The Abyss

The Abyss

Deschutes Brewery

Bend, Oregon

Vintage: 2011

Imperial Stout

IBU's: 65

Alcohol: 11%

There are a few beers that are hyped more than others within the craft beer community including several stouts from Founders Brewing Company, the Dark Lord from Three Floyds, Russian River's Pliny the Younger and Elder, and this bad boy The ABYSS.

The Abyss is an Imperial Stout from Deschutes Brewery out of Bend, Oregon.  Now, they make a hell of a lot of great beer (ie. Inversion IPA, Obsidian Stout, Jubelale, and several of their other yearly releases), but this one takes the cake as their crowning achievement.  And well, I'm not going to beat around the bush, it simply beats the hell out of most other brews out there.  

The Abyss is a massive 11% ABV and a decent 65 IBU's.  It is brewed with black strap molasses and licorice.  Vanilla and cherry bark are added partway through the process to help flavor the beer.  6% of this beer is aged in oak ex-bourbon barrels, 11% is aged in plain oak barrels, and another 11% is aged in an undisclosed varietal of ex-wine oak barrels before being blended together with the remaining 72% and bottled.  The result is an incredibly complex, amazingly balanced beer.  

It pours as black as the Devil's soul with a thick, light brown head.  It smells of dark roasted, toasted malts and sweet vanilla.  You take a sip and get smacked in the mouth with a creamy mouthful of bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, anise, dark roasted coffee, strong oak which reminds me of an aged Old Vine Zinfandel, dark sweet fruit in the mid-palette, and tobacco and a moderate bitterness (hops and licorice?) in the finish.  After each sip there is a lingering toasty, oaky, almost grilled flavor.  The 11% alcohol is completely hidden somewhere within this dark beast of a beer.  Somehow this beer stays balanced amidst all of the strong flavors, while still being creamy, smooth, and lusciously dark.  

Don't drink this brew ice-cold, let it warm up a bit to really let the deep, complex flavors shine.  I wouldn't recommend this beer with food, as it would be a shame to have food cover up the wonderful flavors, although I could see having a dark, big ring cigar as suiting this bad boy quite well if the mood is right...

Drink This: if you want one of the best dark beers in production today.  There's a reason why The Abyss is hyped like it is... because it's great.

Don't Drink This: if you don't like awesome, incredibly rich and dark brews.  This is easily one of the best Imperial Stouts I've ever had.                         

 

Lagunitas Imperial Stout

 

Lagunitas Imperial Stout

IBU's: 72.45

Alcohol: 9.9%

Like I said when I reviewed Lagunitas Brewing's Hop Stoopid Ale, not all of Lagunitas regular beers are anything special.  They make several average brews (at least as far as craft beer is concerned), but fortunately they have a couple stand-out gems.  Hop Stoopid Ale is one, as is this one, the Imperial Stout.

Now, I've said it before and I will say it again here, I love Imperial Stouts.  Granted, since I've been on a quest to try as many as I can, I have had a couple not so great ones (many of which I still need to write up a formal review for), but for the most part, they continue to be my favorite style of beer.

So, here we have the California-based Lagunitas and their Imperial Stout.  This puppy is 9.9% alcohol and a moderate 72.45 IBU's (bitterness).  Neither the alcohol nor the bitterness rating is all that exceptional for an Imperial Stout, but hey, high numbers don't necessarily make it any better.  

The Lagunitas Imperial Stout pours pitch black with a moderately thick, tan head.  It's not as thick and creamy as something like Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout, but it's decent.  It smells of sweet, dark roasted malts, with hints of maple.  You take a sip and get notes of sweet raisins, licorice, and bittersweet chocolate.  The hops are virtually hidden here, but could just be playing into the bittersweet chocolate notes.  While the flavors here are good, they are a bit different than most Imperial Stouts in that any coffee/espresso notes are subdued, although the licorice/anise taste is unique.  Granted beers like Stone's Belgo Anise Russian Imperial Stout or Uinta's Labyrinth have anise is spades, whereas it's more subtle here.  Regardless, this is a good beer, but for an Imperial Stout it's bordering on boring to mediocre (even though it's one of Lagunitas' better brews).  Maybe I'm getting jaded and snobbish after tasting so many drinks, but sorry Lagunitas, I prefer your Hop Stoopid Ale...

