Deschutes The Abyss

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

22-oz. bottle. Pours an unpenatrable opaque semi-thick liquid with a small frothy dark brown head, mostly lasting, fair lacing. Aroma is heavy malt (molasses, chocolate, toasted), average hops (flowers, perfume), average yeast (leather) with notes of alcohol, prune, wood, licorice and cola. Full bodied, creamy texture, soft carbonation and a bitter finish. Average duration, light sweetness, moderate acidity and bitterness.

Very much thanks to Josh! Pours a deep dark black with deep tan creamy head that left lacing. Aroma of espresso, molasses, hints of oak and bourbon, some creamy vanilla, nutty, Flavor of bitter coffee, dark chocolate, hints of alcohol and a heavy dose of hop bitterness.

Bottle. Thanks to jsquire for sharing. No head, no lacing, opaque, no visible carbonation, and a black hue. Aroma was malty, licorice, coffee, roasty, burnt, and a hint of oak. Nicely done! Ditto for the flavor along with some vinuous but not overly done. Delicious! Smooth mouthfeel. Medium-full body. Very quaffable and defintiely worthy of a try if this one comes your way.

Bottle. I jumped all over this when Liquid Solutions had this in stock. Jet black abyssic pour. Strong sturdy brown head. It seems everlasting even as I sip it. The aroma is strong. It filled the area around my desk as I poured it and consumed it. Upon closer inspection, dark chocolate, licorice, coffee, burnt wood, and roasted malts are very apparent in the nose. Wow! This is delicious! Lots of roasted malts, cold, bitter coffee, alcohol notes, licorice, oily, piney hops, burnt wood and dark chocolate. There’s almost some Jagermeister like flavors at times. Body is full but still creamy and slick. LOTS of lingering bitterness throughout this entire experience. Finishes with more piney hops, licorice, bitter coffee, light alcohol, roasted, burnt malts, softer woody notes and dark chocolate. I agree with some earlier statements on letting this age. Glad I’ve got a few more for that!

Bottle@Beers of the World Live (NEC), 2008. Pitch black beer with a reasonable brown head. The aroma is roasted and the flavour is very rich and roasted. Overall a very nice rich and roasted beer.

bomber 2006 bottle not sure if another vintage exists, courtesy of my pal Tever, many thanks Tom. Been saving this for a while and tonight seemed as good a time as any. Pours black, duh. with a half finger light brown head. Aroma is big but mostly malt and smoke, and coffee. The taste is coffee, malt, smoke, roastiness and a good kick in hte back end. The smoke is very present with a decent feeling of burnt bitterness. A very good Impy whether it should be as highly rate is unclear.

Bottled. Dark color. Aroma of espresso with a bit of chocolat. Nice bitter taste, espresso. Good.

Big bottle via trade. Was it SSS (summer secret santa)? It was a great day for beer, a great tasting, the first of many. Unfortunately my ratings and most of my memory fell into The Abyss. I remember the black rich liquid, the brown head, the intoxicating effect of the beer. The silk tar sliding across my palate. And most of all my desire after losing my carefully crafted notes to find more, a lot more.