3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
Draft. Black oily with a very thin off white head. Aroma is chocolate, alcohol, and caramel. Taste is chocolate, alcohol, noticable hops in the background. Good quailty, very big.
4.3 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle Pours a nearly opaque black with avery nice bronze/brown head that is dense and lasting. Big aroma of chocolate, pitted fruits or grapes, a little coffee, anice, and some spices like maybe cinnomin. A slight fumey alcohol note as well. Flavor is light roastedand chocolately. The bourbon is not over powering and is a nice compliment to the hefty ABV. Palatte is light and a bit thin but extremely soft and smooth. The carbonation is just right. A bit of the alcohol burn on re-entry. Lingering late bitterness. I have seen this on tap at the BP a few times and had hoped it wold make it to bottles. It did not dissapoint
4.3 AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
UPDATED: AUG 23, 2009 22 OZ bottle via Roth’s. XX. Pours black with a huge brown head that takes up 75% of the mug and takes for ever to dissipate. Nose is chocolate, roasted barley, coffee. Taste as it smells. Starts and ends with lots of bittersweet coacoa, and in between there is some plums, licorice, coffee and bourbon. The bourbon lingers for a long while into the aftertaste. I also get a bit of smokiness from this. THe hops are there and balance the sweetness and roastiness quite well. Definately a west coast version.
4.2 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
UPDATED: OCT 24, 2008 as soon as i cracked the top on this one i could smell the roasted malt and chocolate already.i poured my anderson valley snifter to the halfway point and got a nice black body with a dark brown head.as the head rested it left nice webbing on the glass.the aroma blended up chocolate,roasted malts,pine hops,bourbon,and alcohol heat.the flavor is very complex.i pick up cocoa,bourbon,alcohol heat,chocolate,coffee,roasted malts,caramel,and a slight hint of vanilla.it pretty nice right now but a little young and hot.i bet 6 months will do it some good.(RE-RATE ON 10/23/08)alcohol heat has already faded a bit and things have ’’’’smoothed out’’’’this one is already getting really tasty.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
On tap at City Beers. Black, chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, creamy, dark fruits, bourbon barrel, vanilla, molasses, with a slight hop finish.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
UPDATED: OCT 18, 2009 On tap @ City Beer Store, beautiful pour of near opaque blackness with a finger thick dark tan head. It poured cold, so it needed time to open, and the initial nose was bourbon but in a subdued manner. I held it as I walked around and talked with Craig, waiting for it to open up a bit. When it did, the flavor was very nice, with chocolate, vanilla, wood, coffee and bourbon, all melding wonderfully together. As it warmed, the bourbon took over a bit and it was a bit hot, but still darn good. The mouthfeel was like velvet.
3.8 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20
Draft at brewery: black bodied. Aroma is coffee, chocolate, cocoa, caramel, darker fruits, light vanilla and barrel. Full bodied, quite sweet, alcohol hidden well. Enjoyable stuff.
4.3 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 18/20
Bottle.
Pours a deep black with a really nice looking creamy brown head. Lots of lacing on the glass.
Aroma of Chocolate, Coffee and Oak.
Flavor is chocolate, molasses, some nice woody bourbon characteristics added from the whiskey barrel. Excellent mouthfeel and it finishes with a little hop bitterness in the end. The alcohol is extremely well hidden. Great brew!
4.3 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
Draft at the Peaks Brewpub; Nose of chocolate, chocoltae, and more chocolate; along with a little oakiness; Very dark black with a small, glass-lacing tan head; Flavor of lots of chcolate, molasses, light oaky vanilla, and light hop bitterness.
4.2 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 17/20
Bottle. Way better than the Abyss as it got released. Pours almost balck with a brown head. Great aromas of coffee and chocolate and a bit of wood and leather. Flavors are dominated by coffee and chocolate malts, the finish has a bit of alcohol burn and a pretty strong bitterness. The palate and mouthfeel is outstanding, silky smooth. Easily the best beer Deschutes has produced that I have tasted.
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