Abyssal Depthdread
Adroit Theory Brewing Company

A: dark black with a dark brown head.

S: dark chocolate, molasses.

T: dark chocolate, brown sugar, and an earthy bitterness. Finish is bitter chocolate.

M: creamy and thick, carbonation is moderate to low.

O: a touch bitter for my taste, but I could see this as a good base to you with.

2024-05-03
16oz can served in a big snifter. Can is dated 12/05/23. Got it from @ozzylizard, either as a continuation of NBS BIF #17 or a sneaky participant in NBS BIF #18.

Pours dark, basically black, with a reasonably large-for-the-style half-centimeter head on the pour, settling into a thin ring around the edge with a ghostly dusting across the surface. Smell is black licorice, burnt dates, extremely dark coffee, maybe a whiff of dates in the background.

Taste is an intensification of the black licorice, decrease of roasty-burnt flavors, a bit more sweetness that moves a little away from dates and maybe toward maple. There's a little bit of a cola flavor in there, too, which I haven't noticed in an RIS before.

Mouthfeel is maybe a bit thinner than I want and expect, especially looking at that 12% number, but not quite disappointing. Overall, very nice beer. If you're looking for a pastry stout...look elsewhere. That's a positive comment.

 

Abyssal Depthdread – from Adroit Theory Brewing. Purchased from Adroit Theory online, 16 oz can part of mixed four-pack, $ 8.24/can, $0.515/fl oz. Reviewed 18/01/24 (Review 3223). Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Undated can, although the other three in the themed four-pack are dated 12/24/23, 12/25/23, and 12/26/23. Stored at 34 degrees at home. Served at 57.3 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature was 64.0 degrees F.
Appearance – 4.25
First pour – Amber Brown (SRM 18), clear.
Body – Black (SRM 40), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, light penetration at the bottom edge, ruby.
Head - Average (Maximum 3.7 cm, aggressive center pour), copper, high density, excellent retention, leaving a one cm crown and cap. Eventually, this drops to 0.4 cm and oxygenates to buff.
Lacing – Interesting. Looks like the outside of a Roman colosseum, with arches and a broken wall.
Aroma – 4.25 – Roasted malt, a bit chocolatey. No yeast, no hops, no alcohol (12 % ABV as marked on the label).
Flavor – 4 – Begins with chocolate, slightly bitter. No yeast, no hops. No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. No ethanol ever tasted. Faint gastric warming. After taste is chocolate.
Palate – 4.5 – Full; creamy; soft but lively carbonation.
Final impression and summation: 4 (After deducting 0.25 point for an undated personal container) Very pleasing slightly bitter chocolatey aroma and taste; excellent palate; alcohol is totally hidden.