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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?  
 nightrider (370), encinitas, California, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/517/20
Aug 4, 2009  
Dark brown black in color. Enticing smells of bourbon and smokiness. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and not too thick. Good flavors of coffee, molasses, roasted malt, and cocoa. A bit of alcohol heat. Pretty tasty overall and easy to drink.


 DigitalMan (113), Idaho, USA
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/56/103/511/20
Aug 3, 2009  
Very dark, no head. Alcohol-heavy aroma. Standard coffee/chocolate flavor. I guess I’m sensitive to coffee flavors, because it seems like I can’t taste much of anything else. (Not a coffee drinker. My wife keeps getting these stouts/porters, and I keep trying them, but they mostly taste basically the same to me... with some exceptions.)


 beerchugger (285), Colorado, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Aug 3, 2009  
Pours deep opaque black with a tan head with remains throughout and leaves nice lacing behind. Strong aromas of chocolate and rich coffee are present in the nose. Flavors of bitter coffee really come out in this offereing. Other flavors of sweet malts sweet milk chocolate, some vanilla and earth are noticeable. The finish is a bit warming with hints of bourbon as well. pretty nice beer.


 popery (133), San Francisco, California, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/59/104/518/20
Aug 3, 2009  
Bottle. Poured into a small DT tulip. This is my third in the Deschutes Reserve Series, and they’re all elegant, restrained masterpieces that need a bit of time in the cellar. That’s ok, though. I prefer a beer that will mature. Right now, it’s all chocolate (dark and milk), roast and coffee. The oak and bourbon are mild and inviting. The normal Black Butte is still alive and present. A wonderful beer.


 presario (2953), Calgary, Alberta, Canada
3.8 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/104/516/20
Aug 1, 2009  
Bottle. Black with a thin brown head. Dark milk chocolate aroma, and I’m picking up ash again. Extreme coffee chocolate beer. Very tasty. Bourbon is noticeable in the finish and aftertaste.


 michael-pollack (2603), King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Jul 28, 2009  
22oz. Bottle: Complex aroma of burnt malts, cocoa, slight coffee, chocolate, slight vanilla, slight bourbon, light wood, and tobacco. Poured very dark brown in color with a small, light brown head that diminished but lasted throughout as a film on top of the beer. Clear. Not sparkling. Flavor is medium to heavily sweet. Tastes of roasted malts, slight vanilla, chocolate, light coffee, light bourbon, light wood, light caramel, slight tobacco, and a hint of piney hops. Medium to full body. Viscous, dry texture. Soft to average carbonation. Dark roasted malt, chocolate, light coffee, slight bourbon, slight vanilla finish is dry. 11%ABV is totally hidden.


 neepsntatties (283), Portland, Oregon, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/517/20
Jul 28, 2009  
Had this on tap at the Deschutes Public House in Portland’s Pearl Dist. Colour... black to dark brown from top to bottom and no head whatsoever. Nose... dark brewed coffee, a smidge of dark chocolate and a little booze. Palate... frothy C02 (interesting, given the lack of head on the pour!), a smack of coffee, like plunging my nose into this morning’s used coffee grounds and taking a BIG snort! Next up, high cocoa mass bittersweet chocolate, nice hop bite on the soft palate and then lingering, "fumes" of coffee and booze.



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