Black Butte XXIV - Deschutes Brewery

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A thick black pour. Black bodied with lots of lace. Chocolate, smooth with the figs, dates, complex,stouty, some coconut. Not as boozy as expected, bourbon taste being well integrated and not obtrusive. Nicely drinkable. Presario's bottle from recent trip.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2012 23:36:18 | More by northyorksammy

womencantsail

California

3.35/5  rDev -21.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The pour is black in color with a big tan head. The nose starts off with a heavy roasted malt component, a touch of ash, and some coffee and chocolate. There is a fair amount of anise, mild dates, and a pretty heavy dose of figs. The flavor is quite heavy on the anise, dates, and figs, as well as the strong roasted malt. Some acrid coffee and roast, a touch of chocolate, light bourbon and alcohol as well. This is probably my least favorite of the series thus far.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2012 04:24:06 | More by womencantsail

brentk56

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Arrives black as its name infers; the head is minimal but the ringlet of bubbles makes a lasting impression

Smell: Very roasty, with burnt dark bread, chocolate and dark fruit elements

Taste: A surprising amount of dark fruit launches the flavor profile, with fig and date flavors dominant; chocolate and charred bread are underneath but the fruit remains dominant throughout; a bit of citrusy hops appears in the middle, adding another element; there is also some molasses that makes an appearance in the finish

Mouthfeel: Full-bodies with low to moderate carbonation and a hint of heat; drinks very easily for the ABV

Overall: Deschutes has hit it out of the park with his year's Black Butte; really enjoy the fruity elements, in particular, that make this more of a Baltic Porter

Serving type: on-tap

09-12-2012 01:17:17 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at 38 Degrees Ale House in Alhambra, CA.

Pours an opaque black with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. A foamy latticework of lace coats the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, cocoa, and dark fruit and fig aromas. Taste is much the same with an alcohol kick on the finish. There is a mild roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

09-23-2012 06:15:49 | More by UCLABrewN84

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Thorpe, served in a tulip. Beer is black with a tan head, low retention but moderate carbonation.

Aroma is roast and oranges, sweet.

Beer is medium in body and bitter on the finish with some nice orange notes, ultimately the fruitiness sort of gets in the way of everything else in this beer. Just make a chocolate stout, maybe some coffee in there please. Still a decent fun beer to try.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 20:49:24 | More by drabmuh

zeff80

Missouri

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tap at Sycamore in Columbia, MO.

A - Poured an opaque, jet-black color with a one-finger, light brown head of bubbly foam. It left sticky sheets of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled roasty with dark chocolate notes. I think I could detect the figs and dates.

T - Good roasted malt flavor with toffee and dark chocolate. There was a touch of dried fruit flavor. Again, couldn't distinguish the dates from the figs.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A dry-finishing, medium bodied porter.

O - This is fantastic. I love having the opportunity to drink this on tap at Sycamore.

Serving type: on-tap

12-15-2012 21:08:08 | More by zeff80

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Was thrilled to find this at Macaddodle in Jane, MO...

Pours an effervescent mahogany with several shades of brown head finally settling into a lovely tan head. Superior lacing & above average head retention

S: Bourbon, boozeynes & steel

T: Vanilla laced Bourbon, dryness, carob & herbal & woody hops up front, some figs & cherry notes as well. Some coffee, a touch of caramel as this warms along with roastyness, more vanilla & some woody notes. A touch too dry for perfection to me. Finishes dry, woody, somewhat boozey with coffee & some hazelnut notes, slight booze warmth

MF: Medium bodied, slight but pleasant carbonation, some stickyness

Very nice itteration, this will probably age great, but its very tasty right now, drinks easy for the ABV, much to like/love here...

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 01:42:50 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

3.78/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On-tap at Beachwood I,

A: Pours black with a medium light tan head, good retention and lacing.

S: Gorgeous vanilla, black fruit and molasses.

T: Has a heavy vanilla shot initially, dark fruit, lots of fig. Some significant ethanol making the beer a bit hot. Full-flavoured, interesting, reminded me a lot of a young Firestone 14 or 15.

M: Full-bodied, rich, creamy, has that slug of ethanol that I'm hoping will dissapate with time.

O: This is a good beer, but it's the worst young of the Black Butte XX et al. collection. The nose is great, but the ethanol is heavy and needs to die down. Could be real good in a couple years.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2012 03:23:05 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: pours a black color with a 2" head that slowly falls which is rare for a higher alcohol beer.

