Black Butte XXIV - Deschutes Brewery

Clonies720

Texas

5/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance: Oil black. This is DARK beer. I can only see a few bubbles of carbonation on the outer edges because it's so dark. An aggressive pour gave me a lackluster 1/2 inch of a creamy tan head. Retention is not that great as the head dissipates quickly. Regardless of the head retention, this beer looks warm and inviting.

Smell: Strong notes of figs and dates. Very slight roasted coffee smell. The malts used in this beer smell sweet

Taste: VERY strong taste of figs and dates. Again a slight bit of roasted coffee. Slight biscuity taste. This beer is very sweet and rich. The bittering hops used in this beer were likely very clean and neutral, which allows for the fig and date flavors to come shining through the beer and dominate the mouth. Light bitterness.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is moderate-low to moderate-medium. The mouthfeel is light and smooth with some nice warmth in my cheeks coming from the alcohol. It finishes very wet in the mouth and keeps me coming back for more. I find it hard to put this down.

Overall: Overall I'm very impressed by this beer. Sweet beers are usually not my thing, but this would pair very nicely with similar sweet things. At 11% ABV, this beer is definitely a slow sipper meant to be enjoyed for a special occasion. Perfect all the way around.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 01:05:14 | More by Clonies720

Impfan

Washington

5/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Fairly viscous deep mahogany/brown pour with a small off-white head. Slightly syrupy body that coats the mouth with raisins, dates, figs, prunes, rummy notes, deep, dark chocolate, and a finish that is quite bittersweet. Flirts with cloying, at times, but avoids it. Another Excellent effort from Deschutes.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 22:28:40 | More by Impfan

Ford

Texas

4.85/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

On tap at Boondoggle's in Clear Lake, Texas

What a GREAT beer. I love porter's. This is easily one of the best I've ever had. Everything about it is big and great. All the usual porteriness is there, but with more alcohol in the end as it's a double.

I wish this one was year round. I have a bottle to store of this, but I'm going to go and pick up two or three more because this stuff is great.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2012 14:19:53 | More by Ford

PrinceDarren

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is an exceptional barrel aged porter. This definitely ranks very high amongst the best porters I've ever had.

Aroma reflects strong barrel character, but not excessive. Just the way I like it.

Sweet and full flavored without being sticky. Well balanced.

Deschutes hit the ball out of the park with this one. It is to Porters what GI BCBS is to Stouts and it does it well.

Serving type: nitro-tap

12-15-2012 05:52:32 | More by PrinceDarren

gtermi

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: The Black Butte XXIV pours a nice dark black body with a thick dark tan head that quickly fades to just a ring around the glass. The beer leaves a tiny bit of lace on the glass as you drink it.

S: There is so much going on with the nose of this beer... and its absolutely fantastic. There is a nice amount of alcohol, a strong bit of fig, a slight bit of smokiness and other fruits such as cherries and plums. I have spent like 5 minutes just smelling this beer because its so complex.

T: Now to me, this is the best Porter I have ever tasted. I loved Deschutes 23, but this one just has a nicer fruitiness that I have never really tasted in a porter. The flavors just explode on my palate and creates this coating of flavor that refuses to go away. The fruitiness stays for a while, but then evolves into a slightly roasted chocolate. The flavor is just too hard to describe, because there is so much going on.

M: Just so smooth going down. There is a slight crispness on the back of the tongue and throat as the beer goes down. I was honestly thinking it was going to be like the regular Black Butte, with a stronger amount of crispness.

O: Wow... I am seriously speechless on how great this beer is. I mean it just hits the spot in every category and too me it really couldn't get better.. When I review beers I always try to find flaws, but this one doesn't really have any that I can find... Well maybe the price and the availability, but I am willing to wait and pay the price for this amazing beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 04:12:35 | More by gtermi

ZachStone625

4.73/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

My God, what a complex beer.

I tried this on-tap at the Deschutes brewery in Bend, OR, and if not a sipping beer for the alcoholic intensity, it is definitely one for the flavor alone.

