Deschutes The Abyss

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

650 ml bottle from Bev4less in Santee. Pours an opaque black color with a dark tan one finger head that lasts a short while and leaves plenty of lacing. The aroma is strong and complex with molasses, anise, coffee and cherries. The flavor was similarly complex with a good hop backing highlighting those same flavors found in the aroma. The mouthfeel was full, smooth and creamy, big malt presence at work here, this is damn near a beer that you can chew. The finish was long and smooth with lingering mocha coffee and a touch of alcohol. Overall: This beer has earned its hype, its good stuff. Highly recommended.

Had on tap at Newport pizza and Ale. Wow, this pours really dark, you can’t see light through at all. The aroma is insane, it had kinda a blueberry scent that changed into more of a rich chocolatey coffee bean. This stout has many different levels and was nicely balanced masking the abv neatly, I guess I better try to find some of these bombers before there all gone or selling on ebay~ IS NiCCCCccce

This beer is a winner. Pours jet black with a thin reddish brown head. Leaves a brown flim on the glass. Aroma is pure chocolate and malt. Flavor is dark chocolate, roasted malts and some coffee. I do taste hops as well. This beer is a huge imp stout, but it also offers some finesse.

On tap at the Deschutes tap room in Portland - This was a surprise beer to get in the summer, and it was not even on the menu! And on Brewfest weekend! What a treat! This is a beer for beer lovers. It is a very good stout with some complex flavors. I’m looking forward to the next winter’s brew!

On tap at Enoteca in Post Falls, ID Black gold. Pours dark and intimidating with a thick dark head. Aroma is powerful. Strong malts and determined hops, very smokey with lots of roasted barley. Flavor is intense. Robust roasted malts, wood, leather, smoke, coffee, and chocolate. At 11%abv you’d think the alcohol would be overpowering but you’d wrong. It’s masterfully hidden behind a monster malt backbone and a clever wall of hops. Still, this should come with a warning about operating heavy equipment after consuming.

This stuff is good. Dark and delicious. Chocolate and Espresso dominate the taste. You really can tell that this beer is 11% ABV. Nice burn going down.

A great beer. Pours very thick - kind of like motor oil. The taste is fantastic tastes a little bit sweet at first, and finishes a tad bit bitter. The aroma smells like a lot of chocolate with a hint of molasses and caramel. Fills you up pretty quickly too! After one is done it feels as though you have been satisfied with a great full meal!!!

2007 bottle courtesy of Beerlando. Pour was pitch black, oily and thick Rich chocolate molasses aroma. Flavor was initially chocolate, smoke, vanilla, malts and increasingly improved with flavor as it warmed. This one definitely lived up to the hype for me.