The Abyss
Deschutes Brewery

The AbyssThe Abyss
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From:
Deschutes Brewery
 
Oregon, United States
Style:
American Imperial Stout
Ranked #101
ABV:
11.4%
Score:
99
Ranked #242
Avg:
4.47 | pDev: 9.4%
Reviews:
2,100
Ratings:
7,575
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 04, 2024
Added:
Dec 24, 2006
Wants:
  3,001
Gots:
  3,959
A deep, dark Imperial Stout, The Abyss has almost immeasurable depth and complexity. Hints of molasses, licorice and other alluring flavors make it something not just to quaff, but contemplate.

As for the great “drink it now or let it age” debate, we stand clearly on the fence. Distinct and delicious on release, the flavors meld and fuse into an entirely different pleasure after a year or more in the cellar.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 2.99 by Affinity from Missouri

Mar 04, 2024
Photo of Rug
Reviewed by Rug from Massachusetts

4.3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Tonight’s Cellaruary pull is also a side by side. I’ve had the 2014 vintage for almost a year and forgot about it until I recently got the 2022 vintage from Tavour. That made me remember the 2014 and made me realize Cellaruary is the perfect time for this vertical tasting (which will leave me destroyed for the night after drinking all of this). I’ve never had any vintage of this beer before, but it should be interesting to see the difference 8 years makes in this beer.

2014: Pours completely pitch black with a finger of soapy light tan head that quickly fades to a ring and leaves decent lacing
2022: The exact same as the 2014, but leaves just a bit less lacing behind

2014: There’s a bit of a funk in the nose here, but I’m not complaining. I’m picking up on aromas of molasses, tannic red wine, cherry pit, cocoa powder, medium roast coffee, aged hops, sharp oak, smoky tobacco, and leather
2022: This one is way more hoppy and bitter as expected, but I can see how the aromas here can evolve into the funkier aromas in the older beer. I’m picking up on aromas of leafy hops, molasses, cacao nib, medium roast coffee, burnt sugar, orange marmalade, toasted oak, smoky tobacco, vanilla bean, and light caramel

2014: There’s less to it in taste unfortunately, but I still dig it. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting molasses, burnt sugar, smooth oak, vanilla bean, licorice, smoky tobacco, cocoa powder, raisin, and light coffee. The swallow brings notes of cherry pit, molasses, aged hops, smoky tobacco, cacao nib, leather, raisin, and medium roast coffee
2022: Similarly here it just tastes like a watered down version of what the nose had promised, but again, still good. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting leafy hops, burnt sugar, golden raisin, caramel, toasted oak, vanilla bean, light roast coffee, and cacao nib. The swallow brings notes of leafy hops, cacao nib, vanilla bean, cherry pit, burnt sugar, smoky tobacco, medium roast coffee, chicory, and light caramel

2014: A medium full body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick and chewy beer. Finishes a tad sticky but dries out over time
2022: A medium body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes mostly dry and quite bitter

It’s amazing how different these beers are yet are scored nearly the same. They’re both damn good in their own ways. My official review will use the scores of the fresher bottle

2014:
4.29/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

2022:
4.3/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Feb 26, 2024
 
Rated: 3.09 by LizT from Texas

Jan 31, 2024
 
Rated: 4.7 by Beecham from California

Jan 02, 2024
 
Rated: 4 by BSW from California

Dec 30, 2023
 
Rated: 4.48 by Bhubbard34 from Pennsylvania

Dec 20, 2023
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Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain

5/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
De beerrepublic.eu. En copa Teku. Con pistachos. Viendo Luke Cage 1x07. La.verdad es que el paso por barrica no se nota nada, pero lo que si hay es un delicioso perfil lupulado rollo black IPA que resulta sorprendentemente ligero y refrescante para tan elevado abv
Dec 19, 2023
 
Rated: 4.88 by KeithGreatNorth from Canada (BC)

