Deschutes The Abyss

Thick and black like the darkest of expresso shots. Amazing full mouth feel. Flavors of pure richness. Love the hints of molasses. Bourbon aroma is subtle. Got to find more of this one!

Sampled at HotShotz Indy tasting May 24, 2008 - Batch #1 - Aroma is roasted dark malts, licorice and dusty cocoa powder. Pours black with a ring head and good lacing. Flavor is vanilla, molasses, chocolate, licorice and burnt malts. Palate is exceptionally smooth for 11%. Strong and powerful flavors that go down easy.

My Bottom Line:
Roasting molasses, dark chocolate and licorice harmoniously converge onto resinous bittering hops for a lush Imperial Stout replete with flavor and knowledge.

Further Personal Perceptions:
-A sheet of foam stands atop the darkest black.
-This is a lot more cohesive than the Stone Bourbon Barrel Russian Imperial Stout which we had right before.
-Roasted malts accompany the resinous hops in the finish and their combined bitterness succeeds in cutting through the malty sweetness.
-A well-levelled anise-y spiciness comes from the licorice and fits perfectly with the grain bill.
-The body is pleasantly full, not obese.
-There is some alcohol warmth in the back, but it does not bother at all.
-The barrel-aging job is subtle and is very efficient in the flavor profile.

Bottles; 2007 vintage.

Huge thanks to Tertons for sharing this and to the new Providence Beer tasting group! Amazing beer. Pours dark black with a thick tan head. Aroma of toffee and molasses. Initial taste slides gently into a huge bitter finish. Bitterness comes in at exactly the right time. Great balance. Amazing flavors. One of the best beers I’ve ever had. Exceeds the hype!

Huge thanks to BOLTZ7555 for this awesome brew!! Thanks Jason!! Bottle 2007 reserve. Aroma is insane! Notes of coffee, chocolate, smoke, wood, licorice, molasses, bourbon, dark dried fruit! Just incredible, I debated this one for a long time, but it really is worthy of "the" top rating, just perfect! Pours a very dark brown/amber and black hue. Appears black in the glass with an average to large sized, medium tan, frothy head that mostly diminished and left good lace. Flavor is just beautiful!! Smoke and oak, fritters and bitters! Nice and toasted with roast malt, coffee, chocolate, sweet dark dried fruits and bourbon, and finishes with some decent bitterness. Palate is oily soft and full bodied. Very well balanced and not over done with coffee like so many other top rated imp stouts. Just a treat from beginning to end. Alcohol is well masked for 11% ABV!! If you like coffee but not espresso, port but not sherry, and really enjoy the bite of a DIPA, then you’ll really love this brew. Just top notch and world class in every category.

Robust thick black pour with a tall brown head. Aromas of vanilla coffee, bourbon, and a touch of smoke. Flavor is quite interesting, starting out with anise and bourbon and finishes with a more bitter chocolate/coffee. Flavor profile is unique and well balanced. The bitterness lingers on the palate, which is my only criticism of this otherwise terrific beer. Revision: After allowing this beer to warm up closer to room temperature, it becomes even smoother and the bitterness dissipates, giving way to more bourbon and anise on the finish.

Distinct molasses and oak aromas. The licorice comes through more in the flavor. Huge beer, but still not too much over the top. A little warming alcohol on the finish, along with the slightly astringent oak, but it remains quite drinkable.

[Bottle ’07, thanks a lot Guerde!] Pours black with a small dark tan head. Aroma is chocolate, oak (especially as it warms), some smoke and a good deal of anise. Taste is fairly sweet up front and then bitter in the finish--there is alcohol, roasted malt, chocolate and once again anise. Thick mouthfeel with a really nice long bitter (although it fades as it warms) and chocolate finish. A really, really nice imperial stout.