Drink This: if you want a middle-of-the-road Imperial Stout.  Is it better than many beers out there? Hell yes... and I wouldn't pass this up if offered one.  But, in the realm of all Imperial Stouts, this remains mediocre.

Don't Drink This: if you want an in-your-face, hardcore Imperial Stout like one from Stone Brewing or Beer Valley's Black Flag.  Conversely, don't drink this if your drink of choice is Natural Light or something equally as vapid.   

Belgian Style Yeti Imperial Stout

 

Belgian Style Yeti

Imperial Stout

Great Divide Brewing Co.

Denver, Colorado

IBU's: 75

Alcohol: 9.5%

I know, I know, not another Imperial Stout!   But hey, I love 'em.  And most importantly, it's my blog so I do what I want!  Anyway, if you've read around this blog at all, it would be easy to realize that I like Imperial beers.  I've said it time and time again in many a beer review.  

For now, I'm looking at Great Divide Brewing Company's Belgian Style Yeti, an Imperial Stout with a respectable 9.5% alcohol.  Unfortunately I've never been able to try the standard Yeti Imperial Stout, yet here I am reviewing the Belgian version of it.  Oh well.  Maybe someone out there can send me one to review? They don't distribute in my state.  Sad, I know.  Anyway, Great Divide makes several variations on their Yeti brew including chocolate and espresso oak-aged versions.  This one is their Belgian version, which simply means it is brewed with Belgian yeast which gives it distinct fruit and spice notes.

The Belgian Style Yeti Imperial Stout pours thick, creamy, and black as tar.  It is actually so viscous that I had to pour improperly in order to get any sort of head to form.  If I poured like that with a normal beer, it would have swelled out of the glass and gone everywhere in a foamy mess.  As you can see from the pic, the head is a beige color, typical of many Imperial Stouts.  It has aromas of roasty malts, cocoa, and a distinct Belgian sweetness (raisins? plums?).  You take a sip and are greeted with velvety milk chocolate, dark malts, bittersweet cocoa, and more of the Belgian fruitiness, raisins, plums, cherries, a whole plethora of fruit, and a lingering spicy and boozy finish.  

This may be a tad sweeter than I normally like my Imperial Stouts, but it's an impressive and epic beer nonetheless.  I really enjoyed it, overall.  

I've had a Yeti sighting and I was impressed...

Drink This: if you want a thick, black, fruity Imperial Stout.  This really is a good combination of both the Imperial Stout and Belgian style brews.

Don't Drink This: if you're afraid of the Yeti...

    

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

Tadcaster, North Yorkshire,

England (UK)

Alcohol: 7%

IBU's: 35

Calories: Who Cares?

Samuel Smith's is kind of a legend in the Imperial Stout beer world.  They were one of the first breweries several decades ago to bring the Imperial Stout category back to life... and thank goodness.  As I've said before, I freaking love Imperial Stouts. 

And Imperial Porters.  

And Imperial Whites.

And Barley Wine. 

Okay, apparently I just like high-proof beers.  Granted, Imperial Stouts do tend to be my favorite of the high-proof bunch.  

Samuel Smith's is a brewery out of Tadcaster, England.  Don't confuse them with Samuel Adams, or Samuel L. Jackson, or Samuel Clemens (*brownie points if you remember his other name).  Although, I bet those last two guys would probably drink this stuff, and the first already make their own version.  Being that Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout is a staple for the genre, my hopes were set high.  So, does it deliver?

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout pours black as sin and just as good, if you know what I mean.  It has a super thick, creamy head.  For the light beer drinker, I bet this appears quite daunting.  The aromas are as expected, cocoa, espresso, dark fruity sweetness.  You take a swig and are greeted with a luscious, creamy mouthfeel with dark roasted malty goodness, maple, milk chocolate, and an earthy bit of hops in the finish.  The 7% alcohol is completely hidden beneath the creamy roastiness. 

Drink This: if you want a classic, extremely tasty Imperial Stout.  It's almost comparable to drinking a chocolate covered coffee bean, but creamier and well, liquid of course.  Samuel Smith's blows that pansy Guinness out of the water.  This is honestly one of the best, most well-balanced Imperial Stouts.  It's a classic for a reason.

Don't Drink This: if you don't like dark beers... obviously.  

Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout

 Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout

Bottle Conditioned

IBU's: 75

Alcohol: 9%

When I think of Norway, I think of Black Metal.  That's right, those headbanging, leather-clad, spike-wearing dudes with faces painted black and white, screaming hymns to the Dark Lord himself!  To me, that's Norway.  I'm sure it's a beautiful country, but it has to be awfully cold and dark there.  That's why it's only fitting that an Imperial Stout from the land of Black Metal would be ridiculously dark and devilishly warming.  And guess what? It is.

Gorgoroth probably drink Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout.

Nøgne Ø is the largest bottle-conditioned beer brewery in Norway.  The name translates as "naked island," which they claim is a reference to the, "countless stark, barren outcroppings that are visible in the rough sea off Norway's southern coast."  They actually make quite a few different beers, most of which I've heard are quite tasty.


The Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout pours black as sin, with a crazy dark brown head.  No light is getting through this nectar from the land of the dark, cold North.  It smells awesomely strong of dark chocolate, anise, some fruitiness (plums and black cherries, perhaps?), and some burnt background notes.  You take a swig and get exactly what you're expecting: dark and semi-sweet chocolate, black cherries, deeply roasted almost-burnt malts, espresso, and a mild bit of hops at the very end.

This is easily one of the darkest, heaviest, gloriously delicious brews I have had in quite some time.  And I have quite a few really great beers each week, so that's saying something.  This is not an everyday beer.  This is a brew for those cold, bleak, rainy nights when you want to stare into the darkness, while taking small sips of liquid warmth.  Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout is truly a great Imperial Stout.  But then again, I'm a fiend for Imperial Stouts.  Cheers, my friends...

Drink This: if you want a liquid slice of warming darkness.
Don't Drink This: if you are weak.  This beer is such a far departure from American Macro Light Beers that I don't even know if the universe would let them exist side-by-side in the same refrigerator. 

   

Samuel Adams Imperial Stout

 Samuel Adams Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stout

Boston Beer Co. (Sam Adams)

IBU's: 50

Alcohol: 9.2%

 Like I've said before, I love Imperial Stouts.  There's something about sipping the thick, rich, dark roasted, chocolately, coffee-esque brews that makes me a happy, happy guy.  So naturally, the fact that Samuel Adams makes an Imperial Stout means I was certain to try it.  I have already reviewed two others in Samuel Adam's Imperial Series, their Double Bock and the Imperial White.  Each of which is totally different from one another, yet all really, really flavorful and tasty.  And as I've said before, that's pretty surprising coming from such a mainstream brewery.  I'm hoping to try their Wee Heavy, a Scotch-style Imperial Ale, in the near future, but we will see if that happens.

Anyway, for now we are looking at Samuel Adams' Imperial Stout.  This is a Russian-style Imperial Stout bottled at a respectable 9.2% alcohol and having a moderate 50 IBU's.  As far as bitterness goes for more extreme beers, this is rather mild.  And once again, the alcohol in my 4-pack was 9.2% whereas the label pic shows less, at 8.6%.  What the heck, Samuel Adams.  Was my 4-pack the older or newer recipe?  Guess it really doesn't matter that much, I'm just curious. 

Samuel Adams Imperial Stout pours a deep, deep brownish black, that's almost totally opaque with a thick, dark tan head.  Not the darkest beer, I've seen, but it's up there.  It's thickness is evident as it pours and you swirl it.  This Imperial Stout smells pretty subdued, with some dark roasted malts, and a bit of chocolate and perhaps dry licorice.  Hops are tucked away.  It tastes like lightly smoked dark chocolate, dark roasted coffee, and a lingering bit of boozy alcohol.  The best part is the thick, creamy mouthfeel that really is quite wonderful and luscious... if you're into that sort of thing. 

In the world of craft brews, this is a pretty solid, classic-style Russian Imperial Stout.  It's not earth-shattering, or awe-inspiring, but it is very, very good... assuming you enjoy thick, dark, flavorful stouts.  Have I had better Imperial Stouts? Certainly.  Have I had worse?  Oh Hell yes.  Far too many.

Drink This: if you want a classic-style, good example of a Russian Imperial Stout.

Don't Drink This: if you want a hardcore, over-the-top Imperial Stout.  This is pretty standard and straight-forward for an Imperial Stout.  But even then, most pansy beer drinkers are going to think this is too strong and dark-roasted.  But hey, I think it's delicious.  They can stick with their Natural Light and Olde English 40's...  

