Obsidian Stout - Deschutes Brewery

GMB

Japan

4.53/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Deschutes Obsidian Stout pours a body that refuses to allow any light to penetrate it. Thin strips of crimson do appear at the edges and bottom of my glass, but only after I hold it directly against a strong artificial light source. The head is a real surprise and a marvel to behold. A lighter shade of mocha than I would expect from such a dark beer, it appears slightly gassy at first, but proves to be extremely sticky and resilient as it falls. It clings to the glass as it settles into a thin disc on top of the beer's body. Viewed from the side, this appears as a basin of mocha terrain which hides a dark chocolate underworld.

The nose is rich and deep without being muddy. I expect to pick up dark fruits and chocolate in a stout, but these aromas are extraordinarily pronounced here, and the faint smell of alcohol suggests that these figs, dates, dark raisins, and prunes i allowed to ferment before they transmogrified into liquid form and found their way into my glass. The roasted malt is deep and inviting.

I rolled my first sip around in my mouth for almost a minute. The mouthfeel is almost perfect; the foam is not as chewy and viscous as I had hoped it would be. The roasted flavors take time to develop. Sweet dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, burnt caramel, emerge and recede in turn before relinquishing the palate to lingering flavors of blackened meat (e.g., the burnt ends of brisket), and figs and prunes braised in browned butter. Floral notes emerge as the beer warms. Have confectioners considered experimenting with chocolate, chrysanthemum, orange blossoms, and braised prunes?

I cannot imagine improving on the taste of this beer when it is at its best. But the alcohol seems less integrated as I approach the end of my glass, and so I am compelled to deduct points from its score. Would that I could give it a rating of 4.75 in taste!

I can't recall the last time I took such small sips and kept each sip in my mouth for so long. I'll be revisiting this beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 01:17:49 | More by GMB

gueuzedreg

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%

06-17-2013 23:09:37 | More by gueuzedreg

MilkManX

Arizona

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

06-17-2013 21:35:13 | More by MilkManX

BingCrosby7

California

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Poured jet black and viscous, with a light tan head that retained its carbonation rather well. Nice looking brew.

S - malt, cocoa, roasted light coffee, lightly charred oak. The alcohol was light on the nose.

T - Roasted malt and coffee on the initial taste; very similar to the smell; light on the alcohol, which was a good thing.

M - lightly carbonated and smooth on the palate.

O - This is a very well balanced beer for the most part. The malt and charred qualities sort of overtook the nuance, but the overall effect is still rather good. Great brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2013 05:40:27 | More by BingCrosby7

3SH33TS

California

3.5/5  rDev -17.3%

06-17-2013 04:04:42 | More by 3SH33TS

ubenumber2

Arkansas

4/5  rDev -5.4%

06-15-2013 16:22:51 | More by ubenumber2

pisano

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%

06-14-2013 22:31:49 | More by pisano

HopsXray

Oregon

4.75/5  rDev +12.3%

06-13-2013 08:55:25 | More by HopsXray

Jtrigonis

California

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

06-13-2013 06:24:50 | More by Jtrigonis

scotv

New York

3.75/5  rDev -11.3%

06-13-2013 01:36:05 | More by scotv

Buckeye982

Ohio

4/5  rDev -5.4%

06-13-2013 00:55:12 | More by Buckeye982

BucannonXC5

California

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Type: 12-oz. bottle
Glass: Stone Ruination IPA
From: Bine & Vine Bottle Shop in Normal Heights (San Diego), Calif.
Price: $1.99
Purchased: June 4, 2013
Consumed: June 11, 2013
Misc.: Best by Aug. 12, 2013

Poured a black tar color with 3-4 fingers of tan and light brown frothy head. Good amount of circular lacing along the sides of the glass. Good retention on the top all the way down.

Smelled chocolate, dark caramel, espresso and roasty malts. Seemed to be stronger than 6.4 percent, more like an RIS. Very good nose and had me looking forward to the taste.

Tasted similar to the nose, only better. Got rich chocolate, fudge, dark caramel, toffee, roasty malts, chocolate milk and chocolate malt.

Full-to-medium body. Slick texture. Average carbonation. Long, smooth, warming finish.

