Smuttynose Baltic Porter
Smuttynose Brewing Company

2.8/5  rDev -34.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

2013 vintage; drank 2/6/15 @ Yuss Haus.

Dark brown appearance.

Dark tan head; minimal lace.

Tart cherry & mild booze heat nose.

Medium thick, creamy mouthfeel.

Bakers chocolate & cream of wheat flavors up front; pickle juice & mild booze heat on the finish.

Sadly, as this warmed the pickle juice took over. Not very good.

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4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Bottle Conditioned - May 2015.

Pours pitch black and oily. Thin tan head dissipates steadily leaving just a thin ring of mocha colored foam along the outside of the beer. Beer appears thick and viscous when poured.

Aroma has notes of cocoa, dark fruits, roasted malts, and molasses. Very nice aroma albeit somewhat subdued - however that is to be expected given the age of this bottle.

Taste is quite smoky with notes of roasted and smoked malts, molasses, chocolate, and dark fruits. Incredibly complex array of flavors. Not a ton of hops here, but again, not unexpected given the age of this bottle. The smokiness here really is quite lovely. No bitterness is left on the finish.

Feel is thick with a nice heft to it. Semi-dry finish. Light vibrant carbonation.

Overall this is a lovely beer and the age on this has done nothing but wonders.

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4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle marked "bottle conditioned Mar. 2015 ABV 9%" poured into a Smuttynose pint glass at fridge temp. The beer pours very dense, dark brown with a little bit of light brown head. The head recedes to a paper thin coating with a sheet of lacing working down the glass as consumed. The aroma is dark charred malt and a little bakers dark chocolate. The taste is roasty malts up front, then a little tangy flavor & maybe a little dark fruit, finishing with a big semisweet chocolate finale. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied, well carbonated with a wet, yet uncloying finish. Overall, very good. I had cellered this bottle since 2015 and it makes me sad this is not available locally anymore. Recommended.

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4.01/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

L — For a porter, pours a very dark brown with a two-finger light brown head produced with aerated pour. Minimal retention and some lacing
S — Molasses, barley malts, bakers chocolate, stonefruits, and a touch of smoke and bacon
T — Leads with a good amount of dark chocolate, well-roasted barley malts, and smoke. Followed by hints of dark roast coffee, molasses, and candied prune
F — Moderately thick, silky mouthfeel. Medium carb. Restrained bitterness on the finish
O — Reminds me a lot of Smutty’s Robust Porter, although a little more intense. Somewhat surprised that this is currently BeerAdvocate’s highest rated beer in New Hampshire since it’s pretty nondescript overall (although still well put together!)

81/100

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3.69/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

From a 355ml bottle served slightly chilled at 17 degrees Celsius into a snifter. Best by date: 5.10.2018 – I've had the bottle for 10+ months.

Look: The beer pours an opaque dark brown with 2cm of dense, mocha head that quickly fades (1+ min) into a partial film on top of the beer. Poor lacing and poor overall head which can very likely be attributed to aging and the high ABV.

Smell: Strong and sweet. Roasted malts dominate the aroma with noticeable dark fruit, and a faint alcohol note. Coffee and black licorice are also present. An unfortunate wet cardboard note has developed.

Taste: Strong and bitter. Roasted malts with black licorice and a hint of smoke. Slightly herbal and a medicinal character. Definitely gone stale with some papery flavour and a metallic finish.

Feel: Full body with mild carbonation. Slick and smooth with a mildly too strong of an astringency (most likely from aging). Restrained and smooth alcohol warming.

Overall: A definitive sipper with a deep dark malt character, considerable bitterness, and pleasant warming from the alcohol. I've had this beer before and I know I love it. Unfortunately the aging did a number on it and the review reflects that. I'm looking forward to the next fresh sample and scoring the brew higher.

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4.38/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Not very experienced in porters, however this is my favorite by far... Very well balanced, jet black in appearance. I get chocolate, coffee, raisins, and even toffee in the taste. Extremely smooth and easy drinking. I will definitely keep picking this up when I see it. Extremely reasonable too...