Smell: loads of roasted malts and chocolate tones come through. Some alcohol is noticeable too.

Taste: big roasted malt profile. Loads of dark chocolates, dark ripe fruits, molasses, and bitterness is hearty enough to bring the sweetness into check. Alcohol is very noticeable and provides some warmth.

Mouthfeel:heavy in body. Smooth throughout with some dryness late. Long lasting chocolate-focused aftertaste.

Overall: this beer has some qualities you would find in a good RIS, but it still remains a porter at heart. Easy to quaff despite high alcohol. Really good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 19:06:37 | More by Gavage

barleywinefiend

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a deep, rich brown nearly black with a small tannish cap which quickly fades into a ring around the glass

S: Big roastiness, figs and chocolate with light vanilla and coffee notes

T: Nice big roastiness upfront which transitions into a chocolatey, fig, coffee with light vanilla and wood notes with a lingering bitterness, light booze and cocoa. Finish is dry, bitter and lingering and a tad astringent

M: Medium to big bodied, well carbonated and creamy. No complaints and spot on! Tasty.

O: My favorite of this serries so far. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 21:20:02 | More by barleywinefiend

Zorro

California

3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Annoying wax sealed bomber, to slick to get a bottle opener on the cap. A few stabbings later I'm able to get to the actual cap.

Clear brown colored beer with a momentary small brown head.

Smells sweet with a fruity chocolate aroma. Scents of musty sugar, fig and prune with a fainter vanilla scent. Faint whiskey scent but can't decide if it is bourbon barrel or just oak. Some spice mainly cinnamon and ginger.

Starts out mildly sweet with a bit of cocoa powder after taste. A bit boozy and thick with a strong chocolate taste. Alcohol warms the stomach. I might should have eaten dinner first but I wanted my taste buds absolutely fresh for this tasting and review.. Fig and prune taste with some charred malt taste. Vanilla and oak in the taste but no whiskey or caramel.

Mouthfeel is decidedly thick as hell.

Overall a damn big beer that you should share with friends.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 01:25:05 | More by Zorro

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

johnmichaelsen

Oregon

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap on release day at the Deschutes pub in the Pearl (Portland).

The beer pours a blackish brown color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is attractive, as I get considerable licorice, dark chocolate, vanilla and coffee. The flavor profile replicates the nose, with the licorice dominating. Mouthfeel is medium bodied to full, though the beer wasn't as rich and intensely flavored as I was expecting. I think this beer will improve over time, as at present I would describe the flavor profile as a bit closed and somewhat backwards. Alcohol is well integrated into the flavor profile, and despite the licorice flavor I pick up the finish, I don't get any heat from the 11% abv.

Tried this side by side at the pub with the XXI, XXII and the XXIII. The XXI was the best of the bunch IMHO, and was the beer that was least dominated by the licorice flavor. The XXIV was probably my second favorite, for all that I think it will benefit from some time in bottle or keg to show its very best.

Another impressive beer from Deschutes.

Serving type: on-tap

07-25-2012 22:49:58 | More by johnmichaelsen

kojevergas

California

3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Best after 07/23/13. 11.00%. Brown glass bottle with waxed-over pressure cap served into a Uinta pilsner glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are high given the brewery and style. I quite like the original Black Butte Porter. And I recall enjoyed last year's Black Butte XXIII.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm considerably over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a gorgeous three finger rich khaki-tan head of beautiful smooth cream, great thickness, and fantastic retention for the high ABV. The head just sits there in its frothy delight, not reducing hardly at all. Heavy mocha cream. Wow. Colour is a solid nontransparent opaque black. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Near perfect for a porter.

Sm: Luxurious date and fig notes. The dark fruit is wonderful here. Roast. Dark malts. Chocolate malts. Cream. Caramel. A delightfully subtle aroma. Some raisin and yeasty notes. Even biscuit malt and a hint of spice. Very evocative and intriguing. A light aroma.

