Deschutes Black Butte XXI

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

pours a jet black with a small brown head, good lacing. smell of cocoa, touch of coffee, licorice, touch of vanilla. taste is sweet up front (didn’t see that coming), bold, licorice, bitter-sweet chocolate, touch of coffee, somewhat smokey.

At Vero. Deep black, with light tan head. Brilliant, jewel-like aromas with loads of coffee bean. Lovely palate. Rich roasted coffee with loads of complexity. Spices, star anise, vanilla.

a big, bad wax sealed 22 oz bottle. aroma is rich, of chocolate and roasted malts. flavor is definitely not weak. big flavors of dried cherries, chocolate, vanilla bean, and pepper. alcohol is not very well hidden in this brew, and definitely leaves a burn on your tongue.

Sampled at Seattle IBF - "Mystery Beer." Poured a heavy dark brown with a smallish head. Roasty sweet - coffee and molasses on the nose. Like a slightly more drinkable version of The Abyss. This one had all the flavors right, but wasn’t so thick and chewy. Full-bodied, hides the 11% extremely well. One of the highlights of the festival for me - really, really good.

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!

Pours dark black with brown head. Aromas of burnt malts, coffee and chocolate. Roasted malt flavor with oak, bourbon, bittersweet chocolate. There is a slight sweetness and some hop bitterness coming through. Full body with minimal carbonation and a slightly dry, earthy finish.

Draught at the Freakin’ Frog, Las Vegas
Black color, with generous brown creamy head. Strange brew, with flavors of coffee, medicines, liquorice, but all together rather interesting. The body is quite strong and with some sweetness; the final quite balanced and without the ashtray feeling of many Imperial Stouts. Pleasant.

Bottle thanks to Flacoalto. Pours a deep amber brown with a small tan head. Aroma is medium sweet, smoky, roast, cocoa, malt and a weird musty basement smell. Flavor is smoky, alcohol, cocoa and light fruit. Finishes silky smooth with just a touch of alcohol. Medium-full body, smooth texture.