Deschutes Obsidian Stout

Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: Stout
Bend, Oregon USA

Serve in English pint, Shaker, Snifter

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Great flavor for what I consider a lighter stout. Given the texture, I was afraid it was going to taste like a porter, but it surprised me. The chocolatey-coffee taste is its major appeal. My favorite Deschutes beer!

UPDATED: JAN 29, 2004 Bottle pours pitch black with a HUGE tannish head.   Very carbonated indeed.   As the head quickly settles, I turn my attention to the aroma.   Quite the PNW Stout as the aroma gives off the smell of Cascade Hops and roasted (fairly burnt with this one) malts.   Smooth.... this one seems to just glide over the tongue leaving a bittersweet dark chocolatey piney roasted maltiness to chew on.   It also sticks with its smokiness, reminding you of just what you got yourself into.   This one also leaves quite a bit of lacing.   Head nearly gone now, glass half emtpy too.   As it warms, the bittersweet chocolate begins to emerge a bit more.   A great example of what this area has to offer.  (6.4% ABV according to the 2004 bottle)

The carbonation is a little high on this one. The head is nice an large, but a little airy because of the heavy carbonation. It settles into something a little more dense later on. Nice black and when you get to the bottom of the glass, you notice its base is a nice ruby. Heavy on the caramel, a little roasty, but not really a big flavor for a stout. The body could benefit from a slightly lower level of carbonation.

Rich smoky, espresso, molasses aroma of a gorgeous frothy head. First sip surprised me with more carbonation than expected, but that didn't detract. This is a tasty, roasted brew. Rich fruits in the background like fig, cherry. No mistaking it for Deschutes, must be the water.

Pours opaque with tall foamy caramel colored head that lasts forever. Plenty of lacing. Aroma is fruity hops, molasses, and maybe some coffee. Flavor is same with roasted smokiness. Yum! Some bite, with slight carbonation. Alcohol is well-hidden. A stout that maintains balanced hop fruitiness much like a porter. One of the better stouts I've had. Neat label as well.

Nice black color,small but foamy tan head that hung around for a decent time leaving a nice lace behind.Roasty aroma with a nice coffee tone to it,and a light hint of smoke as well.Very nice malt and roasty flavor with a decent amount of coffee notes and a faint hint of smoke coming on as well.Some faint hints of fruit show up but there a little hard to tell exactly what kind.The after taste is roasty and coffee with a nice smooth finish.This was much better then i was expecting it to be.Flavorful and and nicely done with a fairly decent balance of flavors.Well worth having a few more for later.

Opaque with creamy tan head which diminished to a small ring but does produce excellent lace. The aroma is chocolate cream pie, espresso, smoky malts, cherries and apple, light piney hops and zesty yeast esters. Creamy mocha taste upfront followed by a bitter and grapefruit hop presence. Undertone of sweeter fruits and some smoke upon the finish which does display a more bittersweet character than the initial taste uncovered. Medium-bodied with a slight creamy and lush mouthfeel, a touch dry upon the finish, woody and smoky. A darn nice stout which provides many different taste level upon warming up. Thanks loweredsixth for the bottle.

Pours black with hints of ruby and chestnut at the edges. . . Large dark brown root-beer float head, slowly diminishing and deeply aromatic: roasted chocolate malt, bitter cherries, and smooth coffee. A strong maltiness shares the flavour stage with milk chocolate, nuts, plums and cherries; while backstage a bitterness is about to come on and puts on a great show in the end.

Very enojoyable imp. stout. Dark , bu tnot opaque. Very dark head and good carbonation. Chocolately and roasty with a heavy caramel backbone. Tasty use of hops in moderation leaving a very chewy stout. Thanks Santa.

Nitro at brewery: Very black with a typical nitro head. Mind-blowing aroma in this beer! Before taking my first sip, I just sat there smelling it for many minutes. Very roasted, burnt, bitter, coffeeish and chocolatey. Sweet malt base provided a nice platform. Chewy texture gave the beer purpose. Great beer ... and probably the best nitro I've ever had (it didn't seem to dumb the beer down or rob any of its aromas).