Descheutes Brewery's Jubelale Winter Ale

This is another one I had out of the bottle.

Nice slightly peppery zip in addition to a fair amount of bitterness in the smell. The way a warmer should be. It has a bit of an alcohol smell, but it's minor.

Tastes about the same. Not as much alcohol, but it's still there. Right on type for a warmer, but nothing terribly spectacular.

Descheutes Brewery's The Abyss 2010 Reserve

Alright--brewer's licorice (is there such a thing?), black strap molasses, cherry bark and vanilla beans aged in oak barrels has all the hallmarks of trying too hard. But I've liked everything this brewery has ever done, so I'm keeping an open mind.

Pours an inky brownish black with a solid dark tan head. Smells deep and grainy, with oak.

Good body, although I expected bigger. Maybe it's all the hype. Very good beer though. The oak is there, but I like that only a third of it is aged in oak because it keeps it in check. The licorice is there, and the molasses in the aftertaste. 11% ABV? Not a hint of that. Very well hidden, which is something a lot more beers need to do. Says best after 11/15/11, so I'll have to go get some more and hold it for a while.