponsored by Case N’ Keg of Meredith, NH, where they stock over 3000 different flavors of seasonal and year round beers and have a huge walk-in beer cave! They also sell a variety of hard ciders, meads and your favorite wines. They stock a large supply of premium cigars, homebrewing supplies, grains, beer and wine kits as well as everything you will need to create your own beer or wine. Visit them at 5 Mill Street in Meredith, www.Case-n-Keg.com or their Facebook page.”