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Deschutes The Abyss

Deschutes The Abyss - Imperial Stout

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 Percentile 
100
overall
Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout

Bend, Oregon USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
6584.18/5.04.17/5.0Winter11%96.5Snifter
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Commercial Description:
This special Reserve Series brew will only be offered December – February (limited distribution)
The Abyss: Stout brewed with licorice and molasses with 33% aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels. It’s dark. It’s deep. It’s mysterious. Aged in French Oak and Bourbon barrels, this special brew has immeasureable depth inviting you to explore and discover it’s rich, comples profile. The flavor of molasses and licorice draw you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the journey.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
HarvestrOfBeer (10), , Washington, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/105/57/105/515/20
Nov 8, 2009  
2009 Bottle. Dark, dark, dark pour. Smooth mouth feel, lots of dense flavors all smashed together. Damn tasty, but this needs some time in the bottle to chill out and let the flavors mature.


 poisoneddwarf (153), Rathdrum, Idaho, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/105/518/20
Nov 7, 2009  
Bomber. 2009 vintage. Smells spicy. Also brown sugar, black licorice. Pours as black as can be with a nice head, good lacing. Tastes of licorice, molasses. Strong alcohol presence. Complex. This beer is still young. I plan on reranking it in a year; afterall, the bottle says it’s better after 11/1/10. It’s excellent now, I’m thinking it will be outstanding after that date.


 neepsntatties (280), Portland, Oregon, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/58/104/518/20
Nov 5, 2009  
The 2009 on tap at the Deschutes Portland location. Colour... black as night with a thick dark tan head. Nose... not much besides some sweet malt, gently hops and a hint of bourbon. Palate... opulent C02, frothy feel, anise, high cocoa mass chocolate, darkly roasted coffee, moderate smoke, oak, and hops and slightly boozy. Don’t like it as much as previous vintages that I tried on their release day (on tap). Likely needs time in the cellar. Should be bitchin’ in a year or so!


 DuffManSW (283), Riverside, California, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/103/515/20
Oct 31, 2009  
2008 Bottle... Pours a thick black with a dissipating brown head...Aroma is chocolate, licorice and coffee.. Flavor is dark chocolate, roasted malts and smoke, that’s pretty much all I can pick up from it. Don’t really pick up any sign of being in the barrel..A tad to thin for my impy stout likings...Not to bad but it didn’t blow my skirt up either.


ruffhauser (27), Seattle, Washington, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/59/104/518/20
Oct 30, 2009  
Most recently at Parkway Tavern in Tacoma. This is a creeper. For an 11%, you’d think you would get punched in the teeth, but not so fast, my friends. Super dark pour, big dark malty taste, not crazy boozy, but you know from the first pull you’re into something.


 Bov (5403), Bienne, Switzerland
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/58/104/517/20
Oct 28, 2009  
courtesy of fiulijn - dark black colour with a little persistent dark beige foam; very roasted malty aroma with notes of smoked salami and molasses; very sticky and oily, full-bodied and salty; an explosive deep bitterness, dry and very bitter and salty aftertaste of roasted coffee, licorice and molasses; robust notes of burning alcohol and cold ashes - very complex; not a beer to sip in front of your football game!


Lakes (18), post falls, Idaho, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/58/105/517/20
Oct 23, 2009  
On tap at Enoteca in Post Falls, ID Black gold. Pours dark and intimidating with a thick dark head. Aroma is powerful. Strong malts and determined hops, very smokey with lots of roasted barley. Flavor is intense. Robust roasted malts, wood, leather, smoke, coffee, and chocolate. At 11%abv you’d think the alcohol would be overpowering but you’d wrong. It’s masterfully hidden behind a monster malt backbone and a clever wall of hops. Still, this should come with a warning about operating heavy equipment after consuming.


 inkubus27 (237), Highland, Indiana, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/56/102/516/20
Oct 19, 2009  
2007 bottle... nice pour, doesn’t look really thick but it’s black as hell and has a nice brown head. The aroma is amazing... you can pick up the molasses and some of the bourbon. This stuff just smells great. The flavor didn’t hit me in the same way as the aroma, but it’s still pretty good. I’m not a big fan of licorice, and i think that’s what brought this down for me. Weak mouthfeel for an impy stout.



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