Descutes Brewery’s The Abyss was recently ranked as Zymurgy Magazine’s 20th best beer in America. Apply named for its dark as night color and deep flavor profile, this seasonal brew was just released last month. The Imperial Stout that weights in at 11% ABV and 65 IBUs packs a punch of flavor.
A beer as big in flavor and booze as the Abyss is one that is fit to age in the cellar allowing nuances in flavor to develop. The question is who has the discipline to cellar such a good beer? The answer is City Beer Store in San Francisco’s SOMA district. To commemorate the release of the 2011 Abyss, the beer shop held a tasting of the 2008-2011 iterations of this beer. Of course we were there to take it all in and took some tasting notes.
2008
Deep dark chocolate notes are the first thing noticed. Molasses and mellow roasted malt flavors are also present. Alcohol is subtle for a beer boasting 11% ABV. Hands down the favorite of the flight. Looking forward to opening our 2011 bottles in a few years.
2009
Served at a slightly warmer temperature than the other three. Noticeable sour notes and hints of cherry. Slightly medicinal. Stronger bitter punch from the dark malts. Word on the street is some uninvited guests made their way into this brew imparting some off flavors. Still a good beer, but ranked last among its counterparts.
2010
More bite than the 2008 as would be expected from a beer two years its younger. Burnt toast flavors leave a lingering but pleasant bitterness on the sides of the tongue. Sweeter in both aroma and taste than the other three with molasses and brown sugar notes. Very well balanced. Number two beer in the flight.
2011
Raw cacao, strong coffee, and big roasted malt flavors dominate the 2011. A hint of hops managed to peek though in the form of pine. Definitely tastes younger and fresher than its predecessors. A couple bottles have been hidden at Hapa’s HQ for consumption at a later date.
From left to right: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