The flavors of cocoa, fig, raisin, roasted coffee bean and malt all complement each other in a lingering front that is hard to forget. Finishes a warm, creamy, lip-smacking fullness that's like having a taste of 18-year scotch followed by a shot of heavy whipping cream. Delicious and definitely worth sharing a 22 oz bottle with a friend over, with a nice meal of steak, potatoes, and asparagus or something on par with that. It is a flavor adventure in itself, but I would recommend sharing it with a nice meal to get the full effect.

Serving type: on-tap

08-12-2012 04:16:58 | More by ZachStone625

PHSCAPT

Pennsylvania

4.73/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Descheutes Brewery snifter at Bend, OR pizza place. Pours a black espresso including the espresso cremora. No real head. Smell is of sweet fruits, maybe fresh-cut grass. The taste is exquisite - certainly dark fruits of fig and raisins, little on the sweet sede and reminds me very much of a Belgian quad with chocolate and coffee essence. Very light quad-like carbonation also. Event at 10% ABV, it's not overly boozy, being well masked by the complexity of flavors. Overall, this is a great offering.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 13:38:57 | More by PHSCAPT

WYVYRN527

Minnesota

4.7/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a snifter from a 22 ounce bottle.

A: Pours nearly black as night, with a thin, light tan head that settles to a thin film on the surface. While retention isn't great. lacing is very nice.

S: I can't really point out the dates, but the sweet nose of chocolate and figs is very dominant, along with strong espresso notes and a hint of alcohol.

T: Chocolate and some coffee notes, along with dried dark fruits, fig, and what reminds me of German chocolate cake on the mid-palate. Finish is bittersweet, yet drying with a light hop touch.

Notes: Full-bodied, with a thick, although not syrupy mouthfeel. Flavors are immense. Alcohol is hidden for the most part except for the warming feeling. Balanced as all Hell and tasty as ever. This is hands down one of my favorite anniversary releases from Deschutes. While many would kill me for saying this, I actually look forward to this release more so than The Abyss in any given year.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 04:37:50 | More by WYVYRN527

beergoot

Colorado

4.68/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Deep, dark brown body with a very thick, creamy tan head. Bitter chocolate, cocoa, prunes, figs, and raisins aromas. Rich, creamy mouthfeel; very smooth texture. Alcohol warmth combines nicely with bitter chocolate notes and hop bitterness.

Wow! A well-done big beer. Wonderful complexity across the board with good balance all-around. The dark grains and malts mix well with the dates and figs used in the brewing of this dark monster. Search it out, grab a few bottles (or pints if you find it on tap) and savor it while it lasts. Should age well in the bottle over the years.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2012 23:55:47 | More by beergoot

DonDirkA

Arizona

4.68/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

The nose is really heavy. Dark chocolate, dark fruit, grapes, dates, roasted malts, alcohol and coffee. Taste is just as big and heavy. Roasted malts, coffee, dates, raisins, alcohol, chocolate, a bit more coffee and just a hint of a lighter fruitiness like cherries. The mouthfeel is heavy, thick and robust but still pretty heavily carbonated for this type of beer. Its awesome and I think the one I have aging will do so very well. The alcohol and heat should get muted a bit and the roasty, chocolate notes should come out a bit more. The only improvement I could really ask for here is less heat though.

This is definitely more like an imperial stout that any kind of porter I have ever had.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 06:14:07 | More by DonDirkA

Arbitrator

California

4.68/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Chilled bottle into a glass. Thanks, Jason.

A: Pours a pitch black body. It's nearly still; despite a vigorous pour, a thin film barely covers the beer, and the bubbles quickly fall into a thin collar. Very odd. I'm chalking that up to have been in my sub-arctic fridge for such a long time. EDIT: The second pour of the bottle, which had been sitting outside for an hour, yielded a finger of dense, long-lasting mocha-colored head. Exquisite.

S: Chocolate, dark fruit (dates), grape jelly (!), and, of all things, peanut butter. I'm really surprised, and very intrigued. A touch of coffee and some oak round out the aroma. Top-notch.

