2011 Abyss

Hmmm...your description is the way I saw the 2011 fresh but the bottle I had a couple of months ago was much more The Abyss-like, which surprised me since it had a different profile than the previous editions. Could be a bad bottle?

 

How was it "cellared"??

 

yes.

2009 is an infected mess. some have had non infected bottles and claim it to be incredible, but i'm 0 for too embarrassing to list.

2010 was my favorite, if not 2008 or 2006 (although i find 06 and 07 to be a bit long in the tooth). 2011 was a big disappointment fresh. i have not had 2012 yet.

 

Seems you have lifted a few.
If you stuck it in your fridge at 38 its possible it didn't change much in a year.
Cheers bro

 

I went 2-10 with the 09. Drain poured 8 infected bottles then tried mixing an IPA with the last 2 and it worked brilliantly!

 

you seem like a nice fella.

 

That seems like it would have been a much more appropriate answer. Half the comments here are in response to your "snarky" comment. It would have saved people some time had you just answered directly.

But in response to your OP, I have a case sitting on hand of 2011 that I think I'll break apart when I get a bottle of 2011. I only had 2010 and 2011, and the 10 was one of the best beers I've ever had. At the time, I didn't think I would ever taste a better beer. I don't think I've had a beer experience like that since.

Certain vintages just suck, but that can be any beer.

 

If anybody has an 11 and thinks this, shoot me a message and I'll happily trade you whatever you need for your remaining bottles.

 

Weird. i bought a little more than a case and a half of 2011. It was very cherry and tannic when fresh.
But i just drank some a few weeks back and thought it was totally amazing and way better than 2010 which i drank several times in 2010 and 2011. teh cheery presence was much reduced and the choc and tobacco notes seemed more prominent.


But then i had some Abyss 2009 that was supposedly "terribly sour" and "a drain pour" etc etc...as widely promulgated here, and I found them to be only slightly acidic and also quite good. so maybe my palate is less sensitive to sour flavors .. maybe that's why i like my sours super sour and funky....

 

agree with all this, and i'm adding that 2012 isn't particularly good either. oddly bitter finish.

 

I thought I might have been off when I had this the other night. Totally got a bitterness and actual hop character I've never experienced in this beer.

 

OP - I had a completely different experience with a 2011 bottle. I tried it next to a 2010 and I think the 2010 is going down and the 2011 is getting better.

 

ah yes, you again

 

They're all different, regardless of what people say about the ingredients. I wouldn't say that any of them suck, but I didn't think any of them were astrigent at all. Do you have any more to compare to at a later time with a different palate?

'12 is good. It's indeed a little bitter (like many roasty stouts) but I think that should get better with some age.

 

I just opened an '11 a couple days ago and I really enjoyed it. I still like the '10 better, but it was nothing like you described.