Dominion Oak Barrel Stout

Brewed by Coastal Brewing Company
Style: Stout
Annapolis, Maryland USA

From notes: Pours a very dark brown, that’s night quite pitch black, with some red highlights around the edges. The head peaks at about one finger, but falls quickly to a thin ring. Smell; the oak come through very well in the aroma, and there’s a pretty strong presence of vanilla. Some roasted malts come through with a little coffee and some chocolate. Taste; vanilla and oak are all I could taste at first, and I was a little put off. But once ths warmed up a bit, some nice roasted coffee and chocolate start to creep out, as well as little bit of dark fruits. Mouthfeel is bit on the thin side for a stout, but the drinkability is pretty darn good.

My roommate just asked why I was so chipper. A better question would have been, what’s not to be chipper about? The sun is shining (at least where I am), it’s a beautiful day, delicious food is plentiful, we have our health, the world keeps turning, a wide variety of music is available for our listening enjoyment, and we have friends and family who we love to keep us company! Also, I’m enjoying an Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout! Appearance: Dark black body with a ruby undertone (if you look closely) topped with a solid, tan head. Smell: The vanilla is easily perceptible in the nose, but there’s also plenty of roastiness to be found as well. The scent of bourbon is present, but definitely has a lightly sweet-smelling, smokey quality to it. Taste: "You see, it’s all very clear to me now. The whole thing. It’s wonderful." An earthy roasted malt flavor balanced with a modest amount of sweetness. Hop flavor is elusive, but provides a slight bitterness. The vanilla, originally so full of promise and potential in the smell isn’t really detectable for me in the taste. Same it true for the bourbon. Pity. Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body with a generous amount of carbonation keeps the beer feeling light in the mouth and altogether smooth. There’s a persisting chariness in the finish. Drinkability: Considerably smooth and pleasantly flavorful. I’d have preferred a substantial body, but overall it’s a pretty good beer. Again, I ask you... what is NOT to be chipper about?!

I’m surprised by such high ratings on this one. The pitch black appearance with sligh tan head looks nice enough but the flavor never really ascerted itself in it’s oakiness or sweet stout maltiness. A decent beer but I was slightly disappointed

This was a nice stout that actually was true to its advertising. You could diffenitely smell and taste the vanilla beans and the oak. Also the coffee and chocolate. From beginning to end this was a smooth stout.

Bottle. Pours a dark brown with a small tan head. Aroma is roasted malt, chocolate and a dash of vanilla. Flavor is much the same - malty, chocolate, some oak-like qualities and a little vanilla. Relatively smooth. A decent brew, but nothing of great note.

Dark brown with minimal head. Aroma is coffee and some burnt toast. Nice flavour of raosted malts but there isn’t a lot of malt backbone. A touch of sweet vanilla on the finish.

Bottle poured a translucent brownish black with a minimal brown head. Aromas of coffee, oak, whiskey, dark chocolate, light vanilla and a hint of licorice. Palate was light bodied and crisp. Flavors of roasted malt, oak, bitter chocolate, a hint of vanilla and a light hint of whiskey with a crisp sharp finish. Smells much better than it tastes.

Bottle. Pours black with thin brown head. Aroma was a big turn off for me.... Synthetic oak(wtf?), burnt coffee and BBQ(wtf?). Body was thin with decent hop balance. Some smoked malt flavors and wood with slight vanilla aftertaste. Something was just not right about this beer to me, won’t seek this one out again.