Deschutes The Abyss

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

2007. completely opaque black with a dense brown head. some spots of spotty lacing between spots of paint-like lacing. the aroma is really rich and roasty... dark fruit, coffee, pine hops, chocolate, grain, earth, vanilla and some booze. palate isn*t at all sweet as the aroma would make it seem. rather, it is really dry, bitter and hoppy. the flavor is dense and intensely robust... rich roasted grains, chocolate, coffee, cream, ash, oaky/wood, vanilla, grassy hops, pine, earth, dark fruit and young california cabernet depth. alcohol and lots of hoppiness dominate the finish. the aftertaste is huge!... an abundance of whole dark roasted coffee beans. ashiness and astringency linger and dry out the mouth. borderline full body with low carbonation and a slick suave mouth feel. though it*s kept quite drinkable by hoppy dryness...8/5/9/4/18/4.4

2008 sampled shortly after release. there seems to be noticeably more dirty licorice root and bourbon spice in the aroma and flavor profiles. while the palate is sweeter it has more tannic structure which, combined with hoppy dryness keeps me coming back...9/5/8/4/18/4.4

2007 bottle courtesy of iowaherkeye. Pours black with the prettiest dark tan head that slowly subsides. Aroma of rich sweet malt, oatmeal, coffee, molasses, and just a touch of bourbon. Flavor of sweet molasses and sweet malt, smoked and charred malt with some woodsy notes. Thick mouthfeel with an alcohol burn in the finish. Just a little bourbon, which works well for me. This gets a little too sweet by the end and is a bit hard to drink. I liked it but would prefer better drinkability. 8/5/8/3/15 [3.9/5]

Update 12/15/09: 2009 bottle. Aroma of sweet roasted malt, molasses, oatmeal, bitter chocolate, and light bourbon. Flavor of sweet malt upfront with a finish of bitter roasted malt, coffee, bourbon, oak, and chocolate. Very smooth mouthfeel. Definitely on the sweet side but more drinkable than the 2007 version. 8/4/9/4/15 [4.0/5]

(10/29/08) Bottle at Valley Brew brewery in Stockton (thanks a lot Mike!). Black with a brown head. Aroma of roasted malt and coffee. Sweet roasty flavor with coffee, dark chocolate notes and some fruitiness. Full-bodied. Good stuff.

Courtesy Degarth. Poured black with sparse dark tan head. Strong cocca aroma with dark chocolate in the background along with a hop presence. Bourbon aroma was present, but in a supporting role. Sharp roast/hop combination mixes nicely. Something about it reminded a little of the character of Kalamazoo, which must of been licorice. Medium-bodied. A good brew, they’re on to something here.

Bottle thanks to ericandersnavy. Pours a deep, dark brown/black with copper head. Aroma of very nice dark roasted grain, nice bitterness, little astringent, some black licorice. Flavor is malty, dark roasted grain, baking chocolate, dark roasted grain bitterness, some oak, alcohol spiciness. Mouth feel is heavy body, silky smooth, low-medium carbonation. Overall, very nice beer, very warming and tasty. I enjoyed very much!

22oz bottle acquired in trade. Poured into a big brandy snifter, the color is glossy black. The aroma is lots of bitter roast and rich chocolate. The flavor is deep dark chocolate and biting hop bitterness. Good but not particularly interesting. Hopefully I can try it again the future and discover what I’m missing.

Thick vicious pour thats incredible to watch unfold its heft into the chalice. Sits black and thick as newly wettened tar and caps the top with a roof of dark brown foam that’s thick, spongy, and lush. Inky glared stings of lace fling about after each sip. Aroma is thick and oaky with a dark chocolate heft over a tang of rich molasses, cherry, fig, and the ever present oaky bourbon scent that helps add a bit a of wondefully fulfilling, nose whirling, heat. Trace of burnt coffee ensues with a nice addition to the profile. Taste is immaculately woven with dark chocolate and a smoothly thick, lush body tranfused with all sorts of vanilla, molasses, coffee, and bourbon oakyness. A very well balanced and heavy treat. The chocolate is tenderly bittered with the heat and quite dark in its efforts. Anything and everything dark from the cocoa bean has been placed in every inch of its flavor. Spiced with a touch of peppery hops, coffee, and a terrific, if not down right perfect notion of bourbon hints wavered all throughout the chocolatey body. This is some pretty thick stuff, noticed in the pour, felt on the palate, and rendered in the gut. Smooth and velvety, thick, lush, and firm with a great creamy sense of chocolate and cream. Nice feathery spiced finish that stays creamy and enduced within a deep, darl chocolatey depth thats quite incredible to behold. It really makes a solid impression. A supurb stout!! Wonderfully thick, chocolatey, and lasting with a great impression of a well made brew. Deschutes has themselves a big time winner with this one! Wow!

2008 bottle... so over a year old. Pours a lovely glossy obsidian with a fine thick frothy wet sand colored head. Aroma is strong floral hops with a rich chocolate and coffee blend, quite gritty and full, nostril coating, touch of creaminess, oats maybe? I had an 08 about 6 months ago and the hops were way out of balance, seems to be doing better now. Deschutes always has distinctive flavors and this is no different, first taste is quite ashy, off-dry, some dark berry tartness adds some acidity, charcoal and hard roasted coffee, typical Deschutes floralness tends to integrate well with this beer and the age, maybe some oat creaminess, a bit oily with a hint of salt like an old ale, this is probably the peak time for this beer. Long coffee and chocolate shortbread cookie aftertaste, still a bit dry and ashy but with enough residual sweetness to compensate. I’m sure the licorice plays a large part in counterbalancing the tobacco flavors which are ever present. Body is great, fluffy, oily, large but playful carbonation, full bodied but not a chore, quite creamy with just enough viscosity to make you know this beer is huge. The best of the 3 I’ve had, with the others being the 6 month old 08 and a nearly 3 year old 06 courtesy of drewbeerme, wait corret that... holdenn says I provided the 08 and xnoxhatex provided the 06... but I’m sure panatap had a hand in there somewhere. Definitely one of the driest imperial stouts there is. Smokers need not apply....