Black Butte XXIV - Deschutes Brewery

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

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

Totally opaque blackish brown pour. Two finger creamy tan head. Slowly drops to thin ring leaving decent lacing for the abv.

Slight alcohol, figs, dates, cinnamon, dark chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar, burnt coffee and some dark toast.

Dark stone fruits, black coffee, bittersweet chocolate, burnt toast, vanilla and a sweet finish.

Medium body, high carbonation helps clean the palate.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 02:05:32 | More by korguy123

brother_kenneth

Virginia

4.1/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22ox bottle, wax-over cap - poured into snifter glass.

A - Poured brownish black, with small amount of tan head. Nice lacing.

S - Very complex. I noticed holiday spices, dark fruit, chocolate, and really big sweetness. The figs and dates are very noticeable. This smells incredible!

T - Again, super complex! It is very sugary sweet. Lots of dark fruit. There is a presence of chocolate, molasses, and oak with notes of spice and banana. High on alcohol, but not really boozy. This is much sweeter than I expected, but the finish is relatively bitter. Barrel aging had to be involved (oak perhaps?).

M - Body is smooth and silky. Light on carbonation. Kind of syrupy, which works well.

O - From now on, this beer is what I will think of when I hear the words “imperial porter.” It is really intense! It was one of the most complex beers I have ever tasted. Would love to get another bottle to put away. This would do very well with age. In fact, Deschutes recommends drinking after July, 2013. Great now, probably even better later!

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 15:26:04 | More by brother_kenneth

kojevergas

California

3.98/5  rDev -7%
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

TheSevenDuffs

Ontario (Canada)

4.08/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Best AFTER 7/23/13. Poured in to tulip glass.

A - Poured dark brown and settled almost black. Half a finger of mocha coloured head formed on the pour and reduced to a thin layer. Good lacing.

S - Roast and cocoa aromas up front accompany a fairly big sweetness. Some caramel, brown sugar, dark fruit and fig notes present as well.

T - Very sweet, as the nose indicated. The roast profile is fairly robust and is complimented by dark caramel, cocoa, dates, figs and raisin flavours. The bark roasted malts return in the finish with a touch of char that lingers on the tongue. The dates and figs add more sweetness than flavour.

M - Medium body with a good chew. Light carbonation.

O - Very good, on the cusp of being great. Maybe waiting until the best after date will produce an even better beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 18:46:22 | More by TheSevenDuffs

stxSS07

Illinois

4.08/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into a snifter. Best after 7/23/13? Nahhhh...

A- Pours a dark brown. Close to black, but not quite there. 1/4 of head sticks around and leaves some great lacing on the glass. Definitely getting some alcohol legs as well. Damn fine looking beer. 4.5

S- HUGE dark fruit notes. Smells like a Fig Newton. Roasted malts (coffee-ish), and a pretty sizable amount of sweetness...sugary malt mostly, but some vanilla as well. Booze really comes out as the beer warms. 4

T- Again, holy date/fig. Waves of dark fruits right at the front followed by big forward chocolate. Mid-palate, malty, vanilla-like sweetness mixes with the roasty notes found in the nose. Echos of sugary dates and chocolate swirl with a bit of alcohol heat/flavor towards the end. Fantastic tasting beer.

M- Surprisingly viscous. I thought I remembered other iterations of this being a bit thin, but this is full on chewy. Light carbonation helps keep it from feeling syrupy. Very well done here. 4.5

O- Well done Deschutes. I was hoping the anniversary series would turn around after the 1st-tee duff that was XXIII. My 2nd favorite behind XXI.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 01:23:13 | More by stxSS07

hardy008

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours dark black with a 3 finger dark tan head with good retention and lacing. The aroma has dark roasted malt, chocolate, dates, and figs. Smells like it should have a good amount of sweetness, balanced by dark roasted malt.

Tastes like chocolate, dark roasted malt, dates, and figs. Sweeter than I expected, with less dark roasted malt, which is a plus. Sometimes dark roasted malt leaves a charred flavor. Thankfully, that is a problem here.

