Deschutes The Abyss

2008 Bottle @ Sthlm BWF. Black with a brown head. Roased Sweet licorice well balanced herbs hops alkohol. sweet strong aftertaste.

Original review date 3/12/2009...shared with a few fine folks from the industry and accomplices...into Sam Smith half-pint glasses... Mildly viscous...definitely opaque. Licorice, spent motor oil, whatever ya wanna call it...this shit is fuckin’ wicked DAAAHHHK... I picked up some Vermont maple candy here off the top...makes sense from the label regarding molasses. A little licorice is in there too. Hops provide some raw green wood here-not pine, not grass...maybe something deeper...huge, copius malt has a good bourbon quotient but not obtrusive. This has a little less sweetness than, say, Dark Lord (2008) but has a fortuitous heft...a little boozy heat, lots of XXX-roasted malt with a dry caramel sweetness, and a slightly austere hop package that resonates well with the licorice, charcoal and bourbon-snifter oak quality. Although this has dry bites to it from the licorice, hop profile and a bit of booze, it gives off a great creaminess on the finish. A little more all over the place...may need some time. Top notch and won’t pass it up. Sure, it’s a little young but there’s a lot of craziness in this one. It’s got an edge like a street gang, no doubt. But it’s profound as hell and the creaminess is like the soothing tone of a mother settling her little hooligans down. One of the great ones.

Bottle 66cl. @ home.
[ Courtesy of Secret Santa ]. Clear black black color with a average to large, frothy, good lacing, fully lasting, light brown head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, chocolate, dark roasted, wood, moderate hoppy, sweet english licorice, alcohol. Flavor is light heavy sweet and bitter with a long duration. Body is medium to full, texture is oily - creamy, carbonation is soft, finish feel is light to moderate alcoholic. [20090424]

Big big beer. Poured pitch black though not quite as thick as I was expecting, though still had a big heft. Nose was big and alcoholic. Lots of tastes, molasses, dark malts, vanilla, wood, dark fruits and vinious notes as it warmed. Seemed to come in layers and was an a very interesting effect. Lots of complexity and life. Smooth and warming on the finish. An excellent offering. Thanks for sharing TimE!

Big alcohol whaff--like brandy. Oil black color, frothy head on sides. Served in a snifter. Chewy roasted malt middle, espresso end. Heavy body and a warming alcohol down the throat. Huge beer. Huge.

I loved this beer...2007 vintage...tasted against some of the world’s best Impys...beaten only by DL 09..............................................................................................................................

black, black, and more black. A NAP in a bottle. Time and time again Deschutes knocks me out with their superb seasonals.

2008 Bottle also with my pleasure... I think the bottle from the outside is already amazing. The inside pours full black with a nice rounded, dark brown, appealing head. Aroma has some real bitter bite of grassy, floral hops. Aroma is also dark chocolate, lots of molasses, toffee, some roasted coffee and great hints of oaky wood and vanilla. Flavor is kind of a balanced mix between the bitter hops and sweet toffee malts. There’s also some nicely roasted coffee, chocolate, liquorice, wood and vanilla, hints of tobacco and ash syrup and some herbal, hoppy notes. Nice long and dry finish of chalky, roasted coffee and bitter hops. Full-bodied, softly carbonated, some tingling of hops on the palate tough. Beautiful beer by Deschutes.