On June 27th, 2009, Deschutes Brewery turns 21. To celebrate, the craft brewery is releasing a limited batch of Black Butte XXI, which is a doubled-up, barrel-aged version of the brewery’s flagship ale, Black Butte Porter.

“It may seem a little unusual to release a dark, heavy beer in the middle of the summer, but to us, it was only fitting,” said Gary Fish, founder of Deschutes Brewery. “After all, the company has thrived for 20 years, largely on the back of Black Butte Porter.”

Building on Black Butte XX’s Success
Last summer, Deschutes released Black Butte XX for its 20th Anniversary and received a spectacular response. Building on the existing chocolate notes already present in Black Butte Porter, brewers added Theo’s Chocolate cocoa nibs from Seattle, dry-hopped it with 100 pounds of Bellatazza’s locally roasted coffee, and then aged a portion of it in Stranahan’s Colorado whiskey barrels.

Fish said, “Black Butte Porter in general has a lot of chocolate notes to it. To physically add chocolate, and then add coffee, is a home-run.”

Still, Deschutes Brewmaster Larry Sidor wasn’t satisfied. “Last year’s batch had a fleeting coffee note to it,” he explained. “It was quite nice, but we wanted it to stick around longer. ”

Black Butte XXI’s Availability
Black Butte XXI will be available on tap and in wax-dipped 22-ounce bottles starting Saturday, June 27. Craft beer lovers in Oregon can join the official keg-tapping and 21st birthday party at Deschutes’ Pubs in Bend and Portland from 12:00 noon to 10:00 p.m.

Food Pairing:
The brewery team recommends pairing Black Butte XXI with flank steak and chimichurri sauce, strong bleu cheeses, crème brulée or cherries jubilee.

Beer Geek Info:
11% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
55 International Bitterness Units (IBUs)

Cellaring and Tasting Notes:

• Cellaring recommended.
• Best served at 50-55 degrees (not quite room temperature).
• Very complex with high viscosity and multiple layers of flavor.

About Deschutes Brewery
Located in beautiful Bend, Oregon, Deschutes Brewery overlooks the wild and scenic Deschutes River. It also brews an impressive collection of award-winning craft beers. Starting as a local brew pub in downtown Bend in 1988, Deschutes Brewery now sells beer across the western U.S. and recently opened a second public house in Portland, Oregon’s Pearl District. Deschutes Brewery’s craft beers range from local favorites Mirror Pond Pale Ale and Black Butte Porter to adventurous brews like Hop Trip and The Abyss. For more information about Deschutes Brewery, please visit http://www.DeschutesBrewery.com.