Deschutes The Abyss

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

Poured into my trusty snifter. I can’t think of anything to which to compare the blackness here that hasn’t been used a thousand times already (ink, midnight, motor oil), so suffice it to say this beer is really really black. The head is a devilishly dark tan that forms slowly through the viscosity, peaking at 2 fingers’ height. It gradually shrivels back down to a hazy cap, leaving spotted lacing along the way. Aroma is deceptively sweet, a siren’s song that tempts you to indulge yourself. Powdery cocoa and milk chocolate tickle the nose, with faint notes of licorice. There’s a lot to be said for the chocolate/coffee flavor dynamic of the RIS world, and there are lots of beers that manage greatness confined within that dynamic. But The Abyss is so much more. The chocolate emerges early on the palate and joins forces with the bittersweet bite of molasses. The licorice is fleeting but apparent, as the beer fades into a sublime roastiness. It’s never too sweet and never too roasty. You’d never know that this beer is 11% abv but for the pleasant warmth in your chest. The body is thick and luxurious, but this beer still finishes dry. Carbonation is spot-on for the style and facilitates the velvety smoothness. Drinkability is immense for such a high gravity beer. The balance and synergy of the flavors make for a phenomenal brew. This beer deserves its hype and its rating.

2008 Bottle. Appearance: Pours a black body with a small, fizzy, short-lived dark tan head. Smell: Aroma of dark roasted malts with notes of licorice, molasses, and a shot of alcohol. A good measure of oak in there without overdoing it, which is always nice to see. Taste: Flavor loaded with roasted dark maltiness. Plenty of dark chocolate syrup, toasted marshmallows, and spicy anise. Relatively mild sweetness throughout. A taste of coffee that grows exponentially as it warms. Reasonable oaky presence. A strong, earthy bitterness helps balance the heavy malt. Tiny hints of bourbon. Chewy, earthy finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium carbonation. Drinkability: Seriously, this is a fairly well-made imperial stout. Absolutely stupendous? Nah, but better than most.

2008 Bottle. Courtesy of Enzofan. Ink black pour with thick foamy tan head. Great lace. Chocolate, roast, slight green apple aroma. Chocolate flavors and roast dominate. Slight smokiness in there as well. Full velvety mouthfeel. Smooth, warming finish. Very good, but a bit over-hyped.

Bottle at cgarvieuk’s sunday sojourn. Nose is woody malt, some hops, very dry. Taste is malty coffee, cotton wool, some malt, but a bit 1D. Coffee malts last in the mouth. Good.

Bottle thanks to cgarvieuk. Aroma is really hoppy, pine hints of peach, but minimal in comparison to what id expected, underlying caramel malts. Taste is burnt dry coffee, really drying in the mouth, not good, over powering and one dimentional. My add roasty malt to such a hoppy beast, no doubt would be an excellent IIPA without? RERATING: as it warms, aroma disapears and its all roasty tar, hard to drink, horrible stuff.

Bottle at home with Tom ... Thanks to Dough77 for this ... Deep dark viscous black with short lived brown foam head ... mellow soft piney hop nose ... viscouse mouth feel ... lots of coffee roast with a resiny hop back ground ...

2006 release, and it’s been in my cellar for more than a year now, thank you Tom/After4ever, it’s wonderful! We drink it to celebrate my new position as top woman rater here on RB, its the beginning of February 2008. It’s pitch black with a huge, nice, creamy mocha-brown head. The aroma has notes of coffee, chocolate and hints of oak/vanilla. The mouthfeel is oily. The flavour is smooth, velvety seducing with notes of roasted malt, chocolate, coffee, licorice, light bitterness and very light oak/whisky and the finish has a roasted bitterness. It’s lovely, complex and very full bodied!!!

Bottle courtesy of tytoanderso, thanks Tyler! Pours an evil spawn of satan black with a beautiful creamy brown head. Aroma of powdered cocoa, chocolate, coffee, roasted barley and brown sugar. This beer has a nice creamy mouthfeel and flavors of coffee, powdered cocoa, malt, barley and wood all come together to form a very nice imperial stout. Well done Deschutes, YUM!