Troubadour Obscura

8/15/2008: Wow, Troubadour Obscura Mild Stout looks like honey on the pour, but it is actually opaque and very dark brown in the glass with a possible purple hue to it. The head is large, dense, and ivory-colored and provides good puffy lacing on the glass. The sweet aroma is laced with plenty of caramel and candi sugar, dates, fruit, cooked chocolate pudding, and a suggestion of oxidation setting in. The flavor also leans toward to the sweeter side with lots of light sugary caramel, plum, and a very subtle char/smoke (apple wood?) character toward the middle, Some other vague fruit and alcohol come through as well. The body of this beer is medium-full and it is smooth with a lightly creamy palate. Overall this beer seems mild on the surface, but definitely has several layers of complexity that warrants slow sipping and contemplation.

11.2 fl. oz. - 330 ml bottle (Alc 8.5% by Vol; Best before 08/03/09) from illinismitty. Thank you Sean! Rating #280 for this beer...

Sweet malty roasty molasses things going on. Orange-brown color. Chocolate in the taste as well with a banana-yeasty finish.

Bottle at Oud Arsenaal, Antwerp. Dark brown with a big, creamy, light brown and lasting head. Raisins and plums nose, but with chocolate hiding just behind. The taste is raisiny, but there are roasted malts and cocoa powder gradually appearing. Recommended

Draught @ Ebenezer’s. Pours deep brown, almost opaque, with deep brown highlights, thin tan head on top. Aroma is faint, a bit of dark fruit and dark brown sugar. Taste is brown sugar and cocoa, quickly moves to more of a roasty note, with some excellent dark fruit and alcohol on the finish, with just a hint of sourness. Low carbonation, creamy mouthfeel.

33cl, from De Hopduvel Gent, complex, balanced, cloudy, good head, good brew