T: As usual, I drank this without reading the label and tried to guess what went into it. Cocoa nibs, obviously. There's a dark fruit presences (dates again); when the beer is cold, it also has a spicy coffee kick that reminds me of the oxidized aftertaste of Black Butte XXI. Nuts, black cherries. The finish is surprisingly bitter, revealing a substantial hop component that isn't evident earlier in the taste. If there's any barrel-aging involved here, it's subtle and accentuating. I can't pick it out.

So in reading the label, I realized I missed figs -- and even armed with that knowledge, I can't taste them. The dates are too prominent. No mention of coffee, so that must be the roasty grain contribution. I got the dates and cocoa nibs, but they're so forward that it's impossible to miss them.

M: I'm not a fan of the pronounced bitterness in the finish, but I admit it does contrast against what could be a pretty one-dimensional experience. Despite the sweet flavors, the beer is well-attenuated -- I wouldn't say dry, but it's not as oily and heavy as some other barrel-aged beers du jour, either -- and that makes it easy to drink. It does have some burn in the finish, not to be confused with that spicy kick I picked up at times and attributed to oxidized coffee.

O: The advertising says it's "the best one yet." I wanted to laugh at the boast, but I have to agree. It's phenomenal. I was actually going to skip BB XXIV this year based on early comments, and because I didn't care for XXIII (not to mention the numerous other misses in Deschutes' recent limited series: The Stoic, Dissident, Mirror Mirror, Collage). Jason pressed this upon me and insisted I try it. I am really grateful he did. This is top-notch. I genuinely regret not buying more.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 04:00:39 | More by Arbitrator

videofrog

Texas

4.63/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served on-tap at the Austin Flying Saucer.

A: Dark, opaque black. Thin beige head that settled quickly.

S: Dark chocolate, dark fruits, roasted coffee-like malts.

T: Dark chocolate, cocoa. Figs come out more clearly. Roasted malts give espresso-like flavor. Slight hop bitterness appears as well. Alcohol bite is noticeable.

M: Thick, creamy, and viscous.

O: As I was unable to only buy 1 bottle, I was really glad to be able to sample this fresh on tap. I'm really looking forward to see what a year of cellaring does to this one. Extremely enjoyable fresh, though.

Serving type: on-tap

10-06-2012 03:53:34 | More by videofrog

DovaliHops

California

4.6/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a pitch black (very dark color) with a large, light tan head that takes some time to go down. Scent is absolutely fantastic. The figs and dates really come through strong in the nose. I've never had an imperial porter/stout have this much fig aroma... very inviting. Fresh figs with some vanilla and molasses. A hint of burnt sugar with some dark chocolate. Very nice smelling beer. Taste is initially fig/date forward. Great chocolate flavors...not too much dark chocolate, which I was worried about. Sweet dark fruits dance on the palate as you taste the burnt malt and sugary flavors. A hint of nutmeg in the flavor, which I wasn't expecting. Finishes chocolatey with a hint of bitter hops. Mouthfeel is full bodied, creamy, and elegant. Drinkability is surprisingly high for such high ABV. Hardly any alcohol burn. Overall, such a fantastic beer. With a release like this, it blows my mind that people don't rave over this like they do for Kate the Great. This beer is MUCH better IMO.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 07:16:00 | More by DovaliHops

jarrgal

North Dakota

4.6/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a 16 oz. glass.

A: Pours a half-finger opaque dark brown head with some lacing.

S: Roasted beans, chocolate, bourbon notes are what came to mind promising a great tasting beer. The smell was phenomenal.

T: Hard to detect the 11% alcohol due to a very flavorful. Coffee, chocolate, and cocoa seem to be present in the strongest form. It is also mildy sweet with roast notes.

M: Low carbonation, medium body, alcohol can be detected on the palate but it is not overpowering

O: Very good porter like the reset of the Black Butte anniversary releases. Highly recommend this beer or other variants of Black Butte.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2012 13:32:16 | More by jarrgal

alexgash

Connecticut

4.58/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

On cask at the Portland brew pub. Served in a Descutes snifter.

Devilishly dark brown-black body. Thick cap of creamy, dense, bright sandy brown head. Great lacing. Big malty aromas of dark chocolate, figs, raisins, plums, and licorice. Some roasted coffee bitterness.

