Deschutes The Abyss

Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: Imperial Stout
Bend, Oregon USA

2006 version, but every year since is just as tasty. A: Peel back the wax and pop the cap. It pours deep dark and thick. This one is darker than the richest cup of espresso. A thunderous milky cocoa head bolts from the bottle and dies down to a nice thin layer across the top. Lacing, yeah there’s lacing. This beer begs to be drunk. S: So nice and complex. Big bold chocolate comes right at you as soon as you crack the bottle. Once poured into the glass other aromas really come bounding forward. Fresh roasted dark coffee and licorice come out as well. Hints of vanilla and hazelnuts hide beneath a dash of brown sugar. Man I have never smelled brownie batter so nice. T: I love a good RIS and this one is at least two levels above good. I was hooked by the aromas, but the taste really hammers in what a quality brew this is. When I tell you to expect chocolate, I mean to expect chocolate. I have never tasted something so fondue like. I could dip strawberries in this beer and eat them all night long. The bitter espresso hides beneath with tones of French Vanilla. Hazelnuts and brown sugar also make their appearance known as does a dash of charcoal. M: Nice and thick. This one coats your mouth, throat, and stomach better than Pepto Bismol. D: Uber, If I could buy this one by the case I would drink it bomber after bomber all winter long.

500 mL awesome waxed bottle thanks to Lagunitasfan. Pours pitch used motor oil black with a dark brown head towering to almost two-fingers in size. Spotty lacing. Huge aroma- I could smell it as I popped the cap off- of molasses, dark chocolate, espresso, black licorice, oak, and- like every one else- some anise. Taste up front reminds me a lot of the DR Baltic Porter. Super powerful roasted and chocolate malt with milk chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Almost no warming alcohol. Finish is really where this beer shines. Rather than tasting like the end of a whiskey shot like other imperials, this beer finishes sweet and quick reminiscent of cappuccino gelato. Just a beautiful thing to savor in every way.

Bottle. Black with beige head. Aroma and taste of oak, alcohol, liquirice, dark sugars and roasted coffee. So many different flavors but still very balanced. OMG this is very very good.

Fresh its usually very hot and boozy. Tons of bourbon, oak and vanilla with lots of bitterness. Taste is smooth and sweeter with some age and very present hops when fresh. Tons of roast and bitter chocolate too.

Pours black with tan head. Sweet aroma of roasted malt. Lots of chocolate and roasted flavors, some coffee. Warming alcohol in finish with essentially a perfect co2 level. Nice moderate to high hops level balances nicely. This was great.

So I have every vintage thus far, but none in CA--so I’m going to start with the 2008 bottle. Very deep brown pour--black in the glass--with a three finger tan head in my Duvel tulip. Lots of milk chocolate up front with some vanilla, light oak, and plenty of dark roasted malts to back it up. There is also some brown sugar, faint bourbon and spicy alcohol. The flavor is where I get the anise. All of the flavors blend very nicely, with nothing being sharp at all. Bitterness is around a four, and the finish is roasty. Alcohol seems about right for 11%. Full silky body with low to moderate carbonation. I very much enjoyed this--now to try the vintage bottles!

Bottle shared courtesy MrBunn. Fantastic pour of black with dark tan thick head. Absolute black in the glass. Anise and chocolate are at the forefront. Light pine note shows through with a bit of bitter chocolate at the end. Wow.

Bottle with a thanks to Jon. Pour is perfection... dark brown/black with a massive forming frothy head and thick aromas of molasses, chocolate, dark fruit and anise. Flavor is a little edgy with the ABV, but has a nice mix of anise and dark chocolate with a touch of citrusy hops.