Old McQuaker Oatmeal Stout and a Couple of Thoughts

It's a recipe from Brewing Classic Styles: 80 Winning Recipes Anyone Can Brew by Jamil Zainasheff and John Palmer. And it's a good one.

I had a discussion with a BN friend the other day, and he had just finished judging at a contest in California, and noticed that all the beers tasted the same. He asked, "Does everyone own that book?" While they were good beers, he was complaining that no one developed their own recipes anymore, and just brewed from this book.

I listen the the Brewing Network religously (except when I backslide), and I have heard letters from listeners who brewed recipes from the book and won competitions. So I guess a lot of people own the book.

I almost sent this beer in to NHC, but I stopped myself. After entering Brother Spud's Oatmeal Stout in over a dozen competitions, I already know the feedback: "Doesn't taste like an oatmeal cookie. Doesn't smell like an oatmeal cookie. 15 points." I just made a batch of oatmeal cookies, and frankly, I don't want my oatmeal stout to taste like an oatmeal cookie! I didn't put cinnamon and vanilla in my beer. Nor did I put raisins. Are all these judges suggesting that I do that? It's not even part of the BJCP description, for crying out loud!

I like this beer. Too much to let some yay-hoo tell me it doesn't taste like a cookie.