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Serve in Snifter

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RATINGS: 1239   WEIGHTED AVG: 4.21   SEASONAL: Winter   IBU: 68   EST. CALORIES: 330   ABV: 11%
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COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
This special Reserve Series brew will only be offered December – February (limited distribution)
The Abyss: Stout brewed with licorice and molasses with 33% aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels. It’s dark. It’s deep. It’s mysterious. Aged in French Oak and Bourbon barrels, this special brew has immeasureable depth inviting you to explore and discover its rich, complex profile. The flavor of molasses and licorice draw you in further and further with each sip. The Abyss beckons. Enjoy the journey.


ineedbeer's rating

4
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
ineedbeer (184) - San Leandro, California, USA - JAN 26, 2013
2012 Vintage. Aroma is dark fruit, molasses and licorice balanced by with some roast and chocolate. A light hop aroma is present as well as a bit of an oak aroma. Pours a dark black with a thin mocha head that recedes fairly quickly to the edges. Moderate lacing and small legs. Flavor has some nice sweet chocolate and roast character. Some sweet cherry notes and light licorice character. Moderate bitterness, light oak and low hop flavor. A touch of molasses and alcohol in the finish. Medium full bodied with medium carbonation. Low to medium low astringency and medium alcohol warmth. Overall this is a nice imperial stout but I think I like it more with a bit of age. This one is a bit hot and should age nicely. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone


most recent ratings

4.5
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 18/20
mikey (504) - farmington, Utah, USA - MAY 20, 2013
The 2009. The nose is of vanilla, dark fruits, prune, chocolate and licorice. The taste stars with notes of bourbon, oak and vanilla. Roasted malts, dark fruits, dark chocolate, and molasses round out the end. Extremely layered and complex, exceptionally well-balanced. Its quite a treat!

4.7
   AROMA 10/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 18/20
dctriman (37) - USA - MAY 19, 2013
Great beer. Very smooth, rich flavor. Solid mouthfeel from front to finish. Enjoyed this very much on draft at a Deschutes event at Churchkey DC

4.3
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
UncleKorm (254) - Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA - MAY 17, 2013
On tap, poured a deep thick brown so dark you can call it black w/ a frothy dark tan head and some lacing. Big complex aromas. Big complex flavors. This is an Imperial imperial. Wow! ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

4.3
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 17/20
Koelschtrinker (8481) - Köln (Cologne), GERMANY - MAY 14, 2013
Schokoladig und röstiger Antrunk. Sehr intensiv, vollmundig nach Bitterschokolade. Noch einmal deutlich intensiver werdend, SCHOKOLADE. Wenig herb, erdig. 11/13/12/13/12/13

4
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
brystmar (458) - Brooklyn, New York, USA - MAY 14, 2013
How have I not rated this yet?! Opened the '06 and '11 this weekend, and the latter was far superior unless you like excessive oxidation.

Pours syrupy black with handsome tan head and good retention. Molasses, deeply roasted malt, smooth (and mild) bourbon, toffee. Smells great.

Oily, viscous body delivers the delicious fast and furious. Some initial sweetness up front before coffee, bourbon, chocolate, and molasses take over. Touch of hops midway through too. Mildly bitter finish is reminiscent of baker's chocolate; booze kisses the back of my throat as it descends. Damn tasty.

One of the very best RIS that hits the shelves. Quite impressive that Deschutes can make a stout this good on a macro scale.

4.6
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 10/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 18/20
trujahwarrior (268) - Monroe, Washington, USA - MAY 10, 2013
Rating # 250! 2011 version on tap 12 oz pour into a snifter at Brouwer’s cafe Back in black stout fest. Pours a pitch black color with a thick khaki head that leaves great lacing. Smells of oak roasted malt dark chocolate, black licorice, vanilla, and dark fruit. Tastes of all the same thing’s in the smell with a slight bourbon flavor mixed in. As it warms it tastes better and better Mouthfeel is thick and creamy but pretty smooth and chewy with good carbonation and a dry finish. This is one of the best imperial stouts around period. Has a plethora of different flavors and is very balanced. Glad to have finally tried the 2011 version. Only had the 2010 version before and I think I like the 2011 version slightly better.

4.3
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
Vaiz (2681) - Den Haag, NETHERLANDS - MAY 9, 2013
Bottle @ ZeeBra Extreme Beer Festival 2013. Black pour, tan head. Aroma is creamy, roasty, spicy coffee, licorice, ash and burnt malts. Flavor is roasted, spicy, creamy, quite bitter and with a huge roastedness.

4.2
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
dEnk (2635) - Den Haag, NETHERLANDS - MAY 6, 2013
Bottle @ ZeeBra. Aroma is huge roast, liquorice, ash, molasses and more. Flavour is huge roasty liquorice, ash, slight alcohol, some sweet woody and bourbon notes. LRAB.

4.4
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 19/20
erickok (2282) - Tours, FRANCE - MAY 5, 2013
Pitch black, tan head. Chocolate, clean, full bodied. Rich, powerful brew. Warming, burned malts. Bit of wood, complex stuff. Slightly too big on alcohol, though. (ZeeBra)

4.7
   AROMA 10/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 18/20
Bule (185) - California, USA - APR 30, 2013
On tap at Taps on Petaluma. Pours a dark black color. Smooth tasting flavor of roasted malt, coffee and chocolate. Amazing brew.


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