 shigadeyo (1500), Southwest Ohio Area, Alabama, USA
Jun 8, 2007
<b><i>2006 Reserve - Aged in Oak Barrels<br />Rating #800...</i></b><br /><br />
<b>6/08/2007</b>: When it comes to appearance, The Abyss is pretty much black and opaque. There is a thick, dark brown head that is long-lasting and leaves fairly detailed lacing that is made of ultra tiny bubbles and covers the inside of the glass from the top to the bottom. The beer itself leaves a slight oily-like sheen on the glass as well. The aroma presents coffee with cream, chocolate, some cola, and a hint of sweet licorice. The flavor is rich and robust with lots of roasted maltiness, bitter dark chocolate, coffee, and some bourbon. It is slightly dry mid-palate and some vanilla and oak are noticeable. The finish is very roasted, possibly bordering on charcoal, with a mild to moderate level of bitterness. The alcohol is present and warming, but not overbearing or out of place. The aroma and flavor are definitely deep and intriguing. Actually, at a warmer temperature, the flavor becomes a really nice, rich cofffe and chocolate with some interlaced bourbon followed by a substantial, balancing bitterness. This beer has a full body and is smooth and oily, yet somehow thick, soft, and creamy. The Abyss is really quite good and bold, but it isn’t quite as good or complex as other beers in its class (e.g. Dark Lord, AleSmith Speedway, Stone IRS, Goose Island BCS, Avery Mephistopheles, Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast, Bell’s Expedition and Kalamazoo, Hoppin Frog BORIS, Siberian Night, etc.). Everything seems to be there in this beer, but nothing stands out to really set this beer apart...<br /><br />
<i>22 oz bottle (11% Alc. by Vol.) via trade with Yonkers65 (Dec 2006). Thank you very much Bruce. I really appreciate it!</i><br />
kopher (128), USA
Dec 3, 2008 very dark, thick pour, brown head.
sweet aroma, lots of alcohol, coffee, and maltyness
flavor is similar, sweet but not cloying and very nice
nice long bittersweet finish
very nice heavy body
Beardface (258), Eugene, Oregon, USA
Nov 30, 2008 Abyss is truly the best name they could have come up with for this thing. Black Hole is the only other thing that even comes close, because absolutely no light shines through this mother. Beautiful tan head as well. Smells like coffee and nuts and some whiskey notes with a little hop scent buried in the back. Huge licorice flavor with notes of chocolate, molasses and bourbon, very roasty as well. Beer doesn’t get much more perfect than this one, I just wish they’d produce more every year!
taalhiker (172), Dayton, Ohio, USA
Nov 28, 2008 Draft @ GABF. Pours pitch black with generous tan head. Aroma of roasted malt, alcohol and dark fruits. Taste was filled with licorice, malt, coffee and molasses. Huge mouthfeel with long finish.
RIXbeer (102), USA
Nov 28, 2008 Damn DUDE!
Pours a thick, disgustingly delicious blackness that can only be compared to a black hole. Nice 1.5" mocha colored head that fades slowly with a lot of sticking left behind :) Molasses but not DL molasses. I don’t know much about the stuff but this is different than that. Fudgey with a nice whiskey nose [from the barrel]. Prunes or some other dark fruit is present and bringing in the rear of aromas. Thick, rich and nasty (in a good way). This is one bad Larry! The thickness has an eruption of chocolate, molasses and whiskey oak. A very good and slightly bitter combo! Feels nice and heavy but goes down so smooth you can’t tell your about to be attacked by some serious flavors. A must pick up and try! Have one, have two. This is one damn damn great beer. It’s up there with the DL and Kate IMHO.
BigBang (162), Indiana, USA
Nov 27, 2008 2008 bottle. Pours black with big head . Aroma is dark fruit, molasses,
cocoa. Flavor is nicely complex. Carbonation is a little more than
other big RIS. Super lacing. Mouthfeel is lush, smooth, and lingers
forever like a fine stout should (but not many do) with bitter chocolate
aftertaste. ABV is well hidden but definitely warms the tummy. Not hot at
all. I think this will age very well. I’m not a big licorice fan and was
concerned but I didn’t really notice much. Hint of bourbon but not a lot,
which is fine - there’s something to said for moderation and complementary
flavors. This is a truly delicious beverage.
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