The Abyss Deschutes 2014 release

Do a google image search for "The Abyss label" with any year and you can find the ratios.

2011-2014 "6% aged in oak bourbon barrels, 11% aged in oak barrels and 11% aged in wine barrels"

2010 - "33% aged in oak and oak bourbon barrels"

 

Saw it in Joplin last week...

 

Never had a bad Abyss, I did miss out the year it was supposed to be infected. I do think this is a beer that does improve with some age. Bought 2 bottles & will buy more if I see it, but left the others on the shelf so maybe many more could try it, or some hoarder a-hole...

 

It's all over Cleveland (visiting the 'rents)- I picked up a bottle and was advised by a beer friend to age it for a year. Very curious to try... Should I buy another to drink fresh?

 

Yes, or try to find it on tap.

 

Found Abyss pretty easily out here. Was blown away that The Dissident was only $11.99/bottle when Abyss was $15.99

 

Just had a 2013 as my first abyss. Fantastic stout that sets itself apart without being too out of the box . loved it

 

Bought a 2013 and had it a few weeks past the enjoy after date (stored at 50° in my beer fridge). It was a sour mess and will not be buying more as it was a very disappointing brew.

 

I noticed agave maria became sour rather quickly and my abyss had a slight tartness to it. Seems like these breweries aren't taking the proper steps in sanitation.

 

It says 33% on their keg pic

 

Righto then

 

I don't like this beer anymore. I love a viscous stout, but the wine does not do any favots to this. It makes it seem too tannic and syrupy. Far too much oak. Lacks the roasted malt bitterness I enjoy from a stout. Oddly overrated, imo.

For a wine barrel aged stout, Mud and Funk by De Molen / Anchorage, or Darkest Hour by Anchorage, are a gazillion times more interesting. But they are sour stouts... so not totally fair to compare.

I think this one has an identity crisis. Bourbon barrel and wine barrel aging is just excessive to me.

Anyhow, Abyss is too messy. I'd rather have a plain Yeti to be honest.

 

Agave Maria was undrinkable. Gross. Add to that the lacto infection and you have one of the most unjustifiable 14-16 dollar beers on the market.

 

Try Mud and Funk by De Molen / Anchorage. Absolutely delicious.

 

It is sitting on shelves now in Chicago at $17 a bomber.
Based on the discussion above I left it sitting there.

 

Sorry, don't mean to pick on your comment specifically as a lot of other people are saying it needs time, but I guess I am curious as to how much you (and others) think it changes. I am relatively new to beer (last few years) but have been cellaring wine for 15 years (50 years if you count my dad's cellar that I get to raid) and frankly I can tell immediately when I taste a young red wine that is going to age out nicely - the core components are there, just lacking integration or needing time to soften.

Usually with wine a few hard decants and / or 24 hours sitting in the bottle after opening with a new vintage will give you a decent approximation of how the wine will age (people really into Bordeaux will often refer to a bottle over 2 or 3 days as they keep coming back to it)
Anyone tried the same with beers like this? Open, try some and leave the rest in the fridge for the next day?

 

If any Chicago folks are interested, there are three bottles sitting on the shelf at Foremost Liquors (Ashland & Wellington) for $16.99 apiece.

 

In Las Vegas very easy to find. Bought 2 bottles at Total Wine and they have it on tap as well. I have drank several growlers and the bottles. I feel that both fresh and in bottles this was a great beer that I would suggest to buy if you have a chance.

 

Came to oregon on vacation and made the trip to the bend brewery and smith rock, ect... I grabbed a bottle of abyss and also a bottle of the black bute barrel aged. Curious what you guys think about the black bute comparitivly

 

One of the best stouts I've ever had. The wine, for me, does beautiful things, especially in conjunction with the cherry bark, and the bourbon element, smallest percentage I've ever seen, is still present and contributes something great to the overall effect. Delicious beer fresh, though I've never had it aged, but I dare say, I would rather drink this fresh than let all those subtleties meld together and become less conspicuous.