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3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Bottle - decants jet black, defies light getting through the glass - smallish tan cap forms surface lace. Aroma of dried fig-dates, roasted grain char and whispers of sweet burnt treacle. Medium- heavy bodied, slick mouthfeel. Flavor has firm Baltic Porter characteristics - roasty, plenty of roast grain body, dried dark fruit tones, some smoke, licorice notes, burnt treacle...long wet finish dries up a bit with some bittering and roast astringency - a very decent American dry Baltic - nice for sipping or pairing up with some shell fish.

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4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was poured into an English pint glass. The appearance was a pure dark jet black pour. A slight one and a half finger white to off white foamy head dissipated within less than a minute. Lacing just quickly slides into the beer. The smell starts off with sweet rich dark chocolate with a nice leading edge of some dark fruits coming in lightly to keep it sweet. Light bitter and roasty coffee beans show some nice balance to boot in the aroma. The taste follows through in the previously noted aromas. The lager yeast helps a tad little bit of breadiness to make a smooth transition to the aftertaste and give off a sly little bit of semi-sweet sticky little bit of a finish. On the palate, this one sat about a medium in body with a good sessionability about it. Carbonation runs really light causing a big stickiness to develop and surround my tongue. Overall, I say this was a really nice Baltic Porter, maybe I just could have had it at the right time too. It really aged nicely!

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4.83/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Pours a very rich looking brown, with a half finger of tan head that leaves a decent lacing. The aroma is rich roasted malt, molasses/brown sugar, slight alcohol, baker's chocolate, black licorice, and mild java. Flavor is really nice and rich. Big chocolate and molasses, mild coffee, toffee, and I want to say black licorice again. That's what comes to mind. No alcohol hit in the flavor. The feel is luxurious. Thick and full bodied, medium full carbonation, sticky, but drying on the finish. Really suits me, on every level for an imperial porter. Excellent!

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4.17/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12 oz bottle, best before 6/19/2017.

Pours very dark brown (almost black) and opaque with a very small tan head that shows poor retention. Fantastic aroma filled with raisin, caramel, chocolate and roasted malt. The raisin/fruitiness aspect of this beer is strong and really comes out in the flavor. There is a bit of a vinous quality to it as well. It has a lot in common with an Imperial Stout, but it's so smooth and there's no sign of hops. Medium-full bodied and beyond easy to drink for the 9% ABV. Another winner from Smuttynose. The only thing I would change is to increase the carbonation, but it's a damn good beer regardless.

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4.34/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

Dark black with a small tan head. Tastes and smells of bitter dark chocolate and coffee with some sweetness. Hop bitterness is somewhat present as well. The mouthfeel is amazing, right where it should be. This is probably the best porter that I have yet to try.

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4.36/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25

This thick, chewy, toasty and bitter char ending beer is magnificent. The aromas of coffee, bitter dark chocolate and roasted malt are transformed into flavors on your tongue when the beer is tasted. This is really a fine porter.

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4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Smooth smooth smooth beer. The most impressive aspect of this beer is the mouthfeel, especially for a beer of this size, but all the component parts are very impressive as well. Black pour with a brown, frothy, tightly packed cap. Aroma of smoke, char, burnt wood, roasted malt, dark fruit. Dates, raisins, prunes hits the palate first followed by a rich, thick, velvety malt that brings those flavors of chocolate, smoke and char back to the fore. Delicious beer. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel that lingers for a bit on the palate. Nice balanced sweetness/smokiness/bitterness ends the sip. Great beer.

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4.57/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours thick and opaque black with a smallish tan head. The aroma is of christmas pudding, plum, tobacco and roasty malt notes. Rich chocolate and espresso roast coffee notes show in the taste. Very rich yet drier than most Baltic Porters. Thick, viscous mouthfeel with light carbonation. Off dry in the finish with lingering fruity berry notes and light hop bitterness. Booze is well concealed throughout.

This is a fantastic, complex and ridiculously drinkable Baltic Porter. A classic of the style that may even appeal to people who generally don’t like porters and stouts.

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4.71/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

Exceptional beer. I'll definitely be buying this one again!

Look - almost pitch black with almost no head. Pretty much Looks like coffee in a glass.

