Deschutes The Abyss

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

courtesy of keifdog 08 bottle and tpd975 07 bottle for a nice side by side tasting. Pours deep black, with nice yellow lacing. Lots of roastiness, malty with light notes of the oak barrel and a very light hoppy presence. The 2007 bottle clearly had a much bigger boozy feel were the oak -bourbon and chocolate notes were a lot more apparent. This is a beer that with age will become an excellent beer.

2007 Reserve. 22 oz. bottle. Pours a dense black with a lovely mocha brown head that lasted through mid-glass and left lots of sticky lace. Very strong aroma of roasted malt and chocolate. The flavor is not quite up to the level I remember in the first edition. There is plenty of roasted malt and chocolate, but I am not getting any of the wood or smokiness I remember and no vanilla either. Some alcohol notes in the flavor as well. This edition has more of a hoppy finish to it as well, which dries out the palate at the finish and lingers for a bit beyond the swallow. This is still a very good beer, but not up to the high standard set by the first edition.

22 oz. bottle. In a word, "wow." This stuff is amazing. Pours black with a thick, luscious, chocolate brown head that lasted through the entire glass. Fantastic aroma of roasted malt, coffee, vanilla, and smoke. The smoke reminds me of being outside when the fireplace is lit. There is some smokiness in the flavor as well, but the brewers did a great job not allowing it to mask the other flavors. Lots of coffee in the flavor too along with lesser amounts of roasted malt and vanilla. The 11% ABV is extremely well hidden. Thoroughly enjoyable and my new favorite beer! 9-5-9-5-18=4.6

Big black pour w/ a tall dark tan creme of wheat looking thick head w/ thick lacing. Hot alcoholic aroma light coccoa powder some roast malts hints of coffee touches of vanilla I want to say theres even a tiny touch of cherry in it. Rich creamy palate full well coated. Flavor is very nice... light barrel notes are a highlight not a dominate flavor.. some bitter coccoa powder touch of tobacco some butters and roasty malts a lightly bitter finish light oaks and hints of vanilla. Very nice.

22 oz shared by Mullman at his own gathering. Almost black in color with a brown head. Aroma is roasty, with chocolate, oak, caramel and light notes of vanilla. Taste is alot of chocolate, moderately roasty, caramel, burnt sugars, and oak. Light on the bourbon, apparent but barely so. Finishes roasty and lightly bitter/astringent. very nice.

Inky black, thick deeply tanned head. Nose was intense with tones of wet and warm espresso grounds and black chocolate. Softer toasted vanilla bean and oak tones fade in and out, but with a slight twist of charred berries and black licorice peeking through. Ashy burnt and bitter coffee and chocolate tones reign supreme as the barrel aging plays only a very minor role. Faint hints of blackend berry and vanilla round out this rich full bodied brew out. Finish is dry, burnt, and bitter. Great brew, but believe it or not, I would like to have actually had more of the bourbon barrel experience. Either way, loved it! Thanks for sharing kmweaver.

22 oz 2006 bottle shared with padrefan98. Darkest black pour with an outstanding cascading deep brown head. I would have given this a 7 out of 5 in appearance if I could have. That makes this rating really a 4.9. Aromas of chocolate and anise and coffee from the beginning to end. Dark fruits in there too. I would have given this an 11 out of 10 for aroma if I could... I guess that makes this a 5.0. More dark chocolate in the flavor. The anise came out much more as it warmed in my hands. The oak flavor appeared later as well. Very yummy stuff.

Burnt brown dissipating head on a black, abyssful body. Deep soot black patent charcoal aroma with veins of chocolate, coffee, licorice and a tingle of bourbon. Bourbon definitely invades the edges of flavor that is also of burnt coffee and other similar to the Black Butte Porter. Strong alcohol presence, though one would still not think 11% as it is well integrated. Medium dryness.

The look is black with a great looking tan colored head. The smells are coffee, chocolate, wood, vanilla, and roasted malts. The taste is malts, chocolate, coffee, roasty, and good. Medium body and good complexity.