Black Cauldron Imperial Stout

Black Cauldron

Imperial Stout

Grand Teton Brewing Co.

IBU's: 43

Alcohol: 8.0%

Grand Teton Brewing Company out of Victor, Idaho makes several delicious beers.  If you aren't familiar with Victor, Idaho, it's a small town which had a population of 840 in 2000, with there being a total of population of 1,159 for the entire Teton County in 2007.  That's Idaho for ya'.  But at least it's close to the awesome Teton Mountains.  

Anyway, Grand Teton Brewing Co. makes a seasonally-released Imperial Porter called Black Cauldron.  I am reviewing last year's version which still had foil on the top of the bottle, which I've heard they discontinued this year.  I had stocked up over the winter.  

Black Cauldron pours a murky, deep, black with a rich, brown head.  It is thick, creamy, and rather intimidating to light beer drinkers.  Black Cauldron smells like dark roasted malts, coffee, and milk chocolate.  I take a sip and taste roasted maltiness, cocoa, and some nuts and dry caramel in the finish.  The higher alcohol is completely hidden within the other flavors.  It is superbly delicious and thick, while still being rather drinkable.  It's flavors are balanced without being so strong that you have to sip it.  You can certainly takes glorious gulps of this stuff.  It is a solid, well-done Imperial Stout.  Way to go, Idaho!

Drink This: if you want a well-balanced, yummy Imperial Stout.  

Don't Drink This: if you drink light beer.  Wait, no, you should drink this if you like light beer.  This could be your universe-expanding venture into dark beer territory.  This is solid stuff.        

Black Cauldron witches... making magically delicious beer.

Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout

Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout

Stone Brewing Co.

IBU's: 52

Alcohol: 10.5%

I'm not going to lie.  I freaking love Imperial Russian Stouts.  And Stone Brewing Company out of Escondido, California makes a great one.  This, however, is a variation on their standard Imperial Russian Stout.  The Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout is their 2011 "Odd Year" Release and is brewed with anise, oak chips, and Belgian yeast, making it a welcome departure from the typical one.

It pours about as black as any beer can be and lets no light through.  It smells like dark, toasted malt, and anise.  The flavors are predominantly a black coffee base with dry, dusky anise and almost a vanilla extract aftertaste, with subtle hints of an oaky earthiness.  This is a lot like Uinta Brewing Company's Labyrinth Black Ale, except the anise in this beer blends better into the mix of flavors.  The other thing this has going for it, is the mouthfeel.  The Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Stout is much thicker and richer than Uinta's, although that one is thicker and heavier than most typical beers to begin with.  

Yummy.

Anyway, this is a damn impressive beer.  The anise blends well into the dark black coffee notes surprisingly well, and without being sweet.  Some people could find the anise to still be too strong, especially if you're not a huge black licorice fan to begin with.  For me, however, this is a great beer and a refreshing change from the standard Imperial Stout.  Would I drink this everyday? No.  But, it is a good change of pace and really quite delicious.  

Drink This: if you love dark, heavy, thick, brews and a ton of real black licorice flavor.

Don't Drink This: if you hate black licorice or if you are a weakling who drinks watery, piss beer. 

  

Labyrinth - Black Ale

Labyrinth

Black Ale

Uinta Brewing Company

IBU's: 56

Alcohol: 13.2%

Labyrinth is one crazy beer.  In a good way.

 

Labyrinth is a black ale brewed by Uinta Brewing Company out of Salt Lake City, Utah.  Labyrinth is part of Uinta Brewing Company's "Crooked Line" of beers, a set of experimental brewing that turns out some exciting beverages.  Labyrinth won a gold medal at the 2010 North American Brewers Association Awards in the Imperial Stout category. 

 

This is clearly no normal black ale.  This thing is brewed with licorice sticks and aged in oak barrels.  And boy, can you tell.  Labyrinth pours ridiculously black and opaque.  It smells like dry licorice, dark chocolate, and roasted malt.  Taste-wise is where this thing hits hard.  I have had some beers brewed with licorice, but this thing has the most licorice flavor by far!  It tastes like strong, dry licorice and straight espresso with some dark roasted malts holding up the base.  The alcohol does make itself present and seems to linger in the finish, but at 13.2% ABV what do you expect? This beer isn't for sissies.

