Just had the 2013 Abyss and...

Discussion in 'Cellaring / Aging Beer' started by Superflyjsc, Nov 1, 2014.

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  1. Superflyjsc

    Superflyjsc Pundit (824) Dec 6, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    ...was not impressed at all. The aromas were fantastic and the initial taste in my mouth was also delicious but then at the back end it suddenly lead to a sudden pungent alcoholic bite and not the good kind I was expecting. I don't know if my description is very helpful but it just had such a not-so-pleasant boozy after taste that I couldn't enjoy at all and to be honest I had to drain pour it (which is something I rarely do). I know it's an 11% bottle but I have had and enjoyed many other stouts that were 11% or even higher such as the bourbon county brands with no complaints. Is this overly boozy taste common with the Abyss for most people or did I just get lucky with this bottle?
     
    #1 Superflyjsc, Nov 1, 2014
  2. mlhyatt

    mlhyatt Initiate (0) Jul 27, 2013 Georgia

    Drfinitely did not get over boozyness in my bottle (s) the biggest thing that stood out to me was the cherries, which at first seemed out out if place and not good but then i slowly began to love it! And now i can't wait until thhis years release which should be coming out soonish, i think, December?
     
    #2 mlhyatt, Nov 1, 2014
  3. Superflyjsc

    Superflyjsc Pundit (824) Dec 6, 2013 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    Any chance my bottle could've been infected then? Maybe that pungent taste could've been more of a sour taste maybe more so than the boozinees...I dunno. It comes all waxed up and all.
     
    #3 Superflyjsc, Nov 1, 2014
  4. rudyarmand

    rudyarmand Crusader (478) May 31, 2005 Georgia

    Why are you even discussing this? Why not talk about UFO's or Abominable Snowmen? No one gets to try these brews!
     
    #4 rudyarmand, Nov 1, 2014
  5. DoubleD

    DoubleD Initiate (0) Oct 17, 2012 Minnesota

    I don't touch Abyss for at least a couple of years to get that heat to tone down.
     
    #5 DoubleD, Nov 1, 2014
  6. bowzer4birdie

    bowzer4birdie Grand Pooh-Bah (3,796) Aug 16, 2012 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah

    It's most likely a regional distro thing. You, for example, have easier access to some world-class beers in your geographical location than I do.
     
    #6 bowzer4birdie, Nov 1, 2014
    Lucnifter likes this.
  7. GeorgiaBeerGuy

    GeorgiaBeerGuy Initiate (0) May 31, 2013 Georgia

    Could be a bad bottle. I agree with shelving them a while, but I also like to try one "fresh..." so that I know how it changes over time. Otherwise, its hard to say if it really is better as it ages, because you have no reference point.
     
    #7 GeorgiaBeerGuy, Nov 1, 2014
    breadwinner likes this.
  8. youradhere

    youradhere Initiate (0) Feb 29, 2008 Washington

    I find the same with Founders beers, never really cared for them aside for the novelty.
     
    #8 youradhere, Nov 2, 2014
  9. breadwinner

    breadwinner Initiate (0) Mar 6, 2014 California

    Didn't get an especially boozy finish from a recent glass (on tap), but I will say that, surprisingly, I preferred 2013 fresh vs aged. Fresh was almost trascendent, the barrel perfectly complementary to a rich mouthfeel, chocolate, and smoke. The aged had a little more char, almost a coffee sort of note, and lacked a bit of the richness I found fresh. Still a really good brew, but man that fresh beer set the bar high.
     
    #9 breadwinner, Nov 3, 2014
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