Dec 03, 2023
 
Rated: 4.25 by Nyoder

Nov 25, 2023
Photo of solok
Reviewed by solok from California

2.8/5  rDev -37.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Very dark, nearly black. Brown head sticks around. Smell of Hershey's chocolate syrup. Taste does have some spice but primarily molasses and ethanol. Sweet. Negligible bitterness. Feel is dominated by ethanol burn. Not as viscous as I would have guessed. Fine for a porter or stout. But pretty heavy and dark.
Nov 23, 2023
Photo of Jay430
Rated by Jay430 from Montana

4.68/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
I don’t usually drink stouts, but love to occasionally try them. I will buy this when ever I find it. Easily the best beer I’ve ever had.
Oct 25, 2023
Photo of Giantspace
Reviewed by Giantspace from Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
April 2021 12oz bottle from a Chimay chalice

L- deep dark color, no light from my iPhone gets through this beer at all. Very little to no head.
S- dark sweet chocolate
T- sweet milk chocolate sone hoppiness and a bit dry to the finish. The ABV is undetectable and this drinks way too easy for what it is. My biggest issue is there is ZERO barrel here, Zero!
F- quite thin for what this beer brings with it. Has a silky feel, just needs more body. There is no carbonation.

O- this was a beer I always wanted. Would not put out the $ for the bombers. Found these 4 packs in 2021 and overall am disappointed. Not a bad beer but with Zero barrel and a light body I’m out after I finish the one more I have sitting.
Oct 22, 2023
 
Rated: 4.23 by Ananabiya

Jul 05, 2023
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Reviewed by Beer_aenima7 from Idaho

3.64/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
L - Look is black like coffee bu with little head
S- Smell isn't potent, smoky stout.
T - The taste is of course the stand out. Very complex. very bitter and earthy. Possibly the most earthy stout I've ever had. I personally enjoy more sweet stouts where this is very very bitter and woody. However, I believe the complexity and richness speaks to the craft and would be absolutely loved by some.
F - Feel is slightly bubbly and thick.
O - As stated, I want to like it but it's not quite sweet enough for my tastes, and it's extreme earthiness is beyond my pallet. That said it's enjoyable and worth a try.
Apr 17, 2023
Photo of bgenzoli72
Reviewed by bgenzoli72 from Washington

4.96/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5
Aged leather gives way to notes of strong, dark licorice. There are notes of burnt marshmallow in there, as well as a taste of either ripe plums or fresh Mediterranean figs. With an ABV of over 11%, this beer does not come off as overly boozy, despite its aging in bourbon and French oak barrels. Finally, there is a finish of sarsaparilla and milky molasses.

This beer will only get better with age. I see this beer as mellowing its edges with another year or two (if you can wait that long), on the shelf, aging.
Apr 07, 2023
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Rated by acycler01 from Texas

4.91/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75
Awesome
Mar 05, 2023
Photo of Antg8989
Reviewed by Antg8989 from New Jersey

4.06/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Unsure of the 99 rating. Wasn't impressed a year ago, and not impressed a year after proper aging. Dark chocolate and leather are present but there is a "burnt" characteristic to this that just turns me off. Some astringency as well. Interested to see 1 more year of aging on this to see what happens, otherwise there are plenty of other barrel aged stouts out there I find to be much more preferable.
Feb 02, 2023
Photo of NevadaBill
Reviewed by NevadaBill from Nevada

4.34/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Drinking a 2018 bottle (cellared). This RIS has a roasted malt or grain characteristic which sets it apart from some of the others. It is not a sweet beer with lots of cherries, plums, or fruits. Rather, it is a dry, dark and burnt character leaning towards tart/bitter end of the scale for me. It is like a dry RIS. I like it. More of the bitter Chocolate and Coffee end of the spectrum. It is mellow, and not boozy (for me). Mouth feel is medium, and not too chewy. Just right actually. Looks like motor oil from an old V8 that has not been drained in 20k miles. Reaching for my 2nd one just now. This is a quality product from Deschutes.
Jan 27, 2023
 
Rated: 4.91 by MikeZim

Jan 17, 2023
 
Rated: 5 by wilfonzo from Florida

Dec 27, 2022
The Abyss from Deschutes Brewery
Beer rating: 99 out of 100 with 7575 ratings