two Abyss verts in two weeks!

Lucky me! I got to try a vert of '08-'12 Abyss on draft at the Portland pub on release day, and last night my buddy opened up a vert of '07-12 bottles. Holy hell was that a treat! I often take notes, but for both of these verts, I decided to enjoy the experience rather than try to record it for posterity, so the following is from memory:

On tap:

'08: Definitely past its prime. Flat (not inherently a problem for me, especially with a big stout), oxidized (a little is fine by my palate, but this was unpleasant), thin (big problem), and surprisingly bland. Too bad-I was looking forward to this

'09: Very nice. Nothing really stands out here, but it all balances well and is fairly pleasant. Second only to...

'10: Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! Roast, bitter chocolate, molasses, and just plain wonderful. I've had a few verts since '10 and every year, even when this one was fresh, it always stole the show. It seems like it's at its peak right now with all of the flavors hanging in perfect balance. This makes me want to crack open my last couple of bottles this Winter.

'11. Better than the '08, but otherwise the bummer of the bunch. I wasn't as disappointed with it as a lot of folks were, and I think it'll be even better with another year on it, but it's got a bit of a metallic taste and a touch too much heat.

'12: Like a young '11, but the hoppier nature of this beast works well.

Bottles:

'07: Words cannot describe how truly wonderful this beer is. Chocolate, roast, slight coffee, and anise are all present. Still has some carbonation, but not much (works well for the beer). I kept coming back to this one throughout the night-absolutely the best Abyss I've ever had and one of the best beers I've ever had

'08: Much, much better than on tap. I think I'd have a better opinion of this beer if I didn't sample it directly after the '07. A bit fruity in comparison, and the flavors seemed a bit muddled, but still very nice.

'09: My first infected Abyss. I saved this one until the end, so as to keep my palate untainted, so I was a little tipsy by the time I tried this one. It was actually pretty good in its own odd way. The dryness and slight cherry flavors of the infection melded surprisingly well with the beer. I don't think I'll be seeking out any more bottles of '09, but it certainly wasn't a drainpour.

'10: Less impressive this time around than every other time I've had this one. Again, it's probably just suffering from being compared to the '07. Still a great beer that stands out as one of the better vintages.

'11: Yikes, definitely the loser here. I didn't think it was so bad on tap (relatively speaking-I mean, it's still Abyss and still a wonderful beer), but the metallic flavors and the heat are more pronounced in the bottle.

'12: Brash. Young. Delicious. This is actually on par with the '10 for me tonight. Like the tap version, the increased hoppiness and heat from it being so young work in its favour. I'll definitely be putting a few of these in the cellar to see how they fare in a couple of years.

Sorry for the vagueness on some of these-as I said, I didn't take notes, and a flight of Abyss will take its toll on someone with as weak a constitution as mine. All in all, both verts were wonderful experiences and I feel quite fortunate to have had the opportunity to partake in them.