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Thanks Javit!! Pours into my glass a nice deep black with an inch of bubbly khaki head atop the brew. Lots of bubbly carbonation and it doesn't seem too viscous. Aromas kick off with lots of rich vanilla and roasted malts. Chocolate and woody oak tones intermingle. Bit sweet and the vanilla really leads the way, was expecting a bit more oak.

First sip brings smooth, creamy dark malts upfront that are nicely roasted. Lots of vanilla flows in with a sweetness underneath. Woody oak tones weave in on the way down but are rather subtle. Pretty easy drinking stout.

Mouthfeel is smooth, creamy and medium bodied. Was expecting it to be a bit heavier but I enjoy the drinkability offered in this brew. Would have liked a bit more oak and a bit less vanilla, but overall it's a tasty stout.

Served In: Tulip

12oz Bottle

This is another in a long line of great beer I've received from BitterBill over the last year or so, thanks Bill! Dominion's Oak Barrel Stout fills my snifter dark as night black with zero light glinting through when backlit. It took some aggressive pouring to produce a small short lived beige head. The head fell to a skimming and moderate ring around the glass leaving little thin lace lines down the glass.

The aroma faded with the head but a little swirl brings it all rushing back. Roasty, nearly to the point of being charred, malts start things off and dominate throughout. Pronounced alcohol fumes seem to bring the under ripe blackberry more to the front. Vanilla beans add a touch of sweetness on the backend but I can't seem to find much from the oak chips. I'm on the fence here, the alcohol seems a little too big but the other aromas pull me right in. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

The flavor is actually a lot different then the nose suggested. The maltiness is still roasty but doesn't quite toe that line of being charred. The under ripe blackberry is there but very faint, as is the entire flavor profile. Alcohol isn't as noticeable as the nose suggested but there is a slight metallic feel to the overall flavor. A little coffee flashes through on the finish along with high cocoa content dark chocolate. The flavor just seems to be much too subtle for what this beer is.

The body is on the lighter side of medium and little too light for my liking. There is some slickness and the carbonation seems to be dialed in good but the body is just too light for the style.

The lighter body keeps this beer flowing at a pretty quick pace but one bottle is enough for me in a sitting. This beer just isn't good enough to justify opening up another.

My review may have sounded a little harsh but this is a solid beer. I just expected a little more. I would have loved to see more of the vanilla and any oak. I did enjoy the glass though. Thanks again Bill!

Reviewed: 8/27/08

Served In: Pint Glass