I absolutely love learning about the history of craft brewers. Some of the stories are so inspiring I almost feel compelled to go out and get a home brew kit and start creating my own…almost. If it wasn’t for the fact that I suck at the brewing process and enjoy drinking beer way more than making it, then maybe I’d give it a shot.
Enter 2nd Shift Brewing from St. Louis, MO, with an equally cool origination story. Co-owner Steve Crider started 2nd Shift as basically a home brewing alternative to his day job after getting a brewing kit for Christmas. Much like other local breweries, Steve used science to master the brewing process. Eventually 2nd Shift was born and became his day job. I love that.
One of 2nd Shift’s seasonal (!!!) offerings is called Cat Spit Stout. It’s an oatmeal milk stout coming in at 7% ABV and 30 IBU. I’ve had this beer in bottle and on draft, and I have to say the draft version is far superior. Of course, it could be the bottle stayed in my beer fridge way too long, like months (more than 10). I know, failure. So, recently my wife and I made the trek to the brewery and had this beer on tap to give it another try.
Cat Spit Stout is medium-bodied. For a milk stout, I’d liked for it to have been a tad thicker. It’s roasty and has some slight coffee bitterness. To me, the aftertaste is a little off-putting. I believe it’s the “oatmeal” portion of the oatmeal milk stout. I’ve made no secret that I’m not a huge fan of oatmeal stouts. However, if you’re a fan of oatmeal stouts, then you won’t complain about this beer. It has a nice creamy mouthfeel, just not as thick as I prefer. Regardless, this is a solid stout from another unique St. Louis brewery. Check it out on tap for sure, and if you get a bottle then drink it fresh!