A fantastic stout. I am only upset that it took this long for me to figure it out.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 06:29:39 | More by BucannonXC5

TheSixthRing

California

4.21/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours near black with only the brightest of lights penetrating the outer edges. Head is light cocoa in color, 2-3 fingers thick and excellent retention. An everpresent layer of bubbles across the surface. Resulting lace is thick and sticks to the glass with the best of them.

Smell - Primarily dark roasted malts; a chocolate and coffee, mocha combination.

Taste - Classic Deschutes cream and roasted coffee character. Milk chocolate. Sweetness off-set by the roasted malt depth that hits mid-taste, though not ideally. Leaves some earthy hop bitterness, with faint traces of citrus pith near and into the finish.

Moutfheel - Medium to full body, while the carbonation provides a good bite. Fairly creamy. Smooth. There's no doubt this is an American stout.

Overall - An excellent stout, though it's not too far off from their Black Butte in terms of flavor. This one's a little darker, but the basic flavor profile is there. A classic example in every sense of the way. If there's one gripe I have, and it's a small one, it's that the sweetness can get a touch cloying when drinking this beer too fast; a virtual catch 22, because this beer is so enjoyable, it's hard not to want to take drink after drink in quick succession.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 06:07:44 | More by TheSixthRing

teamwiggum

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%

06-12-2013 04:29:43 | More by teamwiggum

Kuaff

Alaska

4.56/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

I poured this bottle into a snifter, a little bit colder than cellar temperature.

Obsidian Stout is dark as night. It very nearly IS obsidian. The head is a lovely light brown and about two fingers high. Nice lacing!

It smells like rich, dark, loamy soil that has been fertilized with coffee grounds and then rained on by chocolate milk. Fabulous.

The taste follows the smell exquisitely, with extra emphasis on the earthiness. From the moment it hits my tongue, to long into the finish, I am washed over by waves of alternating and undulating earth, coffee, and milk chocolate.

The mouthfeel hits the sweet spot big time. It has subdued carbonation that's gentle on the palate and allows the flavors to shine through beautifully. The viscosity has some stout substantiality while still being... how can I say this... manageable (though I LOVE really thick imperial stouts, too).

Well. I did NOT expect this from a non-imperial stout. It basically has the flavor of an imperial stout, sans the high ABV. If there are any lovers of imperial stouts out there who are skeptial of a regular stout's capacity to sufficiently satisfy their selachian and senual cravings for scrumptious stouts... YOU MUST TRY THIS NOW... or I will annihilate you with my aggravating alliterative abilities. The label on the neck of the bottle reads "Give in to the deep, dark spell as the layers unfold," and "Like the plot of some eerie mystery you can't put down." (Haha, I love it.) Anyway, the layers did unfold. I gave in. And I couldn't put it down... because this stout treated me to one HELL of a mind-blowingly pleasant experience.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 03:30:32 | More by Kuaff

goblin7704

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +12.3%

06-11-2013 16:58:57 | More by goblin7704

ThreeKingdoms

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

06-11-2013 16:10:37 | More by ThreeKingdoms

aralim4311

Missouri

5/5  rDev +18.2%

06-11-2013 13:55:12 | More by aralim4311

dc87

Washington

3.98/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - Beautiful. Near-opaque dark brown body with a thick, dark mocha head.

S - A lot of dark chocolate, some roasted malt, a little fruitiness. Straightforward, but enjoyable.

T - Deep and complex. Begins with a big delicious malt taste with sweet chocolate and dark fruit notes. This is followed by a surprising amount of hoppy bitterness. There are just a little more hops than I would have liked, it distracts from the other flavours. A lot of roasted malts in the aftertaste, almost burnt tasting, with some lingering bitterness. Very interesting.

M - Also great - nice and thick, with a nice amount of zest from the carbonation.

O - A complex and tasty stout. Would prefer a little less bitterness, but overall, very enjoyable. Will definitely drink again.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2013 04:22:13 | More by dc87

neckbeered

Montana

3.25/5  rDev -23.2%

06-11-2013 00:05:40 | More by neckbeered

psmith161

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

06-10-2013 23:41:44 | More by psmith161

BWH999

California

4.5/5  rDev +6.4%

06-09-2013 23:52:32 | More by BWH999

MNPikey

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -11.3%

06-09-2013 03:55:20 | More by MNPikey

Metaltildeath

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%

06-09-2013 02:43:49 | More by Metaltildeath

thebouch01

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +0.5%

06-09-2013 02:39:53 | More by thebouch01