Medium to full bodied with above average carbonation. Creamy, and the alcohol is somewhat noticeable, but not over the top. This is a very nice beer, and I recommend it highly, if you get a chance to try it.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 00:53:39 | More by hardy008

Arbitrator

California

4.68/5  rDev +9.3%
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

mattsander

Alberta (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Jet black with a thin wing of deep amber edge. Few minutes lasting beige fluffy head, beauty of a beer.

S: Milk chocolate, fudgy licorice, big background fruitiness of dates. Brown sugar. Very delicious, some booze.

T: Bittersweet chocolate and spice, booze, black licorice, robust and complex dark fruits.

M: Full bodied with a dry and boozy finish. I think this beer will improve with age, I wish I had saved my bottle for a year or two.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 18:05:23 | More by mattsander

Ford

Texas

4.85/5  rDev +13.3%
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

Hoptometrist

Oregon

4.48/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Served on tap into a nonic glass at Sixteen Tons Cafe

A- Poured black with a nice frothy chocolate milk colored head that left lots of chunky lace. Exactly what a big stout should like like

S- Well this is interesting. It smells like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, crust and all. Toasted coconut, cocoa, and vanilla notes are present too

T- Lots of milk chocolate, ginger, jammy dark fruits, vanilla, some light toasted coconut, raisins, and cinnamon. Some alcohol taste. Really complex and well balanced stout

M-Very smooth and creamy, silky mouthfeel, slightly chewy, finishes dry, lots of warming. Drinks like a big warming stout should

O- This is an outstanding and complex imperial porter with lots of Christmas Ale spices. Not sure if this is barrel aged but it tastes like it has lots of barrel character with the coconut and vanilla notes.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2012 04:47:44 | More by Hoptometrist

Bendurgin

Maine

3.85/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Shared by Andy. Poured into a tulip. This one pours a dark brown with no head.

The aroma has a lot of dark fruit like figs and plumbs with some hints of cocoa in the background. Mostly fruity though. Boozy dark bitter chocolate on the pallet with hints of coffee. A bit toned down on the fruit on the pallet but it lingers in the background.

The body is full and silky with soft carbonation. Overall this one is pretty tasty. Pretty unique.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 04:36:12 | More by Bendurgin

andrewinski1

Maine

3.75/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks Derek! Poured into a tulip. There isn't much of a head; there are a few medium tan bubbles. The body is pitch black.

There is a lot of chocolate in the aroma. Notes of vanilla are aided by the malt sweetness.

The taste has a lot of roasted barley character in the finish that hint at some coffee flavor. The start of the beer is more fruity and hints at some port-like characteristics. The finish is very bitter and lasts a while. The flavor is strong, and intense.

This is full bodied with sharp carbonation.

This tastes good, but the flavors are a bit harsh in some points. Maybe it is best to listen to that best after date.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 04:08:39 | More by andrewinski1

ESPNman

California

4.58/5  rDev +7%
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

Dope

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Dark brown, not quite black oddly enough. Big dense light brown head. Fades nice and slow, leaving magnificent lacework behind. Great head retention.

S: Well, the bottle says it's brewed with figs and dates. And the aroma certainly confirms this. Mild char and chocolate from the roasted malt mixes in as well.

T: Dates and figs are strong up front. SUPER strong bitter dark chocolate arrives and buries the fruitiness. Middle is all dark chocolate with maybe a hint of char. Long bitter dark chocolate aftertaste.

M: Heavy and very very creamy. Wonderful mouthfeel.

O: Excellent porter. Nice sweet dark fruits and then a transition to pure bitter chocolate. Like drinking melted baker's chocolate. Great flavors and strong contrast to boot.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 03:03:29 | More by Dope

Papabear55

3.63/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a 10 oz snifter

A:Dark black with a little light around the edges.

S:Maybe a bit of chocolate but mostly to me it smells of dark fruits.

T:Sweet throughout and much more coffee/chocolate notes than in the nose.

M:Slick residue leftover after a few sips. Has a medium body but maybe I was thinking it would be thicker due to its color and type.

