Deschutes The Abyss

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

Serve in Snifter

Poured pitch black with very little head. Smelled of chocolate and coffee. Tastes a little sweeter than some imperial stouts I’ve had. Not too much of the coffee comes through in the taste. It’s very smooth on the palate for such a strong beer.

Thanks to Savvy for the bottle. 2011. Beer is dark black and appears thick. Carbonation is mild. Beer is completely opaque even at the corners. Forms a thick and aggressive dark brown head that falls away relatively quickly leaving a lot of lacing on the glass. The resultant head is thin and diffuse and eventually breaks. A visage of the original head hung out in the middle of the glass for the duration of the beer. The aroma is complex. There is a lot of sweetness, brightness, some alcohol, a lot of roast, malt and coffee, almost a syrup but not cloying aroma as well. There is a hint of anise in there as well. Beer is medium to full bodied. Late roast taste followed by a strong aftertaste of bitterness and roasted malt. Definitely some espresso character. I was expecting a little bit of bourbon but got none. I did however get some warmth from the alcohol in the front of the mouth along with considerable gravity and sweetness.

Sample at Central Waters anniversary party. Super thick pour of deep black with big yellow/orange head. Heavy roast, coffee, chocolate aroma. Didn’t pick up much bourbon. Flavor is deep roasted malt, coffee, light molasses, vanilla, oak, and a hint of bourbon. Mild sweetness in the finish. Heavy as hell on the palate. Grainy roast finish. A real treat.

Uh, wow. Deschutes really knows dark beers. The chocolate-y flavor and molasses are great. Nice dark brown head, thick brew. Great stuff.

2011 reserve from a 1pt 6oz brown bottle with black wax on top, offered by Julien and Pierre-Luc. A young beer that is best after 8/4/2012. Thick dark black-brown ale with a nice brown head. A very complex empiromatic nose with some coffee, vanilla (oak), nice smokiness and balsamic vinegar. This ale is long, round and velvety. It’s easy to find tobaco, coffee, smoke and a hop finale that taste like dust. The rostiness of the malt brings out good flavor. Not an easy drinking beer, it’s a sipping beer to share with friends.

Holy shit. Black as the molasses it’s brewed with. DENSE foam. Aroma of chocolate and bourbon. Chocolate and tobacco with a bourbon middle and finishes quite bitter and dry. What an exceptional beer for #500! Move over expedition.

Pours thick and black with mocha head and beautiful lacing. On the nose I got black licorice and roasted coffee beans. Mouthfeel is slick and full. Black licorice, a bit of malty sweetness, dark chocolate, and espresso. Some nice bourbon booziness and a great creamy finish. Amazing stuff.

pours a pitch black with a large brown head. smells malty and cocoa. Taste is amazing. very balanced yet complex. tons of chocolate, molasses and cofee with a touch of licorice.