Baltic Porter
John Harvard's Brewery & Ale House

 

 

I'm assuming this is the same as the JÛRATÉ (Baltic Porter)?

A - Quite dark, pretty much no head, and a light lace that dies out very quickly.

S - Roasty, malty, bitter, and slight coffee notes.

T - Roasted bitter chocolate, a tad boozy, some dried fruit flavors on the back end, maybe prune. Also just like the smell, there is a little coffee on the back end.

M - A little light, a little too flat even though it's a porter, and not all that smooth honestly.

O - The roastyness of the beer is nice, it's just too light and flat in taste.

Had on tap at John Harvard's in Smithaven, NY. Served in a pint glass.

Look: dark body but not quite black. Some brown is in there and red highlights are apparent even before you hold it to the light. Thin, one finger coffee with milk colored head with a little retention. A bit of lacing hugs the glass but not a whole lot.

Smell: coffee forward, hints of chocolate, alcohol soaked dark fruits, and burnt malt.

Taste: follows the nose. Coffee is the most forward flavor I get with some hints of dark chocolate, the dark fruits, and a bit of astringency from the roasted malt. The alcohol isn't as forward as it normally is in baltic porters but its there.

Feel: medium bodied, a bit of alcohol bite, moderate to low carbonation, and a little creaminess. One of the better mouthfeels for a baltic porter that I've had.

Drink: I went slow with this one and I think that's inevitable given the style, but I didn't find this to be very drinkable and wouldn't have ordered a second pint.

Overall, a surprisingly decent beer from John Harvard's. They are picking it up lately, so it seems. This is one of the better baltic porters I've had, which is a style I am realizing I am not a huge fan of. This is worth a try if you happen to be at the brewpub.