Old Standbys: Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Everybody has old standbys. You know, that beverage or the place around the corner that no matter your mood or the occasion always sound great. They may not be your absolute favorite nor critically acclaimed, but they always hit the spot and are easily obtainable. We tend to ignore our standbys and keep them to ourselves, but no longer. In part one of an infinite part series that I just now made up, we at West Toast will occasionally take a moment to share with you some of our own standbys that deserve mention.

When I think old standbys, nothing embodies that more for me than Deschutes' Black Butte Porter. This black, creamy porter is packed with hues of coffee and chocolate that almost always hit the spot. It stands up on its own as a session beer and just as easily pairs with pretty much anything. At 5.2%, it's a dark and complex beer you can drink all night without hitting the floor after three. Deschutes describes it as follows:

With a dark beer as our first and flagship brand, Black Butte defined Deschutes as a radical player. A slight hop bitterness up front enhances the distinctive chocolate and roasted finish. It’s prized for its creamy mouthfeel and intense complex flavors.

When thinking about Black Butte Porter, I can't help recall it being a part of some really great memories. It's also responsible for a few lapses in memory, but those were fun as well. Here are just a few highlights off the top of my head:

• It's the first drink I ordered on my 21st birthday. My friend Cole bought it for me and it was magical.


• When I studied abroad in Korea, it was the first beer I had when I returned home. After drinking cheap Korean lagers such as Hite and Cass/OB for half a year, Black Butte Porter tasted like a koala crapping a rainbow in my mouth. To this day, no single beer has ever tasted so great.


• When working in Corvallis one Summer, Josh and Dominique had just returned from a lengthy camp retreat and I decided to great them when they got home with take and bake pizza and Black Butte Porter. While that part isn't quite exciting, the memorable part is that not only did I get to meet Dominique, but that night laid the foundation for what eventually became Death Pot Pie (our Rock Band band, duh). We also all magically woke up with no hang over. No idea how that happened.


• Unrelated to the last story, I watched Josh break a bone in his hand while trying to open a bottle of one on the side of a desk. Good times.


• Finally, our friend Gordon once used it to create his own iced coffee drink. The recipe? Ice, 1/2 old coffee, 1/2 Black Butte Porter. The verdict? Haven't had one since.

Does Deschutes make better beers than Black Butte Porter? Of course, but none of those are as affordable, easily obtainable, nor versatile as Black Butte Porter. It's the beer I grab when nothing else seems to stand out and I'll always take one when offered. So here's to you, Black Butte Porter, and to all the great times still to come.