Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout brewed by the Anderson Valley Brewing Company -
Boonville, CA
Barney Flats is
the Boontling name for Hendy Woods State Park, a deep redwood forrest with a
tree canopy so thick it can seem like nighttime at high noon. It is no
wonder that Anderson Valley Brewing Company named its deep, rich, dark
oatmeal stout after Barney Flats. Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout is full-bodied
with a decadent mocha character and smooth mouthfeel balanced by a subtle
hop bite. Near and dear to our hearts, Barney Flats was our first gold medal
winner in 1990, but recently took bronze at the 2010 World Beer Cup.
Beer Review by Beer
Advocate
Appearance - Beer pours a deep, deep brown (OK, let's call it black). Totally
opaque. A foamy, one finger, beige colored head on the initial pour that fades
to a ragged head during the sampling. Tons of sticky lacing left on the side of
the glass after finishing.
Aroma - This is the only part of the beer that didn't overwhelm me. A faint
bitter chocolate aroma, with some hops.
Taste - The taste is fantastic! A very creamy beer. A great mix of bitter
chocolate with just the right amount of sweetness to tone down the bitterness of
the hops. The alcohol is barely noticeable. The beer really shines after warming
up a bit.
Mouthfeel - A beer that has a medium consistacy but coats your mouth like a
heavier, creamer stout would.
Overall - A top-notch stout. This is my first beer from Anderson Valley and I
was pleasantly rewarded with a great beer. This is a beer, with its lower ABV,
that could easily be sessionable, in my opinion. A definite repeat buy is in
order. Highly recommended!
History of Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Founded in 1987, the Anderson Valley Brewing Company brewed out of a 10-barrel
brewhouse, located in the lower level of its brewpub, The Buckhorn Saloon.
Gleaming stainless steel vats brewed and fermented barley and other specialty
grains to create outstanding ales, porters, stouts, and wheat beers. These brews
began as a dream of Kenneth Allen to create the smoothest tasting ales available
anywhere.
When the demand for our award winning ales exceeded the capacity of our
10-barrel brewery below the pub, we built our present 30-barrel facility at the
corner of Highways 128 and 253, a mile from the center of Boonville. That was in
1996, and this brewery saw us through a dramatic period of growth, which
included the introduction of a 12 ounce bottling line and a production level of
15,000 barrels in 1998, twice the amount brewed in 1997.
Yet, the brewery’s growth was outpacing its larger space and expanded capacity.
In 1998, construction began on a state-of-the-art, three-story Bavarian-style
brewhouse. The centerpieces of the brewhouse are gleaming 100- and 85- barrel
copper brew kettles rescued by Ken Allen from a defunct German breweries during
a trip to Europe in 1995. The new brewhouse went online in August of 2000.
By 2010 Ken Allen decided to retire and began to search for a successor to
continue the Anderson Valley commitment to quality. In April of 2010 the brewery
sold to industry veteran Trey White. In September of that year Fal Allen (former
general manager 2000 – 2004, no relation to Ken) returned to the brewery as
brewmaster. White has focused on innovation and quality, introducing the Bahl
Hornin’ Series, expanding the barrel aged program, and increasing brewing
capacity.
