As far as I can ascertain this is just The Abyss in sherry barrels - or at least that's what's advertised. Should be right up my alley. Let's see. Capped and black waxed as usual, but the bottled on date is not decipherable. "2019 Reserve" adorns the label. Pour is as expected, resplendent. Jet black, impenetrable body, magnificent mocha head. Nothing better in the genre. Not much evidence of any sherry in the nose, it may be a little cold. Let's allow this to open up. As that happens the...
Notes on beers brewed by
Deschutes Brewery
The Dissident (2019 Reserve)
2019 Reserve. Bottled 7/17/2019. Don't know if I remembering correctly but I thought this used to come in 750 mL bottles. Anyway ... 500 mL, deep, antique red colored wax. Capped. Bright looking orange brown pour which creates a decent, if light head with an aggressive pour. Some film remains, with a little lacing. As good, if not better than expected given the style. Plenty of oaky, musty acidity in the nose. Puckering, tight acid hits early, but paradoxically backs off but then lingers and...
Jubel 2010
22 oz, black waxed affair (as Abyss). Pour is a superb looking, garnet color with some tremendous clarity. Head is small, leaves little lace but is a pleasing tea hue. Attractive. Nose has a rich, sugary, molasses light liquor note that is replicated in the taste t a n extent, but the beer feels a little thinner than the nose suggests. The tastes offer a touch more alcohol than the nose, plus some mild hop character. This beer reminds me a lot of Fuller's Vintage Ale, except it seems to have a...
Mirror Mirror
Thanks go out to Lance for securing this bottle for me. Took me an age to get hold of it, but eventually it got here. 22 oz bottle with the black wax. Shared this one with Wes at Cypress, Atlanta, GA, USA. Pour is a simple, reddish hue with good clarity and a surprisingly healthy, frothy and large bubbled head. Nose gives light brown sugar and some alcohol. This is a VERY smooth, restrained and rounded version of the style. Usually I'm not a huge fan of the hop-based American versions of BW's,...
Buzzsaw Brown
12 oz bottle. Pour is a standard color of deep amber, but lacks much head or retention. In that respect a touch disappointing. Nose is also quite mute, with some malts coming through but overall the beer seems rather low-key. A mouthfeel which is below average for me. It feels on the thin side and definitely lacks much presence or lively carbonation. Feels a bit flat. Tastes have the standard malt backbone and some degree of light nuttiness but again it seems to lack punch. For me this is an...
Black Butte Porter
Notes added 09/05/21. 12 oz bottle from a six pack, bottles 04/01/2021. This particular pour is better than my notes for 12 years ago below. Lacing is good and head holds up nicely. Unmistakably still the same beer as it was in 2009. Still a little different to the English version of the style, but still a restrained version of the American take. Drinkability is the same, and a really nice beer to point people toward. 12 oz bottle. Best before 06/11/09. Pour is a slightly ruddy, black pour...
Jubelale
12 oz single from a recent trade. 2008 vintage. I've been waiting on this beer for sometime. Delighted to get the chance to drink it. The pour is just the way I like it; it has that noisy, richness with a dark, caramel color. The head is high, rich, dense and produces some lovely ice-cream like lace. The nose and tastes have light alcohol and some delicate touches of spice. After the caramel notes subside, there is a mild hop bitterness that comes across the tongue. Nothing too spectacular,...
Black Butte XX
22 oz bottle, thanks go out to unclejedi for this as part of Good, Bad and Ugly BIF. Poured into the Ommegang chalice this appears just about jet black. Even relatively strong light fails to reveal much in the way of red or brown highlights. Head settles to give a thin film of mocha on the surface and in the ring around the edge. Nose is a mild espresso that is not overwhelming. Gentle but strong coffee beans. The mild coffee persists in the tastes but this is accompanied by a very warm...
The Abyss
=== 2009 Vintage 06/10 - NO SCORES WERE CHANGED AS A RESULT OF THIS REVIEW/THESE NOTES. SCORES BASED ON ORIGINAL REVIEW === Opened as a result of the BA thread suggesting possible infections in the 2009 bottles and sent the following summary to Gary at Deschutes. No gusher, so I had high hopes. The nose was slightly off, but nothing that stopped me from pouring the beer and drinking some. There WAS definitely an increased level of acidity and a slightly lacto note, BUT I would not have called...
Obsidian Stout
Best Before 4/21/05, drunk in November of '05, so six months or so late, but I doubt that it matters a great deal. Jet black body, some nice spotty lacing and a tiny bit a lacing. The body is very attractive, super-inky! Mild, burned smokiness in the aroma, not strong but still observeable. Drinks much like a Porter, with a little bit of the typical stout bitterness in the short finish. Some dry cocoa in the taste.
Mirror Pond Pale Ale
Very nice APA with good flavorful character and aroma's, and a refreshing edge to it. Nice looking, deep orange pour with significant head and lacing. A lot of chill haze. Hoppy bitterness is upfront in the nose and the taste and lingers sufficiently to give satisfaction. Bitterness is complimented well with the sweetness of the malt, and makes for a well rounded, great stand-by beer. The kind of thing you could quite happily have lots of in the fridge. Very drinkable and solid example of the...