T: Smooth cream on the open gives way to a marvelous caramalt body with touches of dark fruit including luscious fig and dates. Biscuit malt, chocolate malt, and other dark malts all make an appearance. Little to no roast, unfortunately. A raisiney chocolatey climax rewards the palate, followed by a smooth dark fruit finish. Burnt bread emerges as an undertone. I definitely get the chocolate nibs, and they're very well used here. What I don't get all is any sort of coffee or roast. It certainly doesn't lack body. The notes work well together, subtly complementing each other to build an impressive balance. That's tasty. I quite like it. Hardly any alcohol comes through. The aftertaste leaves you with sweet malts, creamy chocolate, and dark fruit. A lovely build for a porter. Bravo, deschutes. It does feel a bit too sweet at times, but I imagine this would mellow out with age.

Mf: Velvety. Delightfully creamy and smooth. Good thickness, supporting the complex subtle flavours adequately. Ideal carbonation. Good presence on the palate. It's a bit viscous and syrupy just before the climax, which is the one problem I have with the beer as a whole.

Dr: Another great offering from Deschutes. I'm glad I bought two. As far as Porters go, this is one of the best offerings out there. I'd love to try this on nitro-draught. Very drinkable. Hides its ABV very well. This one could be dangerous in the wrong hands. Best enjoyed with a good book, sipping fairly slowly.

A fantastic candidate for aging. I'll be aging me second bottle.

Would pair well with rich chocolate, plums, dates, and figs.

B+

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 02:44:10 | More by kojevergas

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.78/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got the last pour of the first keg tapped. At muddy waters.

Color is jet black with a creamy tan head. Lots of lace and good retention.

A lot of creamy chocolate and cocoa nibs. The dates and figs show. Definitely had a licorice and molasses flavor. A light roast and some coffee flavor. A little oak. Was this bourbon aged. Some vanilla shows.

Mouthfeel: creamy and smooth. Full bodied with a nice amount of carbonation.

Overall, decent but nothing crazy. I would have liked to see more barrel flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2012 01:09:18 | More by mothman

largadeer

California

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

Opaque black body topped by a finger of tan head. Heavy adjuncts on the nose, and they work pretty well here. Dates and cocoa nibs come through strongly, with a touch of earthy fig in the background. The base beer is quite sweet, bringing to mind molasses and licorice. The palate is similar, very date and cocoa heavy, with a sweet molasses note coming from the malt. There's a bit of char and licorice that balance things out, but this leans toward the sweet side. The body is viscous and alcohol is hidden. Quite good, this is the best Black Butte anniversary beer since XXI.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 21:01:59 | More by largadeer

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Best after July 23, 2013.
A black brew with tannish foam, about a finger's worth, and it leaves some nice lacing behind.

Strong smell of chocolate, figs and dates, fair amount of booze.

Same goes for the taste...very chocolate forward with big roasted malt, dark fruits: the figs and dates, backing it up to the hilt. The alcohol is quite warming but it's not as there as in the smell. A get a sense of some barrel aging.

Creamy mouthfeel that's a joy to sip on. The carbonation is light but right.

Another excellent entry for the Anniversary series that I reckon I'll be buying more of. Oh and, this isn't my first bottle. ;

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 22:42:29 | More by Bitterbill

beertunes

Washington

4.08/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

While I had a few of these when they were released earlier this year, I never got a review in. Thankfully, a local establishment put a keg on during the recent Bellingham Beer Week. Thanks Elizabeth Station!

Served in 10oz goblet. Poured a lightly translucent black, with just a very thin cap of dark tan head that had low retention and OK lacing.

The aroma featured a good amount of roast, some alcohol, some fruity sweetness and a bit of a spice tang. The flavors were the same, just bolder and more well defined.

The body was pleasantly full and smooth, very even and had a clean, dry finish. Drinkability was excellent, I had 3 goblets and would have had more if ES didn't have a 3 drink maximum. Overall, another very good brew. One my favorite yearly releases. A must try next year.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2012 21:27:41 | More by beertunes

FosterJM

California

3.9/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

1722nd Review on BA
Bottle to Woodshop Snifter
22oz

Shared at Herbies Birthday

App- This was much darker than I wouldve thought for a porter. A more inky black color with a huge dense center and no color loss on the edges. The head was a major let down for me. The head was almost no where to be found except for a small 1/8" bubble ring around the edges. No cling or lace.

Smell- The beer gets better with the nose. A bit more chocolate and malt comes out with the addition of the earthy figs. It was slightly dry with a bit of grains behind it, but didnt tie everything together on the aroma.

Taste- The flavors of this one were better than the 1st two parts of the beer. It had more smooth and rich malts with a good amount of chocolate and roast flavors. Slightly bitter and earthy due to the use of the figs. A good amount of flavors combined to be better than the parts.

