Deschutes The Abyss

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

22oz bottle shared courtesy of zrrbrrt. Poured a dark, dark (motor oil) black with an averaged sized brown head. Aromas of roast, coffee, caramel, molasses, and very light wood. Tastes of roast, dark fruits, licorice, espress, very light vanilla, and chocolate. Almost a coffee with cream / latte. Smooth body that was way too easy to drink. Alcohol content hidden. Nice lacing left on the glass.

Pitch black pour mounted by a light, but compact tan head. To be noted first has to be the smooth chocolatey flavours that hit the nostrils first and leave the tongue the last. Also noteworthy is the actually balanced woodiness, barely hinting at bourbon, though devoid of smokiness. In mouth, a growing hop concern takes room, earthy and kinda piney, the whole of which pairs with the roast to make it rather dry. Classic, albeit much more impact than usual, Deschutes’ cleanliness. I don’t quite understand what puts it in the top 50, it’s a full-bodied, well-brewed impy, so are hundreds of others.

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... This beer rocks!... Pitch black with a mid-sized, creamy, deep beige head. Terrific retention. The aroma provides notes of cola, mocha, nuts, vanilla with a whisper of mint. “Sweet and chocolaty” shifts slowly to “burnt and bitter” throughout each drink. Slight, butterscotchy diacetyl smooths out any rough edges. Full-bodied and lightly creamy with lively carbonation. Finishes chocolaty and bitter. World class brew! A big SHOUT goes out to kmweaver for his generosity!

(Bottle) Pours a black body with a small tan head. Aroma of chocolate, milk, coffee, and hops. Flavor of chocolate, roasted malt, and hint of oak in the finish.

2007 Reserve sampled on 2/23/08: Pours an oily opaque black with a clingy-lacing dark tan head. Aroma of sweet doughy dark caramel and mild vanilla with a touch of dark fruits. Starts with decent viscosity and sticky dark caramel malt balanced with earthy bitterness and dark chocolate balance. Fairly complex but a little too dry and overly oaky..

Bottle sampled on 2/21/07: Pours an opaque black with dark mahogany edges and a frothy, well-lacing light brown head. Aroma of some sweet, earthy dark caramel with a touch of toasty sugar cookie notes. Body starts sweet, sticky and viscous with an earthy dark chocolate and slightly oaky finish. A nicely-balanced, yet fairly drinkable imperial stout.

courtesy of fiulijn - dark black colour with a little persistent dark beige foam; very roasted malty aroma with notes of smoked salami and molasses; very sticky and oily, full-bodied and salty; an explosive deep bitterness, dry and very bitter and salty aftertaste of roasted coffee, licorice and molasses; robust notes of burning alcohol and cold ashes - very complex; not a beer to sip in front of your football game!

22oz bottle-pours a big rich brown head and midnight black color. Aroma is sweet dark malt-molasses/licorice, dark fruit, slight sharpness, (no wood). Taste is sharp (hops?), sweet dark malt-molasses/licorice, dark fruit, slight sharpness. Syrupy. Occasional. Thanks to Joe-jwc215 for sharing.