O:Reminded me of Southern Tier's Creme Brulee but this beer was executed much better. If I had to put this beer in a category I would label it an Imperial Milk Stout even if it doesn't have lactose sugars in it. This was a good beer but felt like it was missing something I couldn't quite figure out while drinking it.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 02:21:58 | More by Papabear55

rlee1390

Indiana

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-Deep black in the glass, brown when pouring, two finger off white head.

S-Chocolate coffee, oak, molasses, roasted malt, vanilla.

T-Good deal of chocolate, coffee as well. Roasted notes, vanilla, dark chocolate, mild bitterness.

M-Medium bodied, some carbonation and smooth.

O-Not as good as last years but still a tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 23:28:54 | More by rlee1390

Bitterbill

Wyoming

4.35/5  rDev +1.6%
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

Gavage

New Jersey

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
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

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

4.2/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours nearly opaque black with a one-ish finger brown head that dissipated pretty quickly and left thin, whispy lacing.

Nose is dark baker's chocolate, figs, plums, burnt and roasted malts, a little earthiness.

Tastes like a RIS more so than a porter, at least to me. Tons of cocoa and unsweetened dark baker's chocolate. Not very much sweetness at all. Fruity flavors, all dark, figs, dates, prunes, and maybe some molasses and brown sugar. Very strong burnt and roasted malt flavors. Perhaps a little bit of burn from the alcohol, reminiscent of bourbon. Hop bitterness on the finish is more than expected.

Body is very thick and chewy, followed by a warming and a burnt malt, syrupy molasses finish. Carbonation is pretty light.

Very complex and delicious. Not something I'd like to drink everyday, but good for an afternoon of chilling out on an unseasonably cold October day.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 18:14:46 | More by AlCaponeJunior

Blackwolf

4.5/5  rDev +5.1%
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

Zorro

California

3.98/5  rDev -7%
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

videofrog

Texas

4.63/5  rDev +8.2%
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

PHSCAPT

Pennsylvania

4.73/5  rDev +10.5%
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

spoony

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From a 22 oz bottle into a 10 oz snifter.

A-The beer poured dark, dark brown...I wouldn't quite call it black. There was a skimpy milk chocolate colored head that died almost immediately into a thin collar. A touch of lacing was left on the glass.

S-Dark fruit like plums, dates, and raisins. Also a pretty serious dose of chocolate with a slightly nutty character that I couldn't pin down. I also got a hint of black licorice. Alcohol was really well integrated.

T-Lovely chocolate (lighter chocolate, almost milky) up front with lots of dark fruit. Then a nice caramel and molasses flavor takes over through the finish. There was just a hint of hoppy bitterness and, surprisingly, very little heat from the alcohol.

M-This beer was pretty syrupy and definitely on the heavier side of things. There was a small amount of carbonation.

O-A nicely done porter with a concentrated and complex flavor. I really liked how well the alcohol was integrated into the brew. Also, a really nice balance of dark fruit sweetness with roasted chocolatey bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 00:31:49 | More by spoony

Phelps

Arizona

4/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed in a snifter at World of Beer.

Deep black, with no hint of light anywhere. An inch of sandy tan head is sticky and rocky. Tangled spatters of lace.

Lots of licorice in the nose. Behind is softer, sweeter cocoa, dark chocolate, toasted oak and bourbony vanilla, caramel and coconut.

Nice and sweet. Licorice and some smoke up front, savory. As soon as you swallow, sweet dates, chocolate syrup, toasted oak. A hefty burnt bitterness settles in to the sides of the tongue after each sip. Vanilla bean, dates, chocolate syrup, a splash of bourbon with accompanying heat. Much better as it warms and sweetens.

Thick, velvety body. Viscous. Medium-full with mild, electric carbonation. A meal.

As it warms, there are perhaps a little too much dark fruits. Almost tangy. Very good before the swallow, if that makes sense. Letting it sit in the mourh brings out the best parts: the smoke, the bourbon. Time will improve it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-02-2012 16:59:13 | More by Phelps