Ships in the Night

Ships in the Night is a 5.6% alcohol oatmeal stout from scenic Kingston, Ontario. It's built by an outfit called Stone City Ales, that I hadn't previously encountered. Always keen to try new Ontario brews, when I saw it listed at Toronto's Bar Hop, I felt compelled to give it a whirl. This, despite the fact that it was a sweltering Saturday afternoon in August, hardly ideal oatmeal stout weather.

My pint arrived looking like a stout--dark, moody, and topped with a cream head (this one was another photographic casualty of my now-deceased cellphone, so no pic). The head wasn't as dense or as thick as I'd have liked, but no matter, on to the aroma. Well roasted malt, molasses, leather, and mocha filled my nose. An agreeably smooth mouthfeel is coupled with a pleasant flavour to create a nice taste sensation. Chiefly, there are roasty malt notes, but these are supplemented with dark chocolate and molasses up front, and a respectable hop presence and a bit of booze heat toward the rear.

Ships in the Night was a fine example of an oatmeal stout. Not quite as thick and filling as I might have liked, but flavourful and, importantly, solidly bitter. I'll be watching out for more Stone City Ales for sure.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.