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.

bottle. it has a black color with a medium head. it is slightly sweet and also slightly smoked in aroma and taste. smooth and roasty. bit buttery.

07 Bottle shared by pudditane. Pours black with a brown colored head. Aroma is bitter chocolate, coffee, oak. Flavor is chocolate, coffee, oak, molasses, and yes some licorice notes, very slight bourbon. Palate is full bodied, medium to mild carbonation, finished very bitter. This just didn’t do it for me. Good brew and I can see why people like it so much, but just not one of my favorites.

08 courtesy of Ibrew2or3. Pours black. Nose is roast malts, caramel, molasses, coffee and cocoa. Flavor is much of the same, Great malt/hop balance. Nice bourbon notes. Excellent beer.

newly bottled 07 batch. Pours black with a decent sized tan head. Aroma is very roasty with some chocolate. Flavor is very roasty as well. Chocolate. vanilla, coffee, smoke, and just a bit of the barrel aged flavor. Finishes creamy, little carbonation. Alcohol well hidden. Very nice.

Bottle from sparky27 and STFUN. Blackness in a bottle... nice toffee colored head. Aroma of chocolate and roasted malt. Taste is roasted malt, chocolate, nice and smooth. Good texture thick but not overly thick. No trace of alcohol. Creamy as well. Average carbonation. Good beer. Thanks guys!

Excellent! On par with NC’s Old Rasputin Barrel Aged. Pours a dark, opaque black that no light can penetrate. Forms a frothy brown head that dissapates. The first flavors are coffee, chocolate and a lingering bitter taste that sticks around when the tannins from the barrels start to make their presence known. The tannins aren’t overpowering, and work well with the dark bitterness.

Bomber. 2006. Shared with my bro on Xmas eve. Dark, dark, dark pour. Aroma of licorice, brown sugar, molasses and malt. This is malty, syrupy and down right rich. Although the base beer is very good, I tasted virtually no oak, which was kind of dissapointing. As it stands, it’s a decent enough Imperial Stout. This is a style that’s beginning to bore me a bit.