Dominion Oak Barrel Stout

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

Brew Date: 10 December 2004, Sampled 03 March 2005:
Super dark brown coloured body with a nice frothy lighter brown head. Very strong aroma of vanilla, fake maple syrup, raisins, nuts, wood, malt and tons of other caramelised sugars. Medium to Full-bodied; Strong roasty malt flavour with a good sweetness and a pungent oaky flavour to boot. Aftertaste still shows good character: a nice subtle sweetness with the maltiness still around. Overall, a great beer and one that is nice to be able to find just about anywhere! Even though i’ve had this a ton of times, this is the first time I got to sit down and actually write about it. I loved the real version of this beer, I thought I hated this version, but it really isn’t that bad at all. Still, if you can get to Ashburn, go - the real version is great! I sampled this twelve ounce bottle purchased from Whole Foods in Vienna, Virginia on 03-March-2005.

I really enjoyed this beer. Pours thick and black like molassas, aroma of hazelnuts, chocolate, and vanilla. Very nice combinations in the flavor, everything comes through and balances each other well. Very much recommended.

Enjoyable beer with a thin mouthfeel for a stout. I enjoy the hint of vanilla to complement the roastiness. Thanks, Dominion.

Bottle. Pours dark mahogany, not quite black. Head is creamy and nice. Smell is chocolate malts, espresso beans, vanilla and hazelnuts. Taste echos aroma with more chocolate, slight coffee bitterness, vanilla/hazelnut and an air of smokiness to the palate. Respectable beer however much, much better in tap version.

On draft at McGrady’s, aroma smoky malt hints of vanilla. Nice black appearance. Flavor on the woody side slight bourbon and coffee resonations. Relatively thin for a stout almost watery. Not too bad would probably have another.

Bottle. Pours a dark brownish black with a creamy beige head. Nose is strong coffees, a little smoked malts and some light vanilla. Flavor is slight coffee, smoked, some light hop bitterness, light sweet malts....a bit too thin for my tastes but not too shabby overall

Super smooth stout. Aroma was a sexy sweet vanilla with normal malty dark chocolates and warm caramel. I instantly thought "campfire". The flavor was oak and forest. I smelled a hiking trip I went on last summer. The flavor of dark chocolate and good malt balanced well with the hops. very dark color and the head cut out early but some foaminess lasted throughout the glass. Good dark lacing. I definitly liked this beer more as it warmed. I struggled to find the bourbon but i certainly tasted the vanilla. Thin when stacked up against other stouts but definitly a good brew.

June 10th bottling, from slob. Poured dark with a huge brown head. Aroma was instant vanilla, followed by roasted chocolate and caramel. There is also the underlying oak/wood smell. Taste was nice. There was all the regular stout flavors, but there was defiantly vanilla, and the oak was a nice compliment, not over powering. The only weak rating was the mouth feel. But I may be spoiled by all the IMP’s I have had. Nice. Thanks hard rocking SLOB!