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Deschutes Black Butte XXI 3.98 413

Deschutes Black Butte XXI

Percentile
99
overall

bottled
common

on tap
common

Regional Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreSeasonalABVStyle PctlServe in
4134/5.03.98/5.0Special11%93.1Snifter
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?  
springcreekale (11), Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA
4.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/510/103/518/20

Sep 4, 2009  
Huge fan! just dedided to order a couple cases after trying 3 of them. Great pour, aroma, flavor, balance (alcohol) and finish.

 BigBang (215), Indiana, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/103/517/20
Jan 2, 2010  
Ummmm yeah... This is.... Very good... For an 11% abv porter. Pretty much Abyss in a slightly thinner version. Strong roasted malt and slight bourbon nose. Taste is just as described on the bottle. Looking forward to trying this again in late 2010 to contrast.


 5000 (2825), Hardened Liver, Washington, USA
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/103/515/20
Jan 2, 2010  
Bottle:   heavy brown, almost black, cola hues, moderate to thin beige head, frothy, fair lacing.   Roasted malts and coffee grounds dominate.   Barrel aging is extremely minor.   Semi-sweet up front, slightly dry, chalky, powdery.   Slight astringency.   A little bitter, lactose fights the backside.   Not nearly as complex as XX.   The biting astringency and dryness detract. Body and mouthfeel are moderate.   Seems a little young, however I don’t know how age is going to treat this one well.   It will mellow out, but the sweetness that it needs...   Will it come out of this.   Could use more maltiness.   A bit of a let down considering the first version.   Decent, but I still give it a Meh...


 philbertk (171), Seattle, Washington, USA
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/105/518/20
Jan 1, 2010  
Deschutes Brewery--Black Butte XX--20th Anniversary Reserve Porter--Brewed With Chocolate Beans and Coffee Added--20% Aged In Bourbon Barrels--Wax Sealed Cap--2008 Release--22 oz. Bottle. 11.00% ABV--30 IBU’s. (4.5 / 5.0) Porter--Imperial--Thi espresso head. Clear dark red opaque dark black color. Rich chocolate coffee bourbon hop hint front. Mild sweet mild thick rich chocolate coffee espresso toasted bisquit huge Porter body. Hot spicy mild Bourbon EtOH tang smooth end. Big Smooth Porter. 8/10/2008. $9.99 Each.


 JasonG (701), Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Dec 31, 2009  
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.


 dnstone (287), Mons, Belgium
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/105/58/104/517/20
Dec 26, 2009  
Dark chocolate espresso and caralmel cake with some roastiness. Color = Black. Imperial porter sweet chocolate with a slightly smoked-jerky finish. Smoothe and transitional palate. Notes: Pints for Prostates/Denver Rare Beer Tasting at Wynkoop Brewing Co, 2009 Great American Beer Fest


 Cavie (1513), Fort Worth, Texas, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Dec 21, 2009  
Bottle courtesy of BückDich. Dark brown pour that goes red through the light. Smell is very interesting. Has a large bit of coffee grind with a solid amount of meaty smoke. Spiced with black pepper. Taste is coffee for sure but has a peppery smoke taste. Very good.


Doodler (2), Denver, Colorado, USA
does not count click to see why this rating of Deschutes Black Butte XXI does not count
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/59/104/518/20
Dec 19, 2009  
Pours Dark Black, off white latte colored head. Wonderful smell of coffee, chocolate, and caramel. Big taste - whiskey flavors pervade, along with malts, chocolate and coffee. Outstanding brew - glad to have grabbed some. Will try my next with dessert after Christmas dinner.


 savnac (455), Palmer, Alaska, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Dec 15, 2009  
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.



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