Deschutes The Abyss

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Boom. Another wish list item I need to boast about. Or something. Rich black pour, ample head and lacing. Rich roasted malt nose and taste, burnt molasses, java, some chocolate and vanilla, deep and rich. So there.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 6

Pours a pitch black, with small amount of light at the edges, small brown head. The aroma is of coffee, chocolate, toasted coconuts, vanilla, pipe tobacco, spicy rye, faint bourbon. The taste is bold chocolate and coffee upfront. Bourbon in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel and low to medium carbonation, a very rich beer, smooth. Note do not like stouts or porters

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

2013 Reserve but the same recipe as the 2011-2012. Pours a creamy pitch black with a 2 finger chocolate milk colored head that takes it sweet ass time. Aroma is very malted with strong hints of oats, coffee grounds, dried fruit, jelly, and dark chocolate. Taste is extremely complex. First I get is a strong hint of the booze then it subside to a dry and bitter malt. After a bit the licorice gets involved. Slight metallic ending. The wine barrels do sneak through in the taste but are well hidden most of the time. The bourbon is extremely well blended in the taste and does not interfere with the general taste of it. Body is quite creamy and sticks a little. This one is kinda hard to review because there are better brews out the but this one is extremely well done.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 8

Thanks, slowrunner77 - deep complex and intriguing aroma of dates, raisens, bittersweet chocolate, toffee and nuts. Deep rich black pour with a thin, tight deeply tanned head. Pronounced lacing. Flavor of deeply rosted malt, coffee and chocolate with hints of vanilla.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

shared this with a couple of friends. It wasn't easy. Super dark, with a crazy dark head. I don't actually know how to review this. Arguably the most complex, on so many levels, stout I've ever had. A treat from start to the bottom of my glass. More please.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

2011 release. I was very excited to try this on tap so I wouldn't have to open the 2010 bottle I've been holding on to. Black pour with a creamy light brown head. Aroma of molasses, black licorice, chocolate and light coffee notes. Taste was much the same with the addition of some bready malt, nuts and a hint of smoke. A little sweet but not in a bad way. Overall, a very good imperial stout but not quite as good as the hype had me believing. 2/10/12: Just enjoyed a pint of 2010 Abyss--a little more coffee in the aroma and lighter carbonation making for a smoother mouthfeel. Better than the 2011 version.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 10

This is a beer I have been wanting to try for years, and I finally scored a bottle in a trade whilst on an epic road trip to Portland, Oregon. Strong, smoky aroma has tones of molasses, wood, bourbon, licorice and semi-sweet chocolate. It pours midnight-black with a thick and rather persistent fine-bubbled tan head that leaves substantial lacing. Flavor is beyond delicious - rich and smoky with tones of molasses, licorice, toffee, caramel, quality coffee, nuts and chocolate. It seems as though each sip is a little different. Thick, smooth flavor has a firm fizz that leaves a persistent tingle to go along with a smoky, nutty, mocha finish. This beer is worth a drive all the way to Oregon!

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Poured with the darkest brown foam I think I've ever seen on a beer! The beer is so dark black that I couldn't see any light through it despite holding it against every light in my house. Incredible aroma of chocolate and sweet roasted malt with the licorice and molasses they added in. Pretty much no hop spice to speak of. Body is very full and smooth. I haven't had a beer this thick in a while. It dries out a little in the aftertaste. I could not tell that this was 11% alcohol. Would have guessed no more than 8%. The barrel aging starts to come out as the beer warms, bringing more complex flavors. Hints of plum started to show. This was a very good beer, but it comes at a price.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Bottled, as Deschutes The Abyss Reserve 2009, kindly shared by gunnar. Pitch black colour, excellent brown head. Lovely and complex aroma of dark malts, chocolate, coffee, tobacco, liquorice and leather, also some oaky and vinous notes. The flavour has notes of heavily roasted malts, balanced by a suitable sweetness, coffee and liquorice, hints of sandalwood. Superb!

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Deschutes is decent brewer of decent beers and the Abyss is no exception. It galls short of being exceptional in several areas though. A blackish pour with brown around the edges, with a nice sized creamy tan coloured head. The aroma is typical of an Impy stout with the choclatey roasted malt tones, molasses, and coffee. The taste is a tad sweet and the alcohol also comes through a tad. A very good representation of the style, but there is more work to be done.