Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Beer: Deschutes Black Butte Porter
Brewery Location: Bend, OR
Beer Style: Porter
Serving Style: Bottle
ABV: 5.5%


This is another beer that I traded for. Deschutes is making some incredible beer, and is considered a top regional brewer in the country. They even have several beers that beer snobs and geeks alike would love to get their hands on. One in particular called "The Abyss" is only released once a year and is considered one of the very best beers in the world according to Ratebeer and BeerAdvocate.

The porter style is something I've only come around to in the last year or so, and particularly this winter I've been getting more into good porters. The porter is falling out of favor in the UK, but American brewers have taken off with the style. Porters are a close cousin of stouts, but stouts will have a much more pronounced roasted barley character and that is one of the main style differences.

Pours a dark mahogany and slight ruby accents with with a bubbly two finger tan head that left moderate lacing on the walls of my glass. Good toasted malt and roasted grain dominate the nose. The taste matches the nose quite well. Very strong on the roasted malt and hop flavor with coffee and bitter chocolate making their way onto the back of your palate. It has a very dry finish that is slightly sweet at the end. The mouthfeel is the winner on this beer for me. Silky smooth texture that borders almost creamy. This is a great drinking porter that is just overall a great beer.

I really enjoyed this beer. This isn't a big porter, but that isn't always what is called for. The body on this beer is still my favorite aspect of it. Overall just a great example of the style. Not tops in the category, but a great example none-the-less.

Cheers!
Matt