Abyss (1st Batch) Question

Well, save yourself the worry because you WILL be purchasing a beer with oxidation. Question remains what that level of oxidation is and is it to your liking.

 

I'd say its time to drink it. I believe b1 is '06 right?
I had '09 last November (draft) and it was great - booziness had faded entirely and loads of dark fruit, molasses and a bit of cardamom took center stage. It was delicious - but a completely different brew that was a 1 -2 year old Abyss tastes like.

 

Hmm. I don't know. Honestly though - I'd be more concerned about the '09 one lol...

If its going to complete your vertical and what you're spending or putting up via trade isn't ridiculous, I'd say go for it. In my own experience, most stouts older than 5 years really lose most of their stout-like appeal. That being said, they simply transform into something different which may very well be thoroughly enjoyable and I suspect this to be the case with Abyss.

 

If you only need '06 you could probably trade for it with way less $$. If its the 3 you need, it just depends how comfortable you are paying 120% markup on their original value.

So:
If you need '06 - i'd probably trade for it.
If you need the three of 'em - it'll probably cost you way more to trade (shipping, extras, etc) and this may not be so bad.

If you're buying off of one of those "collectible" sites, negotiate. Don't think there's a ton of people out there looking for these.

 

Oxidation is a major factor in how beers age, it is the main chemical reaction that is taking place over time. Some of those oxidative reactions are positive, like fusel alcohols oxidizing to form aldehydes, or beta acids forming esters.

 

Short answer, yes. @AndrewK answered it more in depth above.