Deschutes The Abyss

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

Serve in Snifter

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   add pic

UPDATED: JUN 13, 2009 Bottle... This beer rocks!... Pitch black with a mid-sized, creamy, deep beige head. Terrific retention. The aroma provides notes of cola, mocha, nuts, vanilla with a whisper of mint. “Sweet and chocolaty” shifts slowly to “burnt and bitter” throughout each drink. Slight, butterscotchy diacetyl smooths out any rough edges. Full-bodied and lightly creamy with lively carbonation. Finishes chocolaty and bitter. World class brew! A big SHOUT goes out to kmweaver for his generosity!

UPDATED: FEB 23, 2007 22oz bottle, courtesy of Crosling. Thanks, Nick! Pours a dark black center; medium tan head with great lacing. Milk chocolate and vanilla in the aroma. Long, viscous mouthfeel: plenty of bitter chocolate, toasty vanilla and wood; a well-concentrated imperial stout. Long, woody and vanilla finish; bourbon aging shows through only as a toasty vanilla and wood character.

(22oz bottle, thanks kmweaver) Small brown head, brown-black body. Aroma is moderately sweet, coffee, roast, some earthy, smoke. Taste is moderately sweet, coffee/roast, some earthy, smoke. Smooth full body, alcohol well contained.

UPDATED: JAN 30, 2010 On tap into a English Pint at Duck Island in Seattle, WA, and out of a 22 oz bottle. I will compare the differences later. This black beauty pours that ever so wonderous dark-as-night black with almost no head whatsoever, but with traces of dark tanned lacing. Ruby colored edges can be seen when held up to the light. The aroma wafting of this one brings a huge hint of vanillad coffee, roasted dark malts, an intense woody note, and a tiny touch of bourbon. The onslaught to the palate begins with that ever so delicate vanilla flavor intertwined with sweet malts before being overtaken by the dark molassesy and roasty malt body. As this happens the depth of this brew comes out. The bourbon soaked wood flavor touches the tongue very lightly (lighter than expected). A deep chocolate and coffee note moves into the flavor and begins to finish the taste. Bourbon, wood, and light vanilla resins linger on the palate as you feel a slight alcohol singe up the nostrils and on the edge of the back of your tongue. Definitely can feel the warmth on its way down. Thick and silky smooth feel on the palate. Very full bodied. On tap this felt much smoother and not as intense in most of the areas. Enjoyable in both ways, but if you want the fullest experience, let a bottle warm to 55 degrees and drink it out of a Snifter. Overall an amazing brew (the best from Deschutes in a while), but definitely is second still to the Full Sail Black Gold (which is not a bad place to be at all!!). Delightfully intense!!

UPDATED: MAR 7, 2008 Thanks to Odeed for sharing his pride and joy! Bomber, Heavenly nose of coffee, chocolate, vanilla, woddiness, and a small bourbon note; opaque black body with cherry highlights on the edges; flavor was coffee, chocolate, oak, and hop bitterness from the heavy body, the bitterness lasting and the alcohol not noticeable in the finish. Now in my top 12! 2007 Not near as good as 2006 with no oak, vanilla, coffee, or woodiness. 8/4/7/4/15! Second 2007 bomber from Bottle Barn; much better than the last one this ones flavor has choclate, coffee, hop bitterness, with oak and some light alcohol. 8/5/9/5/18 3/7/08

UPDATED: MAY 4, 2008 after waiting almost a month i finally get to try this bad boy.pours a big black body with red highlights showing around the glass.the head was a super dark brown that left heavy lacing on the glass as it sat.aroma mixes up vanilla,bourbon,oak,coffee,chocolate,roasted malts.....damn it just keeps going and going.did i mention cocoa,mocha,and gram crackers?the first sip put me in impy stout heaven.all the characteristics of the aroma with a nice hop finish.the alcohol is well hidden and the barrel aging compliments the brew,instead of overpowering it.the mouth feel coats my tounge and throat for minutes after a sip.this is awsome.....nuff said.(2007 BOTTLE SHARED WITH FOOTBALM AND IRISHBOY)wow what happened to this beer?i couldnt really grab anything from the the nose and i got no oak or bourbon from the flavor.this is a night and day difference from last yeras batch.id give it a 3.9 at best.

I foumd this at Uber Tavern a couple of days back. WOW!!!! This beer is great. I could say tons about this beer but we all know it’s been said. The only reason I rated it lower than everyone else is I think I may have bought into the hype and was expecting another Black Gold. That all being said I’m going back for another few bottles for trade and for the cellar!!!!

Shared at CT V by black95tt. Aroma was of coffee, roasty, burnt, chocolate. Flavor was really roasty, and a little burnt also and maybe some of the oak. Also a little molasses and maybe some anise. The aroma on this was incredible. I never give out perfects in aroma, flavor, or overall and i almost did.

22 oz. bottle from LS - Pours a thick black color with a two finger thick tan head. Lots of lacing. The aroma runs the gambit. Coffee, light molasses, hint of vinilla, and a touch of bourbon oak. Flavor is coffee, light chocolate, and a hint of licorice. Has a smooth, but dry palate. Hop bitterness seem to stick out along with the alcohol. Will have to try another this Fall. Should be even better. An excellent beer.

22oz bottle shared courtesy of zrrbrrt. Poured a dark, dark (motor oil) black with an averaged sized brown head. Aromas of roast, coffee, caramel, molasses, and very light wood. Tastes of roast, dark fruits, licorice, espress, very light vanilla, and chocolate. Almost a coffee with cream / latte. Smooth body that was way too easy to drink. Alcohol content hidden. Nice lacing left on the glass.