Smuttynose Baltic Porter | Smuttynose Brewing Company

4.44/5  rDev +4.5%
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 +1.9%
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 -17.6%
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 +4%
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%
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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4.28/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle, a touch bitter on the first sip but I had sampled an agave based wine.
Smooth feel on the tongue, the toffee and caramel come through. What a great porter; one I'll drink again

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4.19/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A - Pours dark brown with a one finger tan head.

S - Aroma is roasted malts, coffee and dark chocolate.

T - The flavor is roasted malts, coffee, dark chocolate, molasses and some faint dark fruits.

M - Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Soft creamy mouthfeel with a dry finish.

O - This is a great higher ABV porter. Definetly recommended.

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4.02/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2008 Edition on tap at Sehkraft in Arlington, VA.

An unexpected pleasure to find a 2008 on tap. 4

A - Deep dark black with a small brownish head. 4
S - Rich, sweet, roasty, quite lushish. 4.5
T - A bit on the sweet side, but a very good porter. 3.75
MF - Smooth, viscous, almost syrupy. Medium heavy body. 4

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4.71/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

I just recently started getting into porters and trying to find my perfect one. First time I had this it was on draft and man, was it a good tasting porter. Smooth and creamy with a hint of sweet toffee, caramel taste with a smooth finish. Because of this I will be trying the rest of Smuttynose's beers.

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4.21/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On draught. Poured a dark dark brown with no light coming through (but it was a dark bar ). Thin beige head and minimal but sticky lace. A nice molasses-coffee-toffee-malt aroma and this all came through in the taste along with raisins, rum and a hint of lemon. Medium to full bodied but without the syrupy and boozy quality that some Baltic/Russian porters sometimes have. Higher on the alcohol but this does not come through too much in the taste during or after. Yum...

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4.1/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Just a top-notch porter. Mild on the carbonation, but an almost perfect texture. Full bodied flavor that doesn't have the common porter emptiness to it.

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4.68/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

L:
-pours the darkest of brown with no light coming through and a small,foamy,khaki head
S:
-coffee,chocolate,nutty,licorice,syrupy,burnt toast
T:
-Rum Pralines,chocolate,toasty,coffee,molasses,nutty,nougat
F:
-medium carbonation
-full body
O:
Awesome stuff

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4.16/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Picked up a four pack from TW Arrowhead in early January for $9.99. Bottled in May 2015.

Beer poured dark brown with an OK tan head that dissipated quickly.

Nose has hints of licorice, light roast, and mocha.

Taste is lightly roasted malts, licorice, light chocolate all balanced nicely by a decent amount of hops to keep the sweetness at bay.

Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied and very smooth.

Overall a very nice beer that i look forward to visiting again soon!

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4.8/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

First "5" I've given. If you, like me, are looking for alternative to too many jumped-the-shark IPAs, and like RIS or stout in general...your prayers are answered.

Poured near-black with a tight, dense military khaki head of 1/2 inch. Massive nose of cold coffee/coffee grinds, malt, ethanol, dark chocolate, and a gelatto-like cappucino foam. Reminds me of the scotch ales of yesteryear.

Definitely not a session beer, but there's nothing wrong with that. You'll want to savor every bit of this.

Paired with brats and horseradish sauce. Wow.

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3.95/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Look - Unlike others, mine appeared black as ink with little to no opaqueness. Creamy tan head, with light to moderate lacing.

Smell - I am mostly just getting dark malt aroma, with small hints of dark chocolate and coffee

Taste - Roasty. A little chocolate, but big coffee. Smooth alcohol flavor, considering the ABV.

Feel - Leaves a little something on your tongue. Somewhat velvety characteristics. I think I might like a little more higher volume of carb.

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4.2/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Pours a black color. 4/5 inch head of a tan color. Great retention and good lacing. Smells of sweet malt, hint of smoke, slight yeast, slight roasted malt, slight chocolate, and slight dark citrus. Fits the style of a Baltic Porter. Mouth feel is sharp and clean, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of strong sweet malt, slight chocolate, hint of dark citrus, hint of wood, hint of smoke, and slight alcohol. Overall, good appearance, body, aroma, and blend.

