Black Butte Porter - Deschutes Brewery

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

Muhly

Alberta (Canada)

4.49/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap poured into a tulip glass (thanks Accent Lounge!)

A-opaque black with a good two fingers of tan head. Head recedes to a thin layer pretty quickly but that thin layer holds its ground throughout. Lacing is strong and prominent.

S-a hefty dose of roasted dark malts, coffee, and molasses.

T-roasted coffee and grains.

M-carbonation is more prominent than I had expected. This makes it a slightly lighter mouthfeel, but the overall effect is nice and refreshing.

O-a complex and intensely roasted, dark porter. Excellence in a glass.

Serving type: on-tap

03-24-2013 05:04:05 | More by Muhly

Ilafan

Minnesota

4.31/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.75

One of my absolute favorite porters out there, at least for now. My beer palate, I have found, is an ever-changing entity. But this one has been on my "radar" for quite a while.

POUR: Absolute black. Gorgeously black, in fact. No light shined through. The head was a thick, long-lasting tan with excellent lattice.

Smell: I broke my nose in the late 80's, so maybe my sense of smell is also broken. I smelled nothing with this.

Taste: Why we drink beer, right? LOVE this! Sweet and sugary with hints of chocolate and coffee, although the coffee did not dominate or overwhelm in any way. The relatively low alcohol rate also contribute to the taste.

Overall, this is a porter I would buy and enjoy again.

Serving type: on-tap

03-23-2013 21:07:35 | More by Ilafan

ClarkHimself

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +15%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had this on tap at Deschutes' brew-pub in Portland, OR. I actually ordered a Bomb Squad Porter on the engine, but was mistakenly given Black Butte instead. I fortunately didn't return it, as this was easily one of the best beer experiences of my time as a craft beer drinker.

Was served in a tall lager glass. Very dark, carmel color with a tan head that held for a minute or so before slinking to a thin cover. Smells of chocolate and hops, which was odd for what I was expecting from a porter. There's a faint hint of coffee as well. Taste is... just... wow. Delicious porter characteristics of roasted malts, chocolate, coffee-burntness. Then there is a bit of a hop snap that just ties everything together like no other porter I've ever had. Leaves a really nice, subtle sweetness that just makes me want to take another gulp. I couldn't get over how much I enjoyed the taste of this brew. Mouthfeel was really smooth, very easy drinking beer.

Deschutes Black Butte is easily the best porter I've ever had, and up there as one of the best beers I've ever tasted. Awesome.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2013 21:04:28 | More by ClarkHimself

watsonmd

Georgia

4.49/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: nice dark pour, pilsner glass. Slight head, little lacing.

S: coffee, chocolate.

T: similar to nose. Slight medicinal flavor/ bitterness cherry flavor

M: carbonated, lighter feel than taste.

O: would drink again. Might consider aging if available in bottle.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2013 02:11:43 | More by watsonmd

Fatehunter

Oregon

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a 14 oz glass. One finger of head on a black body.
The smell is all roasted malt, which is great.
The taste is roasted malt, coffee and milk. It's deep and bold.
The texture is smooth with low carbonation and medium body.
It's a robust porter with great flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2013 05:02:59 | More by Fatehunter

frankiepop

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Named after a very interesting mountain to view, I believe found at Yellowstone. This beer is a also an interesting dark brown blackish beer with strong lacing. The creamy thin head really hung around for a long time giving a nice soft texture and mellowness to the beer. Nice Bistro choice! Mildly sweet porteresque aroma. I caught a nice milk chocolate whiff. This one was served pretty cold and delivered a smooth drink with moderate carbonation. Nice.

Malty flavors with a hint of coffee. Unlike a many Porters, it was not so sweet, not as sweet as the aroma might have suggested, but a nice balance of flavor though. Butte is an easy porter, subtle. A dry baker's chocolate comes through but inconsistently. Nevertheless, Butte is a refreshing porter, interesting and mellow. Butte doesn't slap you silly with flavor. No, you sip and ponder this one for the hints. It's a worthy comparison to the far bolder and thicker sister labeled as Deschutes Obsidian Stout.

In summary... I like Black Butte. I cannot lie. Black Butte - Black Butte - Black Butte.

Black Butte Porter should have been the official Miles Davis Bitches Brew. Not that shit brewed by that joke of a brewery on the east coast. Of course Sir Mix A Lot would be a 2nd option and a good option at that. Just depends on your mood.

