2007 Deschutes The Abyss

The Abyss 2007
Deschutes Brewery
Bend, OR
11.00% ABV
Style: Imperial Stout


C. To Dark to Tell
H. Black
N. Roasty Malt, Sugar and Mollasis

The Ferm: Well do your remember my review of the 2009 vintage of this beer? Yep come to find out that year was infected, hence the bit of funk that was recieved on the nose of the beer. So when I was given the opportunity to crack one of these sexy aged beers at a friends house two weeks ago I jumped at the offer.
How would 2007 fair versus a 2009 slightly infected bottle? Well just to refresh your memory here is the review of the 2009 bottle, The Abyss 2009.
The 2007 was noticeably different from the 2009. First the nose was very sweet and mellow. The taste was filled with sugary sweet molasses and tons of dark chocolate. You can tell this beer ages fantastically. Was it better than the fresh version back in 2009? HELLS YEAH! Overall this was a pretty fantastic stout, that matured well with age.
Score: 4.45

Jubel 2010

Jubel 2010
Deschutes Brewery
Bend, Oregon
10.00% ABV
Style: American Strong Ale

C: Cloudy
H: Light Brown, almost like a watered down Rootbeer
N: Dark Fruits (Plumbs/Cherries), Candy Sugar, Pinot/Oak Odors

The Ferm: You have to love a beer that reads "Best AFTER", that's right not before. AFTER! That means the beer was release a bit pre-mature in my opinion, but hey who cares. Well lucky for me this beer was opened after the date on the bottle so it was "ready" to drink.
And Ready to drink it was! This beer was almost unlike anything else I have ever had. The thick/sticky mouth feel was a pleasant surprise as the sugars took front and center on the taste. Hints of the dark fruits came across, and everything was followed by a hint of barrel/oak funk. The Funk didn't overpower but simply complemented the super sugary flavor of this beer.
Very Nice Surprise!

Score: 4.2156

The Dissident

The Dissident
Deschutes Brewery
Bend, Oregon
10.50% ABV
Style: Flanders

C: Clear
H: Amber
N: Sour Cherries, Hint of Funk (Bret), and Hint of Booze

EvilTwin: Finding this beer was a complete accident. I got lost while driving in California and walked into a wine store just to see what they had. Looked into the cooler and this baby was staring back at me. What a great find!

It's got a nice pretty color to it, amber with a touch of red hue. There isn't really a lot of foam/head to speak of and the carbonation seems a little low. The flavor/aroma on the other hand is fantastic. The aroma has a slight cherry presence with a nice sour funk to it. Flavor isn't super heavy or over the top but holds just enough sour/tartness/fruit qualities to keep my lips glued to the glass. A fantastic beer.

Grade 4.567

The Ferm: First of all big thanks to EvilTwin for bringing this sexy wax topped bottle back from Cali to share with me.

BEST AFTER 11/01/2011.......AFTER? REALLY? Yep....I never followed directions well. Tough.

Beer was an amazing experience that was subtle sour cherries hints of other berries, and then some funk. A very light beer that reminded me almost of Sour Apple Juice. Good...DAMN STRAIGHT IT WAS! I would buy a few bottles to maybe drink after the date suggested on the bottle. Sadly, we don't get this beer in Florida and it is a pretty hard bottle to come by otherwise. Regardless this was a class act beer! Great entry level sour.

Score: 4.7912