Quick notes: Deschutes’ The Abyss and Double Black

On Saturday we had lunch at Deschutes Brewery and I had to post some notes about a couple of great beers.

First, The Abyss, of course. Now I haven’t opened the bottle the Brewery sent me to review yet, but I couldn’t stop at the brewpub and not order this up. It’s still a little hot—the alcohol heat could stand some aging—but man, this is a good beer. Rich, full of roasted malts, black as night, with a rounded, blended body that speaks of good things to come. Served up in a snifter, a half-pint only at 11% alcohol.

The other beer I tried was the X-Tap Double Black, which was an Imperial version of their Black Butte Porter, aged in barrels (Deschutes is hitting this barrel-aging hard). Fantastic beer, creamy, full of dark-roast espresso and black licorice notes. I hope this is what their Reserve Series Imperial Porter will be… I might be buying a case of this also. At 10.5% alcohol, it was also served up in a snifter, a half-pint’s worth.

Both beers complemented my BBQ roast beef sandwich very well, by the way. Their specials menu recommended pairing with Black Butte Porter; something about barbecued meat and dark beers just really works.

One comment

  1. A version of Double Black will be the next Reserve Series beer coming out around the brewery’s 20th anniversary in June. It will be brewed with chocolate nibs, Bellatazza coffee and aged in bourbon oak barrels. The Dissident should be ready to be released sometime after Double Black.

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