Black Butte XXXVII
Deschutes Brewery

12oz bottle purchased online from Deschutes
Poured into a Sunriver Brewing Belgian-style tulip

P black w/ just about 1f of khaki head; med-quick recession; very little lace
N med to med-bold; tequila and citrus combine with dark fruit; cocoa undertones; diminishes a bit as it warms; inviting though
T follows nose w/ tequila and citrus on the tip of the tongue throughout, with dark fruits, roast, and smooth, sweet cocoa to supplement; light-med heat; roast lingers in the aftertaste; really nice profile
Mf light-med bodied w/ a smooth finish; med to med-high carb prickles the tongue
O well done- another winner in the Black Butte Anniversary series; happy I grabbed a couple 4-packs of it!

Review date: 03.22.26
Bottle date: 2025

 

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle dated 6-10-25 into a snifter at 55 degrees.

Look- Black, medium brown sudsy head, opaque, above average head retention and lacing.

Smell- Cocoa, orange, tequila, high strength of scent.

Taste- Cocoa, blanco tequila, vodka, orange, highly boozy, high strength of flavor.

Feel- Between medium and full body, average carbonation, highly creamy, highly bitter, moderately sweet, highly boozy, highly mouth warming, mildly mouth coating.

Overall- The appearance was almost perfect highlighted by black color with above average head retention and lacing. The aromatics were strong and not unpleasant, but the cocoa and tequila didn’t blend well together. The flavors also didn’t mesh well. The barrel character came off as a bottom shelf blanco tequila mixed with vodka with no oak notes present. The alcohol had a sharp edge not covered or complemented by the cocoa and orange. The mouthfeel was great with a high amount of mouth warming property, a robust nearly full body and a high amount of creaminess. Overall, the beer was technically sound, but the aromatics didn’t come together cohesively, and the flavor was dominated by a sharp, mixed liquor character that overwhelmed the rest of the profile.

Pours an effervescent mahogany/cola color with a pinky of mocha colored head. Average-ish head retention & good lacing

S: Barrel notes, cocoa, tequila notes, a little bit of leafy hops once warmed up

T: Follows the nose, pretty dry, some lime notes, a little vanilla as well up front. Tequila barrel twang, dark chocolate, vanilla, a hint of char & some treacle, cinnamon, coffee & sarsaparilla notes as this beer warms up. Tequilla, lime, cocoa & a little orange, vanilla cream, plus dryness in the finish

MF: Fairly chewy body, dialed back carbonation, warming. Carbonation picks up once closer to room temperature

A lot going on here, a really enjoyable sipper

Smooth yet punchy, with notes of orange peel and chocolate. I’m assuming it’s the tequila barrel that gives it a fiery finish. Excellent beer for the holidays.

 

 

 

12oz bottled 06/10/25 poured into a tulip glass at fridge temp 12.9% ABV. The beer pours pitch black with a hint of brown when back-lit. The head is medium brown in color and settles to an uneven ring & island. The aroma is mild with chocolate, orange and a hint of wooden barrel. The taste is bittersweet roasted malt up front with the chocolate, orange, barrel and lactose coming through in stages. Moderately bitter. The feel is medium plus bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, very good. I was nervous about the tequila barrel, but the tequila is subdued by the adjuncts with the end result quite tasty.

12 oz. Bottle
PACKAGED ON: 06/10/25

Poured into a Westy glass a very nice dark brown/black color, very nice carbonation, with a very nice thick/creamy one-finger tan head, which leaves a huge oil slick, and some very nice sticky lacing. The nose is very nice, malty, hoppy, with some very nice chocolate/toffee, pretty nice coffee, orange, vanilla, some oakyness, very nice tequila, licorice. The taste is very nice, malty, hoppy, chocolate/toffee, coffee, orange, vanilla, with some very nice oak/tequila, licorice. Full body, ABV is hidden very very well. Overall, a very nice brew, a very nice sipper, very tasty!

This one’s interesting. The look is what you’d expect for a Black Butte anniversary release, opaque black without a lot of head. The taste makes it unique though, with strong orange peel to go along with the rich stout flavors. I know it’s aged in tequila barrels, and I definitely taste clear alcohol, but it tastes more like vodka to me. Not a bad thing, just my perception.

Always looking forward to this release every year. Poured very dark with a small head. Hints of chocolate (or toffee), orange, and maybe tequila. The 12.9% adds to the fun.

12oz bottle. Poured out an opaque, jet-black color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It left thin lacing. It smelled of roasted malt, chocolate, toffee and tequila. Nice barrel taste with dark chocolate, vanilla and hints of tequila.