Helsinki Portteri
Suomenlinnan Panimo

L- Pitch black with a ring of tan bubbles.
S- Roasty-toasty
T- Charred wood, hoppy-dry, dark and dry.
F- Quite deep and toasty. A clear hoppy-dry aspect
O- Pleasant enough. A dry porter with enough guts to hang together.
Reviewed in Helsinki in October-2024, IIRC from the Pien Shop. Lable notes that it includes 4 hop varieties, barley and oats. Bb: 28/08/2025. 500ml bottle.

Brown with light passing along the edge. Quick, large-bubbled head that dissipates quickly. It leaves only an occasional spot or two on the glass.

A bit boozy with very light brown bread background. A bit chalky.

The flavor starts with a bit of black patent malt bitterness, like a baby stout. Fairly smooth body but not too rich. Moderate carbonation. There finish is dry and tastes like cocoa.

 

March 2003: On tap at the brewpub, which is situated in a listed building at the former Swedish (later Russian and Finnish) military island stronghold Sveaborg (since 1918 Suomenlinna) near Helsinki - now a UNESCO world heritage site. As I had this porter after the good Coyet Ale, my expectations were high (which normally, as in this case, leads to disappointment). Good to moderate head, pitch black. Coffee aroma with hints of fruit. Strangely sweet and fruity flavour. Some roast bitterness in the aftertaste.

From a can purchased at the brewery. Black with an inch of brown foamy head. Smells of roasted malt and raisin. Full bodied. Roasted malt, sweet raisin, and an earthy bitter finish. Great porter, sweeter than some

Dark brown brew with a beige head in the tumbler. Sudsy and lushly carbonated for a full mouthfeel. If this is a Baltic Porter, it’s as good as I’ve had. Interesting musty and grainy aroma. Complex flavors of cocoa, roasted malt, and a hint of charred barley. From the 500 ml can purchased at Stockman’s grocery department.

Reviewed from notes taken at a bar in Helsinki in Summer 2014:

HEAD: Silky soft looking gorgeous khaki colour head. ~6+ minute retention. Boasts good creaminess and thickness to its impressive consistency. Light lacing clings to the sides of the glass as the head recedes. In short, it's spot-on for a porter.

BODY: Opaque solid jet black. No yeast/lees are visible within. Looks nice for a porter, but it isn't unique or special within the style.

AROMA: Lactose sugar, dark malt sweetness, creaminess, chocolate malts.

An inviting aroma of average strength. There's room for more complexity.

TEXTURE: Smooth, wet, creamy, soft, well-carbonated, of apt thickness, and medium-bodied. Complements the taste quite well.

TASTE: Chocolate specialty malt, dark malt sweetness, creaminess, and a kiss of lactose sugar. No individual flavour dominates; it's a cohesively constructed brew with an even balance of each constituent note.

Average flavour duration and intensity. Above average depth of flaovur.

Not a gestalt harmonious whole of a beer, but it does come together nicely in spite of its lack of real intricacy or nuance.

I find no overt hoppy, yeasty, or off-notes. It's not a boozy beer.

Has some limited subtlety to its execution (e.g. the lactose sugar). I like it.

OVERALL: Damn drinkable. It's a very well balanced porter and I find it quite enjoyable. It's a likable beer in the style, nailing the fundamentals thereof, but it doesn't try for anything unique or special beyond hitting the style's conventions. A great go-to porter for Finns, and well worth trying for anyone who comes across it.

High B- (3.50) / WORTHY

 

 

Pitch black liquid, low brown head. No lacing.

Light smell. Liquorice, coffee, roasted malts.

The taste is thick and black. Roasted malts, creamy coffee and salt liquorice. Full body. The aftertaste is salty with dark chocolate and even more liquorice. Ling roasted dry finish.

The carbonation is strong; the mid-sized bubbles long-lived. The liquid is a bit harsh.

A pleasant Baltic porter, much more drinkable than the 7-9 % versions.

 

 

 

Ahh. drinking a Baltic Porter brewed on an island in the Baltic Sea.

Served almost black with a very slight light red hue and a nice light tan head. Very smooth and easy to drink. A touch of roasty, but not too strong. Very well balanced. A great porter worth checking out on your trip to Suomenlinna.