The Abyss - Deschutes Brewery

cradke

Texas

4.1/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

2010 VIntage poured into CBS tulip.

Appearance: Pours jet black. Thin to be expected for a beer with some age on it.

Smell: Bourbon!!! Molasses, dark fig. Lots of Bourbon.

Taste: Bourbon again, sweet, almost to cloying, Licorice and some dark candy.

Mouth feel: Viscous a little thin and a little hot. The thinness is to be expected with some age so it's not too much of a turn off.

Overall: Good but not integrated enough. A bit too sweet and bourbon heavy. I should add a foot note that I prefer non BA beers to BA versions, but this one is sooo Bourbon Heavy it's a little off putting. Just wasn't integrated enough.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 02:12:36 | More by cradke

paulys55

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-27-2013 02:50:15 | More by paulys55

merc7186

New York

4.01/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Full Vertical from 2006 to 2012 (except the infected 2009 bottle)

After drinking all of them, I liked the 2008 version the best.

A: Dark Opqaue Hue, Passes No Light, Dark Brown Hue, Decent Lacing

S: Charred Oak, Coffee, Roasty

T: Coffee, Nutty, Charcoal, Mild Molasses

M: Decent Carbonation, Full Bodied, Nutty, Filling

Overall, it was awesome to get to do the entire vertical at once as see the nuances between the different vintages.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 22:03:09 | More by merc7186

Gargamel92886

California

5/5  rDev +9.6%

05-25-2013 19:04:36 | More by Gargamel92886

RayUF07

Florida

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-25-2013 05:48:00 | More by RayUF07

GimmeGumballHead

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev -6.8%

05-25-2013 03:36:49 | More by GimmeGumballHead

SDStoneEnthusiast

California

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-24-2013 21:10:53 | More by SDStoneEnthusiast

PHBoiler

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-24-2013 19:19:44 | More by PHBoiler

visionaries

California

4/5  rDev -12.3%

05-23-2013 15:15:14 | More by visionaries

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -6.8%

05-22-2013 01:02:46 | More by mikeincharleston

aleman39

California

4.25/5  rDev -6.8%

05-21-2013 21:17:55 | More by aleman39

CosmoHopHead

Kansas

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-21-2013 04:01:59 | More by CosmoHopHead

Ahappyhiker2

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

2011 vintage.

A- Pours black, has a decent head on it, tan lacing.

S- Aroma is very sweet. Coffee, molasses, chocolate, and malt are the main flavors I get. A little bit of caramel as well.

T- Initial sip I get a lot of bitter dark chocolate. The flavor is very sweet, like the aroma. It has a good amount of barrel character, nice amount of oak. Coffee, caramel, lots of burnt notes. Again, very sweet, not too sweet though.

M- Medium body, as expected with The Abyss. I traditionally prefer stouts thicker, but for what it is it drinks very well. Could use some more carbonation, its fallen off a bit.

O- The Abyss is always a solid stout, though for the life of me I don't understand why it's one of the highest rated beers on this entire site. I've had it fresh and aged, several times. It always drinks well and has a good amount of flavors but I always feel like it lacks something. As I said it's solid, but it never blows me away.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 13:43:29 | More by Ahappyhiker2

bumchilly25

British Columbia (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev -6.8%

05-20-2013 02:53:47 | More by bumchilly25

Ctrauty

Minnesota

4.75/5  rDev +4.2%

05-20-2013 01:27:16 | More by Ctrauty

illy0sis

Texas

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-20-2013 00:23:09 | More by illy0sis

moonknight31

California

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-19-2013 17:00:19 | More by moonknight31

ShawnMH

Indiana

4/5  rDev -12.3%

05-19-2013 14:56:19 | More by ShawnMH

LambicPentameter

Kansas

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-19-2013 04:23:45 | More by LambicPentameter

haknort

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-19-2013 03:28:14 | More by haknort

douginromeo

Michigan

4.95/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured aggressively into a snifter. Bottle says best after 11/1/13 but I couldn't wait!

Appearance - Black, thick, and impenetrable by light with a 1 inch beige head that hangs around for a good 10 minutes.

Smell - Chocolate, licorice, and coffee with a hint of bourbon. The smell of this beer is beyond complex - lovely sweetness and maltiness underneath everything.

Taste - Oh the taste - I swear I heard angel wings flapping as I savored it. So complex and balanced without a hint of booziness. Sweet on the tongue with everything you want in a barrel aged stout - chocolate, coffee, bourbon, and a nice bitter finish

Mouthfeel - So silky with just the right amount of carbonation. Oily and thick - this is what I expect from a huge stout.

Overall: my favorite stout that I have ever drank, replacing KBS. It's so well done and complex! I can't wait to taste my other one after it ages!

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 02:48:40 | More by douginromeo

jakeox

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-18-2013 23:47:28 | More by jakeox

SightinColor

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev -6.8%

05-18-2013 23:19:40 | More by SightinColor

MrNate

Florida

4.5/5  rDev -1.3%

05-18-2013 22:15:53 | More by MrNate

alanv

California

5/5  rDev +9.6%

05-18-2013 21:23:03 | More by alanv