Mouth- A semi-medium body with a medium creamy carbonation. A bit more smoothness that I was thinking due to the flavors and the nose but still good none the less. A lot of fig remained on the finish for me.

Drink- I will rate this as a 4. Solid but not what I was hoping when I shelled out the $$ for this one. I might have to track another bottle down to sit on to see if it comes together like the others I have had.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 01:15:43 | More by FosterJM

champ103

Texas

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at Hay Merchant in Houston.

A: Pours an opaque black color. A one finger beige head forms and sticks around for a minute. Rings of sticky lace are left behind. This is a looker.
S: Up front is an amazing aroma of stone fruits. Cherries, plums, figs. Dark chocolate covered cherries that are slightly tart. Then comes the rest of the porter. Toasted malt, some coffee, baked bread and biscuits. Awesome.
T: Follows the nose with a big stone fruit flavor up front. Cherries, plums, figs. Chocolate and coffee. Roasted malt, toasted bread and biscuit. A bit of solvent alcohol that takes away from the nuances just a bit. Otherwise, very enjoyable.
M/D: A full body and good carbonation. Crisp, but smooth and creamy at the same time. So easy an enjoyable to drink. The alcohol is noticeable, but minor. I can sip on this all day.

I was a bit disappointed with last years version, but this is awesome. Something I really enjoy and recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

08-08-2012 01:36:17 | More by champ103

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

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber courtesy of Levon15, enjoyed at a bottle-share at NEBCO. Reviewed from notes.

A: Black body, brown highlights, and a finger of fine tan head. All right retention, good lace. Nice.

S: Huge licorice, dark chocolate, and dark fruits. More fruity than roasty. Very interesting.

T: A bit of chocolate up front, followed by a hint of licorice and finished with gigantic fig flavors. Super sweet and fruity, very tasty.

M: Rich, creamy, well-carbonated. Perfect.

O: Distinctive and delicious. The figs in particular really stood out, and did a nice job balancing the bitter licorice notes. Very glad I got to try it.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2013 02:45:27 | More by woosterbill

flagmantho

Washington

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 22oz bomber into a tulip.

Appearance: completely black with nothing allowed around the edges. Head is two fingers of frothy dark-tan foam with good retention. A nice lace is left on the glass as the head slowly dissipates. Great.

Smell: rich, sweet malt with a deep and complex character. Black but not bitter roasted and chocolatey aromas combine with dates, plums and wood to create a wonderful bouquet. This type of thing strongly appeals to my palate.

Taste: same rich, complex malt as the aroma with a big wallop of alcohol right up front. This fades into an ashy roastiness with a strong bitterness at the finish. The wood character contributes to dryness, although this is still a very sweet beer. I would say that despite its strength and sweetness, it is remarkably balanced. What a good beer.

Mouthfeel: big body with a good carbonation and creaminess. I was expecting more silky smoothness here; it is good, but not as great as I feel it could be.

Overall: this is a very good beer, although it is not necessarily the best in its (admittedly outstanding) class. A sipping beer, not a quaffing one, but good nonetheless. Can't wait to try XXV.

Serving type: bottle

12-01-2012 02:29:22 | More by flagmantho

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

maximum12

Minnesota

3.13/5  rDev -26.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Deschutes. The true Beer of Kings. My cellar would be a lot lighter - a ton lighter - if I didn't have so many damn Deschutes bombers weighing down the shelves. Latest in a storied line, 22 oz. waxed bottle split with my wife.

Pour is glossy black. A bit heady. Nose is less full frontal than expected. Roasty, sweet malt, & a different sweetness that I'm going attribute to the figs. But bad, but I'm not drooling (well, at least in anticipation).

Black Butte XXIV is a fig-bomb - words I never thought I'd type or say or think. There's so much fig I'm pretty sure I'm going to have them growing in my intestines within a week. Black fruit. Wickedly sweet; hard on the border of too much sweetness, even for me. Roast manages to punch through, barely. Chocolate, thick enough to be molasses. The mouthfeel is the high. Splitting the bomber is enough to make me want to check my glucose level. Yeesh.

Disappointed. This is pretty decent, but it's a far cry from the glory of past Black Buttes. Going to hold on to the other bottles I bought & hope it improves with age, but with the sweetness, I'm not optimistic.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 04:07:09 | More by maximum12