Deschutes Black Butte XXI

Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Bend, Oregon USA

Bottle from Sparky27, thanks Eric. Pours black with an off-white head. The aroma initially is not that pleasant, with a lot of spent coffee grounds, green bell pepper, and a decent amount of roasted malt. As this warms however, the aroma changes to scents of cherry, dark chocolate, berry skin, vanilla, wood, and oatmeal raisin cookies, which is a complete 180 from the initial aroma. The taste does not change, but it is good from the start, with flavors of wood, bourbon, considerable chocolate, dark roasted coffee, and roasted malt. The barrel character becomes more pronounced with warming, as flavors of vanilla and coconut are added. The 11 percent alcohol never appears. The finish is just awesome, with this lingering perfect finish of roasted malt, and there is never that offensive sourness or bitterness that can occur with some porters and stouts. This is pretty good.

22 oz bottle - opaque black color with smallish light brown head that dissipates fairly quickly but leaves a bit of lacing. Aroma is fairly sweet, with loads of caramel, touch of ash and roasted barley, hints of apple, tart cherries, faint notes of bourbon, anise, and vanilla bean. Flavor has chewy malts, fair amount of caramel and toasted malts, ash, touch of lightly toasted oak. Finish has a fairly firm bitterness but with a balancing sweetness. Overall this is pretty darn good - not quite as heavy as the typical imperial stout, but still packs quite a punch. The alcohol is very well hidden, and the flavors make for a very interesting brew.

Bonus bottle from WeeHeavySD...thanks!! Pour is black with a tiny beige head. Aroma is coco, chocolate, caramel and slight boozy. Flavor is nice roasty malts and bitter chocolate. Very nice and creamy. Medium bodied. Very good brewski.

bomber thanks to bleeng. Shared at September Houston tasting. Pours black with a tan head. Nose if of smoke and ash. Taste is of ash and malt. Mouthfeel is medium and dry. Reminds me of Abyss.

bottle from kegbear, what a perfect beer to celebrate me 21st birthday. Aroma is chocolate almost fruity tasting. The bourbon comes through in the taste and is just incredible. So tasty. The alcohol is also evident but in a good way. Would buy again in a heartbeat

Pours an opaque black with a medium tan head. Aroma is much brown sugar, roasted malt, cinnamon, some hops too. Flavor is packed full of malts, then comes coffee, a little smokiness, and the bourbon barrels are apparent as well. A sweet bourbon finish. Thick, rich mouthfeel. I like it. A little overpriced, but damn good. Overall, excellent.

[Bottle] Shared by Skyview. Aroma is bittersweet chocolate, coffee, and a touch of bourbon. Not an overpowering bourbon flavor. Nice and dry with a roasty coffee finish.

XXI - BA 10-17-10. Pours an opaque black with an average, pillowy, dark beige head which is mostly diminishing but does leave a small, frothy layer throughout and some nice lace. Nose is nice but still young; plenty of roasty/smoky/charred oak notes, earthy/smoky coffee, wisps of bourbon-like alcohol, lots of dark chocolate, light molasses, and some vanilla in there too. The flavor is much of the same with the complexity lacking but balance and richness are phenomenal; plenty of dark chocolate in this one (dark, rich, decadent), molasses, smoky French Roast coffee but minimal acidity, some charred oak, earthy and almost herbal hops on the back end, and more smoke leading into the finish. The chocolate richness is amazing and there is a nice balance between chocolate, coffee, oak, smoke, and bitterness. Palate is still young but surprisingly not hot; medium body, drying notes, silky feel, somewhat round, and soft to lively carbonation. Finishes a little short with smoke still present, some earthy/herbal hops, dry oak, and mocha coffee notes lingering. I am torn with this beer; I love all the balance and the chocolate richness but it is not very complex yet and the body is so thin for an anniversary, 11% ABV. I still have one in the cellar and I may wait a couple of years before I cut the wax. If it were a cheaper beer, I would drink this every weekend with the drinkability, but as is, I do not find it as an anniversary beer I will remember. I am looking forward to an aged version of this one, like the bottle suggests, and will continue to update this rating as the beer progresses past the BA date. In the meantime...