Figueroa Mountain Stagecoach Stout - Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company - Buelton, CA

Two years ago, my wife took me to her hometown of Solvang, CA. It's a small Danish village, complete with windmills and fantastic pastries. The experience was awesome, but I missed the boat on the beer. Apparently, it also has some great beer. Her cousin sent me this fine bottle of the signature Stout from the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company in Buelton, CA (the neighboring town to Solvang). She promised an outstanding Stout worthy of some of the finest Ale Houses in the world. Here's what the website had to say:

THE BEER:

Stagecoach Stout
ABV 5.6% • IBU 17




Style

Oatmeal Stout

 

Inspiration

As dark as Santa Ynez at midnight, with hints of chocolate, espresso and smoke. It is a full-bodied, intensely-rich ale with a velvety-smooth finish.

 

Tasting Notes

Bursting with layers of dark caramel, chocolate, and roast malt flavors. The addition of oatmeal to the grist gives this brew a silky, satin mouthfeel and increased body. Jet black and opaque, our stout pours a dense, frothy, tan head that lingers as lace on a glass.

THE STORY:

A Father & Son Team

Jim and Jaime Dietenhofer are a father & son team with a passion for quality beer. Both businessmen and entrepreneurs, they’ve grown their companies on hard work and quality products. Jim raised his family in the Santa Ynez Valley along with wife Judie, and have enjoyed its natural beauty and the character of its inhabitants for years. Starting this business has been a dream of the Dietenhofers for some time, and they feel fortunate to provide patrons the quality that they deserve. Jaime’s wife Meighan and sons Anders and Gray are also key supporters of the operation.

Figueroa Mountain Brewing has focused on producing top tier beers from day one. They attribute that to not only the necessity for the highest quality ingredients, but the same expectations for their staff. “We believe that success in this business like other industries starts with building a culture that is focused on always improving and never feeling complacent with mediocrity, always striving to better yourself and your business every day.”

WEBSITE:

http://www.figmtnbrew.com/our-beers/#stagecoach-stout

THE REVIEW:

Although this one starts out as any Oatmeal Stout would, I thought that the finish was a little rough. The pour was deep and dark, but the head was a little overactive. This didn't really affect the beer negatively, but it just wasn't what you expect from a deep oatmeal stout. The chocolate and caramel overtones are there, and the coloring was about as opaque as you can get. That said...the finish was just a little edgy and not as smooth as I would have liked it to be. It certainly is a fine stout, and most definitely deserves your consideration, but I would not say that it's a top shelf...seek it or die trying stout.

RATING:

9/10 - A Fine Stout