Deschutes Brewery's Obsidian Stout

I'm always looking for beer I can't get in Texas, and this one came to me through one of the internet beer stores to the right. Deschutes Brewery's Obsidian Stout has many characteristics of the bigger impy stouts that I love, with a little less alcohol. To me, that just means I can drink more of it before I get to where I can't taste anything.

Pours super-opaque for a beer that's not billed as an RIS or double stout. Great dark tan head, almost as dark as Ten FIDY's, and it stays for a while.

Great roasted malt smell. Grassy hops fight through the malt, but not too much.

Straight forward. Lighter in body than it looks like it would be, but that's more because it looks like an RIS than anything else. More carbonated and lighter in feel than an RIS, which is exactly how it should be. Non-distinct bitterness can't fight through the roasted malt flavor, which is substantial. Larger sips bring out the bitterness a bit more, and oddly enough a slight alcohol taste.

Great beer. Probably my favorite straight-up stout (I'm not counting Founders Breakfast Stout as straight-up), and it even edges out a few RIS's.