 

This is clearly not a beer for most people.  This thing is strong, dark, and full of flavor that smacks you in the face.  It was good on its own, but surprisingly great with warm chocolate cake.  It seemed like the two were made for each other.  I have never tasted a beer that went so well with chocolate.  Seriously. 

Try This: if you want a beer that will smack your taste buds around.  This thing is not for novices to the craft and experimental beer scene.  It is extreme.  Perhaps too much for most. But if you're into dark, ridiculously flavorful, high-alcohol beers, this thing is delicious. 

Don't Try This: if you hate black licorice, if you think Guinness is "too dark," or you think Samuel Adams Boston Lager is "too flavorful."  If you normally drink Bud Light, you are a little bitch ...and this beer will kick your ass.  

 

 

Black Flag Imperial Stout

Black Flag

American Style Imperial Stout

Beer Valley Brewing Co.

IBU's: 100+

Alcohol: 11% 

Black Flag, like Old Rasputin, is one bad ass beer.  Seriously, seriously bad ass.  This is the kind of drink that I almost feel bad if I'm not listening to Pantera or sailing a Viking ship while drinking it.  It's that bad ass.

Black Flag is brewed by Beer Valley Brewing Co. out of Ontario, Oregon which started production only in 2007.  This was their first production beer, although they now have several others which I now need to try.

Black Flag Imperial Stout is brewed with 8 different malts and 4 different types of hops resulting in 100+ IBU's (bitterness) and 11% alcohol.  That's pretty damn hardcore all around.  It pours as thick and black as sin, with no signs of light shining through.  It is only lightly carbonated, but will pour a good enough head if you try.  It smells like coffee, dark chocolate, dark roasted malts, and hops.  It tastes gloriously dark and deep, with notes of dark chocolate, nuts, and a great presence of hops. The 11% alcohol blends in amazingly well considering that's strong as Hell.  

All in all, one of my new favorite beers.  As if you couldn't tell.   

Drink This: if you want an amazingly delicious, hardcore, well-made Imperial Stout.  I imagine you can take this with you while you pillage and burn villages, whether as a Viking or a Pirate.  And yes, I'm a geek.

Don't Drink This: if you are weak.  

Delicious.

 

He drinks Black Flag.

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

North Coast Brewing Co.

IBU's: 75

Alcohol: 9%

There is a reason why Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout is well-loved by those who enjoy dark beers: because it kicks ass.  Old Rasputin is made by the North Coast Brewing Company out of Fort Bragg, California. I'm sure they make other delicious beers, but who cares, Old Rasputin is all you need.

This beer is named after Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin (1869-1916), a Russian who was reported to be a mystic, prophet, and healer.  He had substantial influence over the Russian emperor of the time and was eventually murdered.  He was poisoned, then shot four times, then finally thrown into the Neva River where he drowned.  Apparently he was a tough bastard who refused to die.  That's why his pretty face adorns this bad ass beer bottle.  

Bad ass.

 

Old Rasputin pours black as black can be, with a good thickness.  It smells like dark chocolate, coffee, and toasted malts, with some distinct hops.  In other words, it smells awesome.  It tastes like a stout should: dark and roasty and thick, although it does actually have a less hoppy taste than I would imagine.  You can barely taste the presence of the higher ABV (9%), but only barely.  It is really quite well-rounded, but not in-your-face like some other Imperial Stouts I have tried.  It is almost subdued and easy-drinking for the Imperial Stout genre, if that even makes sense. 

Compared to what most people consider "dark beer," aka Guinness, this blows it out of the water.  This makes Guinness seem like Mr. Rogers, and this is a tame Russian Imperial Stout!  If you haven't tried a beer in this genre and enjoy Guinness, try this! It will alter your perceptions of what dark beer can be.  And then, maybe you can start exploring the delicious world of darker, more extreme beers, as this really is quite mild for the genre.  If on the other hand you enjoy your Bud Light, Keystone, and Natural Light run far, far away. This beer is not for you.

Drink This: if you want something darker and more aggressive than Guinness, yet not extremely over-the-top like some beers can be.  This really is a fantastic introduction to the world of Imperial Stouts.

Don't Drink This: if you are a wussy.   

Delicious.