Aroma - lots of coffee and hints of dark chocolate

Taste - amazing. A lot of maltiness upfront. I'm getting coffee, chocolate and caramel. Doesn't have too much of that burnt taste that I'm not very fond of.

Feel - suuuuuper smooth. Has just enough feel to it without being too syrupy. I love the feel on this one.

Overall - amazing beer for sure and I'll be buying this one whenever I feel like drinking a porter that I know is good. Would be nice if it had a little more carbonation but asking for perfection isn't always reasonless. If it's available for you, get it!

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4.47/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

355 ml bottle served at cellar temperature into a pint glass. Purchased a 4 pack from the LCBO for about $13 CDN. so $3.25 CDN per bottle. Best before October 2018. This rendition advertised at 9.0% ABV.

Appearance - Very dark brown beer, appears black in the glass. Capped by a half finger of surprisingly long lasting deep tan head (with near red hues). Some lacing and obviously no sightlines.

Smell - Dark, with chocolate, hints of coffee, molasses, dark fruit, licorice among others. Plenty malty with a diverse aray of aromas. Inviting, robust and downright impressive. Not many beers can lure you in to enjoying like this Baltic porter can.

Taste - Again dark and malt forward. Dark chocolate and coffee are the first friends, but molasses and black licorice show up in spades too. Hints of vanilla and plenty of hop bitterness to keep it balanced.

Mouthfeel - Smooth and silky yet full and robust. Carbonation is just right. A masterpiece.

Overall - A pretty sensation baltic porter that is easy drinking, filling yet smooth and super tasty hitting all the right flavors for this advocate. Certainly worth a try and so happy I was able to grab the last 4 pack on the shelf. Smuttynose to this point has been very good but hasn't blown me away in my limited samplings, however the baltic porter is phenomenal and I finally see what others do in this renowned New England beermaker.

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4.56/5  rDev +6.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

12 oz bottle from a 4-pack purchased at the LCBO, listed at 9.0%. Best by Oct 5 2018 and served slightly chilled.

Pours a jet black hue that seems utterly impenetrable to the light, while situated atop is one finger of foamy, deep tan-coloured head. It recedes steadily, dissipating entirely within 4-5 minutes or so; in its wake, a modest-sized collar remains, but with scant lacing. Lovely aroma - I'm getting plenty of dark chocolate, cocoa and coffee, accompanied by minor notes of molasses, licorice, raisins and prunes. Some alcohol fumes, particularly as the glass warms, with suggestions of vanilla and charred wood.

Downright delicious... there's just no other way to describe this exquisite porter's rich flavour profile. Dark malts are (unsurprisingly) the stars of the show, providing flavours of baker's chocolate, coffee grounds and cocoa that integrate beautifully with fruity hints of raisins and dates and a mild molasses sweetness. It becomes much more roasty and bitter on the back end, with charry-burnt notes alongside some earthy, herbal hops and a touch of anise/licorice. Hint of alcohol at the finish, which nicely complements the hops and burnt/roasted malt character (which itself fades slowly, reverberating through a persistent aftertaste). This full-bodied porter features mild carbonation that gently scrubs the palate, with the overall mouthfeel being quite smooth, soft and luxurious. The high alcohol content is masterfully tempered - making this a dangerously drinkable beer if there ever was one. I could have easily plowed through the 4-pack in a night, but this is the sort of beer that begs to be savoured slowly.

Final Grade: 4.56, an outstanding A+. This fantastic Baltic Porter is yet another feather that Smuttynose can proudly stick into their already plumage-laden cap. Bold-flavoured, yet quite well-balanced, and absurdly easy to drink. A true world-class brew that I am grateful to have had the chance to try - I'm hoping this becomes a regularly-stocked beer in Ontario, as I'd definitely like to pick up some more of this in the future. A must-try, gold-standard example of the style that is worth going out of your way for.