Rich chocolate and cocoa nib malt up front. Caramel and molasses sweetness swell, with notes of figs, dates, and raisins. Roasted coffee tempers the big maltiness a little. Mocha finish, with lingering dark fruits. Full-bodied, with a super creamy, soft, smooth feel. Amazing. Happy 24th!

Serving type: cask

08-11-2012 05:55:49 | More by alexgash

ESPNman

California

4.58/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served into a Stone IRS Snifter.

A - It pours a deep, dark brown. I was expecting it to be closer to a motor-oil black given that it's a big 11% porter. It produces an inch or so of leather-brown head. Solid retention leaving beautiful lacing behind on the rim of the glass.

S - The added figs come through here strongly. I'm not getting a lot of the dates on the nose, but if you really think about it, you can just barely find them in there. Other than that, it's very representative of the style. Lots of chocolate and deep roasted malts. Some candied fruit and a bit of sweetness round out the nose.

T - This is either the first or second "5" I've ever given in a category, and this beer deserves it. It really nails all of the notes that are supposed to be there in an Imperial Porter. It has some candied sweet fruits, dark chocolate malts, roasted coffee, vanilla, and almost bourbon-like notes. It does run a little on the boozy side, but it was designed to be set down for a year or so... I'm just too impatient. This beer should age beautifully.

M - Wonderfully carbonated for the style. Just enough to keep it from being a motor-oil sludge, not so much as to distract from the beer itself. It's a little thinner than I was expecting, and definitely has noticeable alcohol. Sweet finish, doesn't linger too long.

O - It's a fantastic beer. It's a wonderful compliment to The Abyss in Deschute's lineup. Amazing roasted quality, yet balanced with a noticeable fruity sweetness. It's lacking a little in bitterness, and has very little hop quality (which is fine for the style). Big, boozy, and it'll benefit from a little aging.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 03:36:27 | More by ESPNman

sirtomtom

California

4.58/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into two pint glass. Inky black, let in very little light. A nice thick head, that dissipated slowly

Served with a bowl of homemade tri-tip and vegetable chili, and cornbread.

Huge body to this beer, as expected of their anniversary beers. The figs and dates pop out almost immediately and are held on as the sweetness of the beer combined with body stay awhile in your mouth.

The finish was very good, but could have been better. It was smooth, but the alcohol popped out a bit strong at the end. I figure this will smooth out a bit with age.

Overall an excellent new release for Deschutes' Anniversary series and one of the best they've concocted.

Serving type: bottle

12-06-2012 00:10:06 | More by sirtomtom

JoEBoBpr

Missouri

4.55/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deschutes Black Butte 24

Poured into a 4oz tasting glass at iTap Soulard.

Pours black and bold with a nice cream colored quarter inch head. (4.0)

Aroma of coca nibs and some nice bitter dark coca notes are very intense. Slight licorice notes and some dark sweet fruits. Slightly roasted. (4.5)

Flavor is nice and roasty with some nice rich and deep dark chocolate notes. Very chocolaty and yummy. The roasted notes and dark malt notes blend very well with the cocoa. There is some nice vanilla and cinnamon notes mixed in with great coffee roast and the awesomeness of the cocoa. Full bodied with some nice creamy notes and a good roast finish. (5.0)(4.0)

Overall. Well crafted and delicious porter. Great chocolate notes with some mild but yummy roast. (4.0)

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2012 23:34:15 | More by JoEBoBpr

One2Remeber

Florida

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pitch black, thin mocha colored head.

S: Birthday cake rich chocolate. Syrupy. Chewy figs. Faint alcohol boozy aroma.

T: Liquid meal. Spectrum of straight forward flavors. Chocolate up front to a chewy english fruit presence to a unique fizzy spiciness on the backend.

M: Subtle carbonation suits all the flavors well. Wakes up the palate without distracting. Chalky dryness lingers.

O: What an imperial porter should be. Smooth body, carbonation bite, tons of complex chocolate, and a little something extra for icing on the cake.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 18:20:49 | More by One2Remeber

JackieTH

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Cask tapped at 2012 ABR, what a surprise. Motor oil black/brown with a frothy mocha brown head leaving lacing. Smell of deep chocolates, coffee, roasted malt, slight citrus. Taste is phenomenal conjunction of deeply roasted malt, mild and bittersweet chocolates, roasted coffee, dark fruit, and and edgy orange grapefruit pith hop. Bitterness intermingles thought complex layers, mouthfeel is creamy, finish is chocolaty but not sweet. Very good.

