Deschutes Black Butte XXI

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

22 oz wax dipped bottle of the 2009 release. Pours a very dark brown almost black with a small tan head. Aroma of coffee, dark roasted malt, wood and bourbon. Taste is sweet chocolate malt with some roasted malt bitterness, the flavors of the bourbon barrels come through strong in the end. Full body with a mild carbonation and a thick velvety mouth feel. This is a really nice Imp Porter, the alcohol is very well hidden and the coffee and bourbon barrel flavors really come out without being overpowering. Very nice.

Bomber from kegbear. XX vintage. Pours almost black with one finger tan head. Aroma is bourbon, vanilla, chocolate, caramel, roasted malts and light coffee. Flavor is smooth and complex with chocolate, vanilla, bourbon, wood, light coffee, caramel and light smoke. Can definitely taste the bourbon is not harsh at all. Really smooth for a BA porter. Mouthfeel was thick and creamy and really coated the glass. This was really good and I wish I had another bottle. I had this right before Noreaster and Black Butte blew it out of the water.

Pours dark opaque brown with with a light brown lasting head. There’s quit a bit of character here, while still keeping itself pretty approachable. the chocolate, coffee, and bourbon barrel are all there and all share the stage well. Medium but rich body with a bit of pleasant sweetness in the finish. After having all of these nice things to say, I’d still rather have the Williamsburg porter.

(bottle - 22 oz) Dark black pour with a thin tan head. Aroma is incredibly roasted with a lot of coffee flavor and a strong bourbon note underneath the roast and chocolate. Flavor is very roasted with a ton of coffee and chocolate flavors. The bourbon comes through near the end and adds a nice sweetness to it. Incredibly deep and rich. I would say borders on an imperial stout. Really good.

This beer is amazing and complex! It has huge essence of beer. In fact, it’s like a super porter. It is the embodiment of porter. Every sip, every sniff; porter. This beer defines the style, in regards to grains and hop selection. Everthing about it is just right. Except that I drank it already...

Pours a two finger chocolate head. Body is pitch black in color. Head retention and lacing are above average but the head didnt last long. Aroma is of chocolate ice cream, similar to Southern Tier Choklat. Very faint alcohol and coffee. A little soy sauce too. Hops are very faint also First taste is of burnt malt and some bitter hops. There is also sweet chocolate and coffee. For 11% abv, the alcohol is definitely present in this beer. Mouth feel has a syrup like consistency. Carbonation livens it up nicely. Wish the head was still present to add to the body, only thing missing from creating a great mouth feel Overall it was good. Wasnt too hard to finish a bomber, even though its a strong beer. Think I opened this bottle too early as the best by date indicates. Beer was a bit hot still and I didnt get a lot of coffee flavor in there. Would buy one again if I could find it in another six months but I doubt it would be available anywhere.

Pours from big bottle inky black with a medium-sized brown head. Aroma is charcoal, soot, dark roast grains and burnt caramel. Flavor comes in with lots of smoke and ash mixed with heavy chocolate and coffee notes followed with something like cherry and vanilla as it warms. All in all the flavor is mostly smokey and jumbled making the more subtle flavors harder to distinguish. The palate starts sweet with thick malt and a big alcohol warmth. Overall, one I’d want to buy again and drink in a few years hoping the smokier tone would mellow and the other flavors could shine through.

Dark, murky, and even a little smokey. Rich, clings to the tongue. Very slight butteriness in the finish.