Serving type: on-tap

09-08-2012 03:37:03 | More by frankiepop

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.55/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Falling Rock in Denver, CO. Pours black with creamy, long lasting off-white head. Aroma is bready, toasted malt, hints of coffee and dark fruit. Body is medium creamy and smooth. Taste is toasted malt, hints of coffee, chocolate and dark fruit. I expected much more from this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

08-24-2012 15:26:55 | More by mikeg67

beerphan

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

At Umami burger i be Santa Monica
Appears a coppered brown with ruby highlights. Small head settles to scattered suds and leaves small dots of lace.
Nose roasted Coffee and cocoa

Classic porter roast. Leaves mouth dry and nutty. Thin to mediym body
Hmm good

Serving type: on-tap

08-10-2012 23:55:23 | More by beerphan

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Black Butte is surely one of the best porters out there. Typical deep body with a nice and long-lasting head. Coffee and biscuit notes on the nose. It's got a mild hop character that peeks in every now and then just to add a little something extra. It's not in-your-face, but it's flavorful and balanced.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2012 00:43:40 | More by TheRealBigC

CaptDavyJones

New York

4.2/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had this on-tap at The Yardhouse in San Diego and was served in a pint glass.
Dark brown color with ruby red hues and some light penetration along the sides. Appearance was almost like a cola.
Thin one finger off-white colored head that dissipated fairly quickly.
Aroma is a very nice blend of roasted malt, some notes of smokiness, chocolate malt balls and some espresso. Very pleasant and inviting aroma.
Taste is almost similar to the aroma, with nice sweetness upfront. The sweetness is very well balanced with the grainy notes and some bitter roasted malt/coffee notes. Very tasty, flavorful and easy drinking porter.
Almost medium-bodied mouthfeel to this porter. Not a lot of lacing along the insides of the glass.
Overall, this is a really good porter. Too bad I cannot get this in central NY or this would be one of my 'go-to' porters.
Definitely worth a try and comes recommended...Cheers!!!

Serving type: on-tap

05-25-2012 00:36:24 | More by CaptDavyJones

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On-tap at Crescent Ballroom in downtown Phoenix during the Deer Tick show on May 3rd.

A: Dark black. Off-white head. Typical Porter look.

S: Sweet, malty, a bit of chocolate and roasted malt.

T: Heavy, sweet, roasted malt. Hops come through in the finish which is a surprise and very welcomed. One of the hoppier Porters in recent memory.

M: Smooth, sweet, delicious.

O: Damn good Porter that I could drink daily.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2012 18:29:12 | More by Gatch

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap at Public House (Venetian) in Las Vegas, NV

A: Pours a dark brown, almost black in color with some reddish highlights and very light hints of visible carbonation near the surface of the beer. The beer has a finger tall tan head that reduces but leaves a thick film over the surface of the beer with a thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: The aroma is of dark roasted malts with some hints of dark/bittersweet chocolate and coffee. Very inviting.

T: The taste really follows the smell with the main components being the dark roasted malts, dark/bittersweet chocolate, and the coffee. The beer has some very nice complexity to the flavor with just a light amount of lingering bitterness.

M: Medium to full bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Creamy and smooth.

O: Very enjoyable and very much a beer that I would like to enjoy again...makes me jealous of the states that the brewery distributes to since I do not live in one. I really enjoyed the complexity of the flavor and would love to have more than one of these in a session.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2012 05:56:40 | More by dbrauneis

DocJitsu

California

4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown with glints of red in the light. Has a creamy light tan head with decent retention. Rich lacing on the glass. Dark roasted malts, sorghum, and dark chocolate aromas. Nice, creamy mouthfeel. Dark chocolate, heavy cream, without the usual coffee acidity one gets from a porter like this one. Nice sweet lactose makes this a pillowy sweet porter. Very good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

04-01-2012 21:15:58 | More by DocJitsu

jbertsch

Massachusetts

2.45/5  rDev -41.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Finally got a chance to try this while in Las Vegas, (It was on tap at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant in the MGM) but walked away very disappointed. For all the hype I didn’t see how this porter was anything above mediocre at best…and I mean at best.

The aroma and flavor were quite boring. I only smelled a little nutty earthiness, and the taste was similar, with maybe faint notes of chocolate and molasses but overall quite tame and lifeless. I wish it was a little richer. What surprised me the most was its almost watery mouthfeel. This was a big letdown for me. I can’t imagine ever reaching for this one again, but a part of feels I should try it again just in case there was some funny business going on at the restaurant….my friend shared the same thoughts about it.

Serving type: on-tap

03-26-2012 19:12:22 | More by jbertsch

nataku00

California

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap poured into a shaker pint glass. Beer pours a dark brown, opaque bordering on black, with a finger of creamy light brown head. Head retention was excellent maintaining about half a finger of creamy head with sticky lacing for over half the glass while drinking it.

Nose is roasted malt, dark roasted coffee, and semi sweet chocolate. As it warmed a bit, a hint of citrus hops come through.

Taking a sip, a light citrus hop bite, before a lot of roasted malt and coffee flavor, mostly bitter and astringent. A touch of sweet chocolate helps balance it out a bit. Finish is fairly clean, light roasted malt flavors.

Medium body, creamy due to the carbonation. Very easy to drink and enjoyable porter.

Serving type: on-tap

03-19-2012 01:42:21 | More by nataku00

TheSixthRing

California

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Beer Gardens in Folsom.

Appearance - Pours a dark, cola brown with reddish hue on the outer edges. The head is an off-white tan, and leaves behind a sparse but sticky lace.