Serving type: on-tap

09-16-2012 17:42:55 | More by JackieTH

Blackwolf

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bomber into a tulip.

A- Very dark black body, a deep mocha head that settled quickly into a thin cap, I noticed some uniformed carbonation sticking to the side of the tulip, but very minimal.

S- Wow. Very forward with roasted malt, dark chocolate, figs/raisin and some nuttiness. Kinda had a "oaked or bourbon" aroma going on that complimented the alcohol content. I could only imagine the nose on the enjoy after date.

T- Very aggressive on the first sip. I highly suggest letting this porter open up before you just dig in. Lots of dark bitter chocolate, dark fruit (fig mostly), nut/oak, and black cherry. The alcohol is very subtle on the finish, but the more it opens, the more it is there.

MF- Medium body, light carbonation, some "ethanol" bite due to the alcohol content, but nothing overwhelming, just slightly warming.

O- An incredibly complex and bold porter. This is something you really need an acquired palate for. I did enjoy this a lot the more as it settled and opened up, but wow... Deschutes can really surprise the living hell out of you sometimes! If you want a unique flavor from a porter this is a green light, go grab and try!!

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 12:25:51 | More by Blackwolf

zeledonia

Minnesota

4.49/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tasted 22 March 2013, reviewed from notes.

Pours deep brown but clear, clear at the edges, especially with light behind it. Half finger of light tan head, good retention and really nice lacing.

Smell is like a deep stout, with lots of rich medium-dark chocolate and all kinds of yummy fruit. Figs, plums. Just fantastic.

Taste is layers and layers of variety. Chocolate, then coffee, slightly bitter. Then the next taste brings figs and molasses. So many dark sweet flavors layered on top of each other, it's like peeling back the pieces.

Medium-heavy body, sort of a fizzly carbonation, puffing up and then fading. Moderately lasting flavor.

Oh, how I love the Deschutes anniversary beers. I wish I'd bought more of this when I could. Really tasty. Delicious, deep, complex.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 06:19:01 | More by zeledonia

chugalug06

Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Four-finger head rises from the black depth. Head settles to a thick, foamy, 1/4 inch crust. Lacing is wonderful.

Weird. Smells like Abyss, but much for mellow. Chocolate, molasses, pine, and fruits.

WOW! wonderful sweetness with perfect bitterness. Carbonation is super light and delightful. Figs and dates are very seasonal and spicy. Milk chocolate along with dark was used too.

Whoa! a very unique brew. It's a mind blower on many accounts. It's very spicy and nicely bitter. A very solid Imperial Porter. Highly recommended for a unique twist on a porter.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 01:21:07 | More by chugalug06

LotsofLupulin

Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz bomber poured into a snifter 8/8/12

A - Mostly black with brown edge highlights. Tan-brown head with nice lacing.

S - Lots of fig and molasses. Cherry and plum. Really come together in a nice way.

T - Chocolate, fig and toasty, sweet flavors. Any hotness is perceived as a nice, spicy finish; a delicious compliment to the sweetness of the fruit flavors.

M - Full and creamy. Just fantastic, it flows with perfect silkiness.

O - One of the best beers I've had in recent memory. I think they really got it right this time around, this beer is worth following through the course of its aging.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2012 08:26:07 | More by LotsofLupulin

GilGarp

Colorado

4.48/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber served slightly chilled in a goblet.

Pours a very dark brown with good clarity. The head is thin and creamy but short-lived. It leaves no lacing behind.

Aroma is really pleasant with elements of vanilla, chocolate, and dark roasted malts.

Flavor is quite special too with notes of anise, cherries, and the vanilla and chocolate I noticed in the nose.

Mouthfeel is full bodied and creamy with a nice low level of carbonation.

Overall a very good anniversary beer from Deschutes. I'll have to pick up a couple more and see how they do after a year in the cellar.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 02:37:34 | More by GilGarp