Dominion Oak Barrel Stout

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

I started to feel hesitant when I saw written on the bottle cap “Twist - Off”. Never a good sign IMO. I’m having a hard time with the nose. Initially it is vanilla & wheat, then kinda bananas & berries. After a bit there is definitely some maple and coffee tones. The problem is the raunchy Band-Aid smell somewhere between initial and after a bit. Pours from the bottle a solid black. The tan head is a joke. It is FROTHY (isn’t this a stout?), and quickly diminishing with no lace. Nothing really distinguishes the flavor. Somewhat floral, somewhat burnt and bitter at the finish. Not really offensive, but easily forgettable. The palate is a joke. Again, isn’t this supposed to be a STOUT? The body is medium at best, fizzy, and dry. Reminds me of Michelob Dark. More like a bad schwarzbier than a stout. I would be pissed had I paid for this.

I really enjoyed this beer. It was so dark and rich. Coincidentially, I also had this on nitro draft at The Sharp Edge. It had some very nice deep wood and chocolate tones. Very smooth across the tongue. Overall very good.

Had on nitro draft @ Sharp Edge. This beer was decent but not great. Aroma was a mild cream and sugar. Taste was a muted cream and chocolate. Mouthfeel was smooth and creamy.

Bottle - I think I got a bad batch here or something. I had this at the Old Dominion Brewery on tap and absolutely loved it with hints of bourban, oak, vanilla, chocolate. But the bottle I recently aquired pour beautiful with a huge frothy brown head that sticks to the glass all the way down but thats were it ends. There an odd aroma (can’t place it) that pushes me away. The taste is flat & watery with no flavor... After really enjoying it on tap and the growler I bought home I was shock at the first bottle but then thought maybe it was me or something I ate... Third bottle tonight and I can’t believe I’m about to dump half of it down the drain...

"MMM good beer. poured a black thick beer. Aroma was good vanilla with some chocolate. Taste was of vanilla, oak, and chocolate. Thin mouthfeel, with no bit. Good beer."

I was surprised to see this on the menu at Summits in Sandy Springs. Personally, I really love the oak/bourbon style of stouts. The aroma was very oaky, but not overpowering. Thhis was very easy to drink; very creamy with minimal carbonation. I hope that I can find some of this in a bottle.

Pure black coloring with a large head. Vanilla and burbon aromas, some fermented fruits such as grapes. Oak is very pevalen in he flavoring, so is dark fruits though with some smoking flavoing. Watery ending which detracts from the overall flavor.

Black with brown hues. Small, tan head. Burnt, roasty malt aroma with subtleties of oak and vanilla. Same chocoffee malt flavor, oak and vanilla much stronger. Full, balanced body. Great stout. 3.7 is a little low.