Smell - Lots of chocolate, roasted malt, and faint coffee.

Taste - Big chocolate with some bitterness, subtle coffee notes, and a nice, sweet caramel undertone to give this porter great balance.

Mouthfeel - Full bodied, creamy to begin, then a nice, tingly carbonation tickles the tongue. Slightly dry on the finish.

Overall - One of my favorite porters, and a classic at that. This beer goes a long way in defining what an American Porter is and should be.

Serving type: on-tap

03-08-2012 18:04:57 | More by TheSixthRing

williamjbauer

West Virginia

4.22/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap served in a pint glass

A - Very dark brown with a nice nutmeg two finger head and moderate lacing and moderate head retention.

S - Big roasted malt and dark chocolate make up the majority of the olfactory elements. Minor hop pine scent.

T - A more chocolate porter, but roasted coffee element still preside. Very enjoyable and well balanced with a hint of hops.

M - Medium body, medium carbonation.

O - One of Deschutes best beers, very good among porters. I would get this anytime I'm in the mood for a porter.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2012 15:46:09 | More by williamjbauer

Smurf2055

Washington

4.13/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Dante’s in U district. Poured into a pint glass. Appearance is dark, almost black with a finger of light tan head. Ends up with a very pretty lacing. Aroma is smokey and malty, a bit more simple than regular stouts, but still has some things going on. The taste isn’t a surprise from the smell. Slightly bitter. Burnt and crispy. Coffee hits very strong near the end. Palate is a bit less viscous than I would like, but I guess that’s why it’s a porter. Overall, I’m glad they have this at Dante’s. It’s my drink of choice if nothing else looks good. It might not be as full bodied as I would like, but it’s a great drink none the less.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2012 10:04:34 | More by Smurf2055

stealth

Minnesota

4.8/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Looks like a porter should. Nice dark brown pour with a solid off-white head, and sticky lacing. Great nose on this one - roasted malts and some hops. Black Butte has a perfect balance between roasted malts and bitter hops. Some coffee tastes are in there, and some sweetness. Very smooth feel - goes down real easy.

An outstanding porter, one of my all-time favorites.

Serving type: on-tap

01-30-2012 07:59:51 | More by stealth

Merkur

Tennessee

4.3/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Beer pours a nice dark brown with a fingers worth of white foam on tap.

Beer smells of coffee and sweet chocolate.

Beer tastes very similar to the nose. Very roasty and finishes very sweet. Starts off with a creamy, coffee taste that is very nice.

Mouthfeel is spot on with what a Porter should be. Very rich and creamy, but not too much so.

Overall, a very good porter.

Serving type: on-tap

01-22-2012 17:53:55 | More by Merkur

CaptainIPA

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap @ Southpark Seafood Grill & Wine Bar in Portland, Oregon and presented in a pint glass.

Pours a dark chocolate color with garnet highlights and a slim, tan head with good retention. Aromas of roasted malts, chocolate, vanilla, coffee and cocoa powder.

Opens with the rich flavors of roasted malts, chocolate and coffee. Hints of vanilla and anise surface. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel with subtle carbonation. Mild hop bitterness emerges, followed by suggestions of malted milk balls. Finishes powder dry with a kiss of cocoa.

A classic American Porter that's oh-so-easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

01-14-2012 02:03:21 | More by CaptainIPA

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

First had: ?
Can't remember where or when I first had this, but this review will apply to notes from a recent tasting at Deschutes' brewpub in Portland, OR.

Dark brown color with a small cap of tan head that left some sticky lacing behind. Roasty malts on the nose, notes of coffee and cocoa. Taste follows suit, with dark roasty malts, semi-sweet chocolate, and some coffee bitterness. Smooth and on the heavier side of medium-bodied. Simple formula, but a very good beer all around.

Serving type: on-tap

01-05-2012 07:45:18 | More by Rifugium

MsRif

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Had on-tap at Deschutes in Portland, OR. Poured a deep dark brown, nearly black color with a tan creamy head that retained well and left nice off-white sticky lacing. Very roasty in both aroma and taste, with a nice smoke element as well as some sweet molasses that makes this roasty brew a little more smooth.

On the heavier side of medium-bodied with minimal carbonation. A bit of a dry finish, but still quite drinkable. Recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

12-28-2011 19:04:28 | More by MsRif

arcticstout

Alaska

4.33/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

on-tap - pint glass

A: A nice dark brown, almost mahogany. Lets some light through. Very nice light tan head that hangs around and leaves lacing down the glass.

S: Roasted malts, espresso, hops

T: Very mellow roasted malt flavor rounded out by hints of milk chocolate and coffee with a slight hoppiness. Very easy to drink.

M: Fairly light with an easy, smooth drinkability.

O: Overall one of my favorite porters. It's my "go-to" porter when I'm at the bar. A great beer to use to introduce non-porter/stout drinkers to the type.

Serving type: on-tap

12-17-2011 10:07:40 | More by arcticstout