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Deschutes Black Butte XXI

Deschutes Black Butte XXI - Imperial/Strong Porter

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 Percentile 
99
overall
Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter

Bend, Oregon USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Regional Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in 
3944/5.03.98/5.0Special11%92.9Snifter
View Statistics  P 

Commercial Description:
XX - 20th Anniversary, released 2008
XXI - 21st Anniversary, released 2009

This masterpiece is a tribute to Black Butte Porter, the revolutionary Deschutes Brewery beer that has excited beer enthusiasts since 1988. This special Reserve Series release is a colossal version of Black Butte Porter. Our brewers enhanced Black Butte XXI by adding some Theo’s Chocolate cocoa nibs from Seattle, dry-hopping it with 100 pounds of Bellatazza’s locally roasted coffee, and then aging a portion of it in Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey barrels. These regional partners provided quality artisan ingredients that give this commemorative beer a truly handcrafted complexity.
Released as Black Butte XX in 2008 to celebrate our 20th Anniversary.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 FlssmrBrewAlum (1053), Lisle, Illinois, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Nov 5, 2009  
22 oz bottle courtesy of I do not remember. XX edition, cellared. Pours a pitch black opaque pour, black as the night, with a moderate brown lively head that settled to a decent layer, laces pretty well. Aromas evident from the pour, preaching bitter chocolate bourbon booze, roasted malts, caramel, vanilla, wet wood, chocolate chip cookies, good coffee flavors that take a more settled, rather than harsh coffee appeal. Whiskey isn’t dominant but is defintely there. Initial is a silky smooth full beer, roasted dark malts, barley, bitter chocolate and coffee meld, with a good bitterness on the back of the palate and lighter underlying sweetness. Chocolate and coffee dominant, as whiskey and barrel notes come in underneath, smooth and full vanilla, wet wood, alcohol. Warming, this beer coats the palate pretty well, leaving chocolate and coffee in the aftertaste, along with a sort of chocolate chip cookie appeal, although not overly sweet in any way. Perhaps the whiskey did it’s thing, as this gets a little smokey/ashy in the roast, a bit of char, however not really thinned out at all by the barrels. Kissed, so to speak. Very enjoyable, full, flavorful, a nice sipper. Cheers!


 arminjewell (100), Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/58/105/518/20
Nov 5, 2009  
Poured obsidian black with almost no head, tasted of delicious chocolate with coffee after tones, and almost no alcohol. The bourbon aging smoothed it out quite a bit, an outstanding beer!


waltersrj (14), Washington, USA
4.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/105/59/105/518/20
Nov 2, 2009  
Poured a dark brown, almost black with a small tan head. Nose was chocolate, vanilla, and strong coffee with a hint of bourbon. Taste was roasted coffee, chocoalte, oak, vanilla, and a bit of a burnt, smoky taste. The coffee lingers on the palette in a thick, foamy fashion. Great beer Deschutes!


 NobleSquirrel (1094), Chicago, Illinois, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/103/59/104/518/20
Oct 27, 2009  
XX Bottle from ditmier, also have the XXI in my cellar. Pours pretty near black with a tan head that disappears. Nose is chocolate, vanilla, Count Chocula, barrel notes and soft coffee. On taste it is pretty badass. A bit fizzy, somewhat fruity, but thick. Burly with big burnt notes, roasted coffee and supporting chocolate. As mcuh as Gonzo is an Imperial Porter, this one is more imperialer. Awesome beer.


ruffhauser (27), Seattle, Washington, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/58/104/516/20
Oct 27, 2009  
On tap during PorterPalooza at Collins Pub. Very strong coffee and malt finish.


 petematte46 (212), Dallas, Texas, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/58/104/517/20
Oct 27, 2009  
Wonderful porter aroma with a blend of coffee and bourbon in the aroma. Flavor is absolutely heavenly. Wonderful bourbon wood tones which intertwine with the coffee. Nice warming on the palllate with bourbon aftertaste. Very good BA


 markwise (1132), 15 Minutes from Kuhnhenn in, Florida, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/517/20
Oct 26, 2009  
Thanks to the Tampa Crew for this one. Pours dark brown with a tan head. Nose is roast, dark chocolate, bitterness, bourbon/ whiskey, heat, coffee, and love. Flavor is similar with dark chocolate, cocoa, earth, and some coffee. Portery with chocolate, mellow bourbon, lots of goodness. For a beer that has a "do not open before date," I expected it to be hotter.


 dmac (1414), Toms River, New Jersey, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/515/20
Oct 24, 2009  
Bottle shared at Moosetoberfest. Poured a deep dark blackish/brown with an average sized foamy beige head. Aroma of chocolate, freeze dried coffee, very roasty, burnt toast, dark fruit and nutts. Flavor is dark and roasty with notes of syrup, bitter sweet dark bakers chocolate, tat, nicotiine and soy sauce. Medium to full bodied with that is syrupy and average carbonation. This one was really well done.



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