The Abyss 2016 Reserve
Deschutes Brewery

Pours a pure charcoal black color with a creamy mocha colored head that lingers and provides a staggering amount of lacing. Absolutely gorgeous imperial stout.

The nose is heavy on the molasses, and there’s a nice bit of roasty char and stone fruit from the wine barrel, plus some oak and a smidge of bourbon from the other barrels. Wow.

The “wow” is amplified on the taste, with the molasses and roasty char forward on the taste and absolutely delicious, with the stone fruit flavors as dark cherries mid-palate, and smooth oak and a nice warming from the bourbon barrel on the finish. Magnificent.

The mouthfeel is a bit softer than expected, which is the only nit I have to pick with this beer. Apparently aging this for 8 years didn’t detract from it, because this is world class stuff, IMHO.

 

Deep black in color or lack thereof. Head was a darker tan, thick and caressed glass as it fades. Nose is molasses with hints of the char. Taste was sweet, yet had the char to it, yet still had some bitterness to it, yet deceptively smooth. Tried this bottle in 2024, so it has been 'cellared' for 8 years.

poured from a (barely) black-waxed 22oz bomber into a half pint glass. pours a thick and shiny black with less than a finger of mocha brown foam head. cocoa powder, red wine-soaked oak, dark fruit and piney hops. it’s a little weird at first (why is it still so hoppy??) but it’s also complex and inviting. taste is dark fruits, pine, day old coffee, cocoa powder and molasses. thick, full mouthfeel. not a ton of carb left in this bottle but enough to throw a head when poured. it’s almost syrupy but it never quite gets there. this was damn good. all the mingling of the nose and the taste with dark fruits and chocolate with oak barrels impacting the flavors too.

22 oz. Bomber
Black Wax/Capped
2016 Reserve
Bottled On: 12/08/16
ABV: 11.1%

Poured into a tulip a very nice black color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice one-finger plus thick/creamy tan head, which leaves some small islands/oil slicks and some sticky lacing behind. The nose is malty, roasty, slight licorice, slight vanilla, very nice chocolate/toffee, with some bourbon/wine/oak notes. The taste is absolutely delicious malty, nice sweetness, very nice touch of chocolate/toffee, slight licorice, dark fruits, very slight touch of bourbon/wine/oak, nice little roastyness. Full Body, ABV hidden very well, goes down very smoothly, with a slight dry finish. Overall, this is an exceptional brew.

 

Pours an effervescent ebony with a thumb of mocha colored head. Average head retention & above average lacing

S: Dark fruit, dark chocolate & a little raw barrel booze, fades a touch when warm, more like cola

T: Follows the nose, leafy hops& oaky dryness are also present up front, plus a little red wine/grape flavor. Cocoa mixes with a little fig, dark chocolate, plus woody & leafy hops, just a kiss of booze. Finishes with oaky dryness, some roastyness, a little booze/barrel bite, figs

MF: Medium/thick body with pretty smooth carbonation, a little warming booze

This has blended/aged well. Still q sipper regardless