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4.6/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours what appears to be a garnet hued, very dark brown when held to the light. The pour produces a short finger of frothy, shortlived, deep mocha head that recedes to a surface film & thin collar ring, leaving no lace. Aroma is deeply roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, raisin, prune, fig, alcohol, burnt bread with hints of smoke, tart cherry & something grape-like. Taste is roast with dark chocolate & burnt bread tones, notes of dark fruit, molasses/toffee, anise, an earthy mustiness & a faint herbal hint. I pick up the Lager yeast only in the finish. Smooth, sweet start transitions to a drying, delicate peppery feel in the finish, precipitating a very dry, burnt chocolate & faintly bitter, chalky aftertaste. Mouthfeel is medium-heavy bodied, light-moderate carbonation, smooth fronted, chewy, silky & creamy with a grainy finish & somewhat tongue numbing aftertaste. Super nice, very intriguing & much appreciated, well done Smuttynose!

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3.7/5  rDev -13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Superspak for this one from NBS BIF #4. 12oz bottle poured into 10oz goblet. Poured a solid black with just a thin cap of tan head that immediately dissipated and left no lacing.

Big malt tones on the nose, some caramel, vanilla, and general sweetness. Pretty similar on the tongue, with the addition of a bit of alcohol on the finish.

The body was smooth, even, and had a slight creamy finish. Drinkability was very good, especially on a windy, rainy, November morning in the PNW. Overall, a very good take on the style, worth seeking out.

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4.05/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Pours black with a two finger high, brown head.

Nose: Roasted caramel malt, chocolate, coffee, brown sugar, fudge, cocoa and licorice.
Taste: Sweet licorice, caramel, brown sugar, dark syrup, vanilla, espresso, roasted malt, anis and smoke.
Mouth: Medium to full body. Medium carbonation. Creamy, smooth texture. Sweet ending.

GREAT!

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4.44/5  rDev +4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottled May 2015, tasted August 2016
L - Deep dark stouty looking with a full finger of foam that lasts well into the tasting
S - Coffe and chocolate
T - Divine, smooth and complex. Cocoa and coffee, great malt backbone and some sort of fruit that smooths it out.
F - Silky smooth with a great carbonated finish that makes the flavors explode
O - Not too difficult to run across this one in New England so please pick it up and try it. World class.

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4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a tulip glass.

A: Blackish brown with a tan one finger head that lingered and settled down to bubbly foam. Thick lacing.

S: Anise, prunes, dark chocolate, cocoa nibs. Divine.

T: A cascade of chocolate and cocoa surrounded by anise, leather, roastiness and very light bitter finish. So freakin' smooth and dangerously drinkable.

M: Medium with creamy medium carbonation. Goes down so easy.

O: Truly one of the classics in Baltic porters. I could drink this one weekly. Smutty gets your attention with this one.

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3.5/5  rDev -18%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a dark brown color with tan colored head. Coffee, roasted malts, and some dark fruit on the nose; follows onto the palate. Medium bodied. Finishes with plenty of roast and some nice sweet dark fruit tones.

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4.42/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Part of the mixed 12 pack. Brewed with North American 2-Row, Munich 10L, Caramunich, Carahell, Carafa II DH, hopped with Sterling.
OG=22P, 9% ABV, 40 IBU. Bottle conditioned May 2015 per the bottle.

Pours out to a jet black, forming a nice espresso crema very dark cocoa head with beautiful retention and lacing. Carbonation is moderate, ~2.5 carbs or so. The nose is gorgeous, and smells just a great baltic porter should...prune juice, soy sauce, raisins, dark chocolate, a clean ferment, no off aromas. Mouthfeel is creamy, soft, smooth, silky and dense bodied. The taste is a recap of the aroma...lots of prunes and soy sauce, a clean ferment, mild bitterness, and a touch of roast. A flourish of peppery alcohol towards the end and some herbaceous hops do stand out, unusual for the style.

A wonderful example of the style...a bit more hop flavor and body and booze than most blatic porters, but still quite good. Recommended.

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4.25/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had the pleasure of being poured a 2013 at the brewery.

Solid black, verging into the realm of purple, with a thin, mocha ring.

Smell is strong, roasty malt, raisin, and chocolate.

Taste starts really tangy, with roasted, slightly smokey malt, baker's chocolate, floral fresh cigar, and raisin.

This has a really soft and frothy mouthfeel.

Downright velvety and delicious.

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