Black Butte XXIV - Deschutes Brewery

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

4.01/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Brown and black pour, kind of a disappointing head formation and lack of lacing. Color is cool though. And its barrel aged, so you have to tame your expectations for such a thing.

Roast aroma, dark fruit, chocolate, bourbon is less existant than in previous years. Deschutes seems to be doing less and less bourbon barrel aging every year in this beer and the Abyss.

Taste is solid as usual, my only complaint is the lack of more bourbon character and the dark fruit notes. Taste has too much dark fruit that comes through. A little bit goes a long way, but it seems to make for a less thick beer, and accentuates flavors that detract from better ones (chocolate, bourbon, wood, 2 row). Instead, I get a lot of licorice, fig, plum type of things that cause me to not like BSDAs as much as other styles.

Its still a really good beer, and hopefully aging will tame some of the new adjuncts they are using to skimp on the percentage of the beer that is aged in the bourbon barrels. Cherry bark for Abyss, figs for Black Butte = meh. Just get back to making a massive porter/stout with lots of chocolate + chocolate malt and bourbon barrels. Still hides the alcohol well, but not as good as in previous years.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 17:55:17 | More by Beerandraiderfan

BeerBucks

New York

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-25-2013 02:34:58 | More by BeerBucks

visionaries

California

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

05-23-2013 15:18:04 | More by visionaries

millelacsmark

Minnesota

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-23-2013 01:05:29 | More by millelacsmark

Glibber

Idaho

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-19-2013 22:21:58 | More by Glibber

moonknight31

California

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-19-2013 17:00:05 | More by moonknight31

davesway10

Iowa

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-19-2013 11:29:51 | More by davesway10

JavaNoire

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-19-2013 07:36:47 | More by JavaNoire

michaeljstraub

Georgia

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-16-2013 20:05:47 | More by michaeljstraub

MinorThreat

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-16-2013 13:11:48 | More by MinorThreat

Demarais20

North Dakota

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-16-2013 07:36:41 | More by Demarais20

Techichi

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-13-2013 15:21:13 | More by Techichi

ControlledBurn

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -12.2%

05-13-2013 03:54:41 | More by ControlledBurn

anteater

Oregon

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-10-2013 04:50:29 | More by anteater

Humulus85

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-10-2013 03:16:24 | More by Humulus85

bryang002

Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-10-2013 03:10:25 | More by bryang002

drlovemd87

Colorado

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-10-2013 01:30:48 | More by drlovemd87

2378GCGTG

Texas

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-09-2013 16:27:49 | More by 2378GCGTG

davejavou

California

4/5  rDev -6.3%

05-08-2013 03:27:36 | More by davejavou

leftoverburrito

Oregon

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%

05-08-2013 01:17:12 | More by leftoverburrito

frogfan

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

05-06-2013 20:23:28 | More by frogfan

Buff0910

Alabama

5/5  rDev +17.1%

05-05-2013 18:22:42 | More by Buff0910

freemanj

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev -0.5%

05-05-2013 03:05:53 | More by freemanj

iL0VEbeer

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%

05-04-2013 19:51:41 | More by iL0VEbeer

ngeunit1

California

4.44/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark black with a bit of brown and a thin finger of frothy khaki-chocolate head. Fades normal.

S - Roasted dark chocolate and dark caramel malts, coffee, cocoa nibs, figs, dates, raisins, and other dark fruits, vanilla, and some booze.

T - Dark chocolate and dark caramel malts, roasted coffee, cocoa nibs, figs, date, raisins, and other dark fruits, vanilla, and some booze.

M - Full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth and a touch thick with a sweet, warming, and a bit bitter.

D - Fantastic imperial porter. Great balance and mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 04:22:07 | More by ngeunit1