Deschutes The Abyss

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

Bottle, courtesy Gillard. Finally got to drink some of this. Pours a dark black, impenetrable by light, with plenty of lacing and a decent-sized head. Roasted goodness in the nose, some licorice, caramel, obvious chocolate, with vanilla and peanut butter mango. Wowzers. Roasted notes strike the tongue first. Warming alcohol, hazelnut. Coffee and chocolate are there and good. Balanced extremely well, very tasty, and so drinkable it’s unfair.

Bottle. Enjoying my 2nd bottle in 2 days. Pours black with thin dark brown head. Aroma is rich and roasty with notes of vanilla and whiskey. Flavor is moderately bitter throughout, with some bitter cocoa and coffee. There is some vanilla before it comes to a somewhat hoppy and chocolately finish. Mouthfeel is on the creamy milk-like side. Very nice, and one of the better imperial stouts.

Into a Duvel glass went this bew from a 22 oz bottle with wax seal. I was jet black with a bit rich tan head and thick lacing. Nose of sweet burnt malts, chocolate, ripe fruit, and alcohol. Rich creamy mouthfeel. Flavor is complex, with bittersweet chocolate and spices. Great bitter finish. A very good beer.

07 bottle courtesy boltz7555 poured into a snifter. Pours inky black with a thin dark tan head. Aroma is roasted grain, coffee, chocolate malt and a hint of vanilla. Taste is smooth chocolate malt, roasted grain, vanilla. Big thick chocolaty mouth feel. Finishes roasty and chocolaty. While you get a lot of the malts and chocolate, this is a very smooth and well balanced Impy. Definitely sneaky alcohol, very well masked by the complex flavors. Just a delightful beer.

Poured jet black with a big tan head. Aroma is lots of dark chocolate with some coffee and roasted malts and licorice. Flavor is a bit of anise, lots of chocolate, and soem burnt coffee malts. Very Good.

Pours jet black with a rather large, thick frothy tan head. Head settled with good retention and an unbelievable amount of lacing. Fantastic looking beer. Initial smell is of dark chocolate and roasted malts with a hint of molasses. Smelled just the slightest bit of alcohol, though mild and pleasant. Wow is this a wonderfully complex beer. Slight initial bitterness gives way to a roasted chocolate malt taste with hints of nuts and coffee. Slight bitterness returns for a smooth aftertaste. Medium mouthfeel with a slight carbonation that tickles with tongue. Smooth mouthfeel and balanced taste make this an extremely drinkable stout.

A huge beer. Looks like a dark rootbeer float. You can float the USS Nimitz on that head. Aroma is like burnt caramel, with some toffee notes. Flavor transitions well from smooth to creamy to bold. Not so complex as its very drinkable. Alcohol; content is not very noticlble. Some bitter hops come out near the end in the nosr and the palate. I think a few more months in the cask would have brought out the bourbon flavors . A very nice beer that beckens you at every sip. Explore with caution!

While the bitter back end might have once swayed me, I found this beer to be extremely enjoyable. Engine sludge with a nice head. Not as thick as dark lord. Nose and flavors of smoked coffee, mocha, chocolate.. I could go on. Sample at FFF Dark lord day 2008.