Black Butte Porter - Deschutes Brewery

cbarrett4

Oregon

3.95/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

This is a second review since the first time I reviewed this beer it was on nitro tap. This batch was tasted blindly against several other dark ales from bottle. Placed third after New Belgium 1554 Black Ale and Deschutes Obsidian Stout.

Pours with a lackluster head, decent lace, nice dark brown, coffee colored hue. Smells of dark fruit, malts, and hints of espresso. Is a little light and has an overly assertive bite that would be less noticeable with more weight.

This beer is much better served from a nitro tap. The extra texture really fleshes the beer out.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2009 09:15:38 | More by cbarrett4

timontheroad

Colorado

4/5  rDev -4.8%

05-26-2013 02:14:30 | More by timontheroad

vfalstad

Illinois

4.88/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Appearance: black, dark with a dark foam head of about a finger at pouring time

Smell: chocolatey, roasted coffee, the smell isn't too strong

Taste: mildly robust with a smoothness, roasted cacao, coffee, a twing of a bitter note towards the end as it sits on my palette, roasted taste as it lingers even more

Mouthfeel: smooth and coats the mouth with appealing flavors that linger.

Overall this hits a very high mark for porters. The smoothness of this porter prevents an assault of roasted flavor and is one of the qualities about this porter that makes it outstanding IMO.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 02:04:58 | More by vfalstad

currysmegs

Washington

5/5  rDev +19%

05-26-2013 00:53:41 | More by currysmegs

smogfood

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -4.8%

05-25-2013 21:40:08 | More by smogfood

casapy

Idaho

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

05-25-2013 18:02:02 | More by casapy

steevbr

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

05-24-2013 15:20:28 | More by steevbr

Smextongo

Indiana

5/5  rDev +19%

05-24-2013 05:47:11 | More by Smextongo

visionaries

California

4.75/5  rDev +13.1%

05-23-2013 15:15:40 | More by visionaries

Isotope

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%

05-23-2013 02:47:56 | More by Isotope

UWBadgerFan4Life

Wisconsin

3.5/5  rDev -16.7%

05-23-2013 02:09:58 | More by UWBadgerFan4Life

Jparker37

Wisconsin

3.99/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a nonic pint. Best by 7/23/13.

A - Dark brown but not opaque, good clarity. Strong pour gives me a medium sized cap of vanilla head consisting of compact tiny bubbles. Left some streaks in my glass.

S - Smooth chocolate. Nice crystal malt takes the edge of roasty qualities. Biscuity which rounds off a solid aroma. Getting some floral hop aroma in the background.

T - Starts with solid earthy dark chocolate. Hints at some fruity hops in the middle leading to a balancing bitterness on the backend. Roasted malts mix well with its bitterness.

M - Medium body, medium to medium-light carbonation, touch of sweetness that dries out.

O - Nice looking brew that holds a cap though its entirety. Well rounded, complex aroma. Good maltiness that had some hop flavors that were a little out of place but craftly balanced. Body is right on and is very drinkable. Solid brew, only the one criticism with outlandish.

Serving type: bottle

05-23-2013 01:40:43 | More by Jparker37

randylangford

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -4.8%

05-22-2013 22:04:46 | More by randylangford

Rdc67

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

05-22-2013 19:35:07 | More by Rdc67

KVNBGRY

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%

05-22-2013 15:14:54 | More by KVNBGRY

SpdKilz

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

05-22-2013 13:30:17 | More by SpdKilz

dubmax

Kansas

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%

05-22-2013 03:05:56 | More by dubmax

Boilerfood

Indiana

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%

05-21-2013 18:28:07 | More by Boilerfood

ORmedic65

Oregon

4/5  rDev -4.8%

05-21-2013 17:00:22 | More by ORmedic65

cfitterer

Arizona

2/5  rDev -52.4%

05-21-2013 02:28:09 | More by cfitterer

WissBrauSean

Pennsylvania

4.9/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

I poured this black beaut-y at about 55 degrees F into a standard pint and she poured such a lovely dark brown to black with a full one finger creamy khaki head that lasts as a thick ring and thin cap and leaves leopard skin lacing on the glass. SEXY!

I'm not even going to read what those folks on BA are saying. The first guy on there mentions strong citrus. LOL

Sorry, I don't smell any citrus but what I do smell is roasted and chocolate malts with hints of vanilla, a bready yeast and some hop acidity. It's freaking brilliant! As a matter of fact, I take that back, after sounding like an ass in lambasting the citrus comment, one could make out that hop acidity as that! I'm a turd.

I taste heaven in a glass. Toasted chocolate malts and vanilla dance with a very mild wood smoke flavor and bready yeastness and finish finally with a mild and earthy dry hop taste that begs your elbow to again bend and bring that glass to your lips, your tongue and drink in this black beauty.

Now let me talk about how sweet her body is! She is a medium to full bodied beer thinner than some but with creamy sweet hips making her much easier to drink than some that would kill you with candy and she has kept a bit of the dry sense of English humor as an homage. I'm in love. Playful yet not bubbly, what else could you want in a dark lady like her?

I had to excuse myself for a minute there and have a cigarette. Overall, I would recommend her to everyone, but would be totally jealous and want to keep her for my own as she is a world class beauty! Solid and dependable. I have missed my Black Butte-y!

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 01:43:51 | More by WissBrauSean

SedateSix

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +13.1%

05-21-2013 01:27:49 | More by SedateSix

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

4.26/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

it took me some convincing from the locals and several itinerant beer drinkers around Bend to finally give this a go - took me drinking the stuff 2 or 3 times before I really caught on to how good a porter this is

A: very dark brown liquid with burgundy highlights.... somewhat spongy off-white foam, sticks to the glass fairly well, keeps a medium-thick collar

S: mostly the deep roast of the chocolate malt matched with a mineral water quality... mild citrus peel pungency in hops, swimming in a sea of vaguely-herbal (or old licorice?), molasses-y malt

T: all about the dark-malty richness.... subtle, clean bitterness, dark grape esters, complex interplay of dark-roasted flavors imparted from the chocolate and crystal (and also from the yeast, if they're in fact using the yeast I've read they use - Ringwood)

M: threat of molasses-y viscosity - it does seem to have a swell mid-sip... in the end, the silky-sweet malt body is just about perfectly supple, clean, and smooth.... perhaps a passing feeling of graininess on the edges, but I'd imagine that's attributable to the hop and roast bitterness... has substance and drinkability in tandem

O: sadly, I didn't have another one - seems like there was more to discover.... pretty solid recipe and execution.... until next time....

Serving type: on-tap

05-20-2013 23:09:22 | More by Bouleboubier

Kreko7

California

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%

05-20-2013 21:24:58 | More by Kreko7

KDE

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +7.1%

05-20-2013 20:27:44 | More by KDE