Soba, eh? Buckwheat to most of you. Rogue, however, has made a celebrity chef beer out of it. Celebrity Iron Chef, that is. I don't know what to make of it, holding the beer in hand, cap unpopped...celebrity beer. The brewerys notes state:

Black Obi Soba is brewed with roasted buckwheat and malts (2-row pale, Minuch, C-15, c-60 and Weyermann) providing a rich nut-laced flavor, while the 3 hop varieties (Horizon. Sterling and Cascade) blend to provide a refreshing zest.

Deep deep garnet (but not as deep as Guinness) with mocha head and rim. Decidedly malty on the nose with something that strikes me like Rogue's Chipolte beer without the smoke. Clean and surprisingly light in body. Lots of bright citric hop with less than fully sweet brown sugary goodness. The buckwheat is there - sort of refined dry pumpernickle, sub-rye earthy grain. Quite lovery.