Deschutes Obsidian Stout

Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: Stout
Bend, Oregon USA

Bottle via jake65 - thanks, Jake! Robust aroma has a coffee bean, roast, and chocolate profile similar to that of much bigger imperials. Pitch pour with a rocky, bubbly, lacing light brown head. Superbly balanced chocolate and roast taste, nothing really standing out or dominating, just smooth and tasty all the way through. Somewhat dry with light hop funkiness (and just a super faint hint of grapefruit. Picking up some mocha notes in the chocolaty aftertaste. Thin body but very sessionable. Only lightly bitter, and just as salty. Not the obvious powerhouse - but luscious and pleasant. There’s a lot of joy to be had here.

pour is nearly coal-black with light brown head - bitter aroma with hints of chocolate, coffee, burnt wood - chocolatey/coffee/toffee taste with a slightly burnt taste (which is why I would rate it down slightly more than most seem to in this forum)

Very dark (opaque) brown. Large thick foamy/creamy head. Aroma is slightly bitter with notes of dark chocolate. Flavor hits you quickly big sweet with slight alcohal taste. The usual suspects are here. Charcoal, coffee, dark chocolate, yet they are weak and most definitley in the background. The sweet fruity flavors that come through in the nose is slightly overpowering. A quality stout.

Pour is pitch black with a brown, wispy head. Aroma is nice...chocolate and coffee with some roasted malts. Flavor is mostly the same...chocolate and coffee. Highly carbonated and fizzy. Smooth, but just a tad thin. Not bad for what it is. Solid stout.

12oz Bottle $1.55 Single Liquid Solutions Obsidian Stout pours the blackest of browns (if that makes any sense). Mahogany highlights only when held directly to the light and only creeping through the bottom of the glass. A strange looking big three finger tan head formed on the pour. I say strange because it was soapy looking and creamy at the same time. Very odd but definately a tasty looking stout. Leaves excellent lacing. Unfortunately the nose seems to be lacking. Mild lightly roasted malts are there in the background but weak. Mild dark fruits, a lactic quality, and a pronounced metallic twang. If I smell deep I can pull out the aromas I like to expierence in a stout but they’re all just too weak and distant. This is a quality stout. Roasted malts start things off with faint flavors of anise. Mild nuttiness mid-palate along with a creamy lactic quality. Nice balancing on the finish with bitter roasted malts and a touch of hop bitterness that make this smooth and exceptionally balanced. Medium body with a slightly airy but creamy mouthfeel as it moves through the mouth. Nice lingering bitterness from a comonation of the hops and bitter malts. This is a very good sessionable stout. Perfect beer to have on hand from Autumn through Winter if you’re in the mood to sit down and have a few to warm up. I believe this is only my second beer from Deschutes (the other being Black Butte Porter) and I wouldn’t hesitate in buying either one of them again. Both very good examples in their respective styles. 10/1/07

Very tasty, nice dark tan full head, flavors of chocolate and coffee are present but not overpowering. My favorite stout.

Bottle. Pours thick with roasted coffee and chocolate aroma. Flavor has espresso and bitter chocolate notes. This is a great stout. Easily one of my favorite stouts!

Had this beer on 2/20/2006. Aroma is a deep roasted malt scent. Color is black with good carbonation and thick head. Taste is full, roasted and toasted. Starting with a full body it goes smooth with a bite on the end. Finish enters with a roasted malt flavor and a faint hop flavor that is backed by a sharp toasted bitterness. This is not the best Stout by any means but still good.