abyss... don't get it.

Well... I disagree. A portion of it is definitely barreled and depending on what vintage you have, it may have been put in multiple different types of barrels.

Which vintage did you drink?

 

Nobody can argue your taste. If you don't like it, then you don't like it. Thread over

 

The beers have become sentient!!!

 

Haven't had a '13 yet, but we opened an '07 over Thanksgiving weekend and it was sublime.

 

Had an '11 recently and it was world class. No there's not a lot of barrel characteristics but I already knew that. It doesn't need to be full on bourbon on the palate for it to still be a fantastic beer.

 

We do not get it, so I don't get it either. send me some. lol

 

I had a '12 last New Year's Eve, so it was pretty fresh yet, and while I wasn't severely underwhelmed, I don't think it's quite deserving of some of the hype it gets. Same with Black Butte anniversary. They're excellent beers, but it didn't slap me off of my chair like BCBS or Parabola does, and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that they're partially barrel aged and not fully barrel aged, which is how I like my bourbon barrel ales. I passed on it this year, but if it was $5 cheaper, I probably would've gotten it. I probably could still get it if I looked in the right corners.

Anyone know how that Abyssident is holding up?

 

if you dont like it, you dont like it, thread over? Is this where BA is at now, where we can't discuss not liking something for x reasons and listening to why someone else likes it for x reasons? am I the only one that enjoys listening to others peoples opinions on beer, while sharing my own...you know, like, a conversation about the beer?

 

Discuss it nothing wrong with that. ignore those that say thread end. I just never had it myself. I am sure its a good beer.

that said not paying over 8 to 10 for ANY bomber. even barrel aged 20 years whatever. not buying into that hype market. heck its like once or twice a year I even buy any bomber.

 

I don't follow your logic at all. they make less of it to make more profit? I'm not sure you completely get the concept of profit...

Also, I think Abyss is a great imperial stout. Definitely worth buying a couple a year, if only the east coast got distribution.

 

I think you can find a thread like this for every beer in the BA Top 50. People like what they like.

Personally, I think this is one of the absolute best beers made when it's got 2 years or more on it.

 

ha, i hear you man. my comment was in regards to an earlier post

 

When was the best after date?

 

OMG. Someone somewhere was "underwhelmed" by a very good beer. We can go ahead and shut down Beeradvocate.com now.

 

Ooh, now the anticipation is really building for me. Haven't had it yet but I've been sitting on a '12 and it reached the Best After date last month so I'm cracking it soon. I have had Black Butte XXIV though and I loved it. Also loved Dissident and, since The Abyss has a higher score than both of those, I have high expectations. Will report back in a week or so to express my opinion...

 

You can't go in expecting a bourbon bomb, that's just not what it is. I picked up some bourbon on the '13, but I got a lot more wine barrel influence than I remembered from last year the two times I had it. This will be my first time ageing Abyss (I'm new to ageing beers in general) so I'm really excited to see how the flavors meld over time.

 

wish I had actually gotten some this year.. I work for 2 liquor stores and we were allotted one case to be split between the stores, and one of our cashiers ended up selling the first person 6 bottles and the rest of the case was gone within a couple hours. so the other store ended up not getting any along with me

and the cost went up this year so we made like nothing on the case, what a waste

 

This is a great point. We are all trained to not drink certain beers after the 'best by' date. Give or take. We should also be cognizant of beers that taste better with time.

 

I've never expected big barrel flavors from The Abyss, because as long as they've included the barrel-aged percentage on the bottle (I think since 2007 based on some amateur internet sleuthing), it's only been about 1/3rd aged in barrels. And if the last three vintages (2011, 2012, 2013) are any indication, the *bourbon* barrel-aged portion has always been small--6% on those three vintages--so it should come as no surprise that it's not a bourbon bomb stout.

The big draw, for me, on The Abyss is the earthy, woody, rich flavors that are imparted from the black strap molasses, licorice and cherry bark.

While the OP is welcome to his perception of the beer, I think it's a bit farfetched to imply that Deschutes is trying to rip people off. Which is what "Sounds like a company is just trying to make a profit" sounds like to me*

*The reason I interpret it this way is because all companies are trying to make a profit. So when someone says this in the context of suggesting that the barrel-aged portion of a given beer is being decreased (i.e., money saving technique), it implies that they are trying to make a profit at the expense of their customers.