Deschutes Black Butte XXI

Rating 100, poured from 22 oz., courtesy of SamGamgee. Dark brown/black with large tan head that dissipated quickly. Nose of chocolate with slight hint of coffee and a bit of vanilla. Taste was sweet, with the alcohol present along with the chocolate and coffee; seemed a little spicy also. Good, but not great.

Bottle. Pours inky black with a medium tan head that laces respectably. If it wasn’t labeled an imperial porter this could be mistaken for a stout, imperial or otherwise; this is a huge beer. Bourbon is a big factor in this beer, but it’s kept in balance and doesn’t dominate. Mocha/chocolate, roast, licorice, malt, very rich but not boozy. I can only say that this strikes me as how Beer Geek Breakfast would taste were it aged 20% in bourbon barrels and that is high praise indeed. Lovely stuff!

Deep opaque black with a small tan head and good lacing. Strong roasted coffee and chocoalte aromas with a clear alcohol presence and plenty of bourbon. Taste is very much the same, with the bourbon coming on a bit stronger. Bitter dark chocolate, french roasted coffee, berries, hops, and cocoa powder meld for a powerful flavor profile. Medium to full body, low carbonation, slight lingering hops, but the coffee and chocolates dominate the aftertaste. This is great.

22oz bottle, XXI. I really hope that this one smooths out with a little age. Super dark brown with a beige head. The aroma has a green vegetal coffee note with some sticky caramelized sugars and some darker roasted grain. There is is some light wood and chocolate as well, but the coffee seems to be dominating that aroma in a less than stellar fashion. Bitter coffee, alcohol, and sticky-sweet malt in the flavor. Reasonably well balanced between the three, but a bit messy. The body is sticky, yet not a rich as I was hoping for how big this is. It seems like I am picking out a lot of fault in this, but it is still a pleasant drink, though nothing amazing. I’m definitely letting my other bottle age at least a year to hopefully clear up that vegetal coffee and alcohol.

22 oz. Picked up at John’s Marketplace in Portland. Nice black beer; dark black with a head that fades away slowly. Slight chocolate head. For a porter, this beer is amazing. Huge roast/bourbon aroma. I have never smelled a porter like this before. Very pungent beer. Slight vanilla aroma as well. Very nuanced aroma. Not my favorite beer, but for the style this thing is amazing. Huge roast flavor. This beer is bitter due to the amount of coffee it has in it. Wow, this is a bitter/roasty imperial strong porter. Palate is a bit thin for an imperial strong porter. Such a great cominbation of malt and roast. One of the best roast and malt flavors I have ever had.

Black Butte XXI bottle from Ledger’s in Berkeley. Black in color with a nice tan head. Aroma is roast, chocolate, barrel, and pepper. Flavor is roast, coffee, chocolate, earth, oak, and pepper. Medium-full and smooth on the palate. Great beer, better than standard Black Butte which is no slouch itself.

Bottle opened 8/7/09. Black pour, fluffy beige head that clings to the glass pretty well. Aroma is chocolate covered espresso beans and potting soil. Taste is a real mouthful. Lots of roast and alcohol. Some hop bitterness after about 30 seconds. A little hot right now but will no doubt age very well.

Best after 10/17/2010. 22oz bottle, 2009 Vintage. Deschutes’ 21th birthday. Porter brewed with chocolate beans and coffee added with 20% aged in bourbon barrels. Black wax. Dominican Republic cocoa beans and Ethiopian coffee.

Dark brown / black pour, light tan head. Aroma of earthy coffee beans, charred grains, cocoa, chilies, oak soaked in bourbon. Flavor is a lot of toasted malts. Nice roast. Distant coffee flavors. Nice presence of chocolate malts. Earthy flavor. Very nice cocoa, bourboned oak lingers on the palate. A very great Oregon Brew. Great!