Deschutes The Abyss

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

Draft @ GABF. Pours pitch black with generous tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, alcohol and dark fruits. Taste was filled with licorice, malt, coffee and molasses. Huge mouthfeel with long finish.

Damn DUDE! Pours a thick, disgustingly delicious blackness that can only be compared to a black hole. Nice 1.5" mocha colored head that fades slowly with a lot of sticking left behind :) Molasses but not DL molasses. I don’t know much about the stuff but this is different than that. Fudgey with a nice whiskey nose [from the barrel]. Prunes or some other dark fruit is present and bringing in the rear of aromas. Thick, rich and nasty (in a good way). This is one bad Larry! The thickness has an eruption of chocolate, molasses and whiskey oak. A very good and slightly bitter combo! Feels nice and heavy but goes down so smooth you can’t tell your about to be attacked by some serious flavors. A must pick up and try! Have one, have two. This is one damn damn great beer. It’s up there with the DL and Kate IMHO.

2008 bottle. Pours black with big head . Aroma is dark fruit, molasses, cocoa. Flavor is nicely complex. Carbonation is a little more than other big RIS. Super lacing. Mouthfeel is lush, smooth, and lingers forever like a fine stout should (but not many do) with bitter chocolate aftertaste. ABV is well hidden but definitely warms the tummy. Not hot at all. I think this will age very well. I’m not a big licorice fan and was concerned but I didn’t really notice much. Hint of bourbon but not a lot, which is fine - there’s something to said for moderation and complementary flavors. This is a truly delicious beverage.

Some bourbon comes through in the aroma, especially as it warms-not in a harsh way though. Liquirioce-in finish as well. Very low carb, liquid smooth, very rich and velvety. Nice chocolate in the finish with a pleasant chalkiness. A really good hop/malt bitterness.

2007 batch. (Accidentally frozen, oops, and then unaccidentally thawed. Seems no worse for wear! oily dark black brown with a medium tan thin head. Deep dark sweet roast. Very much round, mostly roast. A big piny hop note seems to pop into the roast and alcohol. Anise perhaps? Luxurious mouthfeel. Slick, viscous with lower carbonation. Some serious substance. Big brash bold impy stout. Huge roast, murky dark sweetness. Alcohol, piny hops. Licorice. If there is oak, it is very sublte and bourbon seems absent other than some hints of vanilla. Really a lovely beer. Subtle and bold where it ought to be!

08 Batch, Tap @ their Portland spot... Poured black with a thin, brown head. Was served in snifter that pleasantly forced the aromas in my face; which consisted of liquor, roasted barley-malt and was a little musty. Really thick palate that had a lot of carbonation and an acidic sting that attacked the back of my tongue. Tasted of vanilla with a little bit of hops and roasted flavors. It had become surprisingly dry towards the finish which did a great job balancing. Other amaretto flavors which kept the sweetness consistent and easy to savor.

Pours like motor oil with thick tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, licorice, and dark fruits. Taste of dark fruits, molasses, hops, and vanilla. Thick mouthfeel. No signs of bourbon in the nose or in the taste. Was expecting much more due to the hype and it was just OK. Pretty ordinary compared to other oak aged beeers.

Had an O7 that StFun sent me. My expectations were too high. It seemed that Deschutes threw everything, and the kitchen sink at this beer. Smelled of sour chocolate milk, too chocolaty and sugary, didn’t taste any wood. Warmed me up, but didn’t jazz me at all.