★ 472 characters

4.35/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Really dark brown color, almost pitch black, dark brown head. Aroma has lots of dark fruit like dark cherries and forest berries, along roasted malt. Taste starts slight sweet, fruity, even a bit tart. Finishes with dark sugar, roasted malt and caramel. Full bodied and well carbonated. Aftertatse is bitter and roasty with coffee notes and a slight alcohol warmth. Really good overall. Usually I am not a fan of baltic porters but this one is really tasty and complex.

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3.97/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into a stemmed glass.

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown with a short tan head that recedes to a crown of film.

Aroma: Some dark fruit, some roasted malt, a little sweetness.

Taste: Nice mix of raisins, figs and roasted coffee beans. Somewhat sweet but with a nice bitter backing.

Mouthfeel: Velvety and pleasant.

Overall: Nice, big porter.

★ 368 characters

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

$ 2.89/12 oz bottle ($ 0.24/oz) at The Lager Mill, Frankenmuth, MI
Bottle dated March 2015 at 42 degrees into hand washed and dried JK snifter, allowed to warm to 55 degrees
Aroma very strong roasted malt, some coffee; weakens throughout consumption but never really vanishes
Head small (< two cm, aggressive pour), light brown, creamy with rocks, diminishing to two mm ring and rocky partial layer
Lacing poor- few small islands of tiny bubbles
Body dark brown/black, opaque
Flavor of roasted malt, some coffee, alcohol burn after swallowing; no hops, no diacetyl
Palate full, watery, soft carbonation

Appearance 4, Aroma 4.5, Flavor 4.25, Palate 4.25, Overall 4.25

★ 668 characters

4.41/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours black with a brown head. Smells like dark fruit, some spice, licorice, coffee, and roasted malt. Tastes like chocolate, dark fruits, dark coffee, roast, mild licorice, and maybe some earthy wood or oak flavor. Feels medium-full with a thick mouthfeel, creamy and smooth with mild carbonation. Overall an impressive Baltic porter. Drinks more like a barrel aged imperial stout than a porter. Rich and smooth.

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4.39/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Delicious beer
L - black with a dark tan head, similar to an IRS beer
A/T - chocolate, roasted malt, coffee - perfectly balanced
F - medium body, with a nice finish - lightly bitter and sweet

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4.2/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle BB Mar 2015. 10 oz. DFH Tulip.

Appearance: Black. Thick Tan head that lasts. Lacing is otherworldly.

Aroma: Sweet, savory roast. Peat? Smells scotchy. Licorice. Some dark, dried fruit with an earthy, meaty, smoky note. A bag of raisins in the summer sun.

Taste: Off-sweet, bitter, roasty arrival. I hesitate at describing this as "roasty" because it does not taste like a stout; it definitely tastes like a porter on steroids. High alcohol, but it remains drinkable (which, in my opinion, is the principal distinguishing feature between American porters and American stouts; porters you can have several). Hops are balanced and not overdone. Finish is remarkably clean, brief, and not overly bitter.

Mouthfeel: Lighter side of heavy. Fair carbonation. Not terribly slick.

Overall: I like Russian Imperial Stouts, and I like this, but this is decidedly different. It really is a touch lighter on the roast of the malts. Somewhat less bitter, a little sweeter, with a WAY shorter finish. Alcohol is totally hidden. Definitely 6-pack worthy. Worth a revisit.

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4.43/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I really loved this. First experience with smuttynose brewing and now I just want to have more! I don't know what it is about this beer, but it is the best Porter I have ever had. Super smooth, slight bitterness, not too sweet. Really enjoyed it. Thanks Josh!!

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2.96/5  rDev -30.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This brew pours a solid black with a thin moca head, most of which disappears quickly. There is some that remains as a collar and there is moderate lacing.

The smell is chocolate and burnt malts; though not very intense; dried raisins and some nuts.

The taste is pretty bland with some nuttyness and chocolate on the finish and not much else. There is some booze that leaks though and the mouthfeel is creamy. Sadly, I can't taste much going on here.

★ 455 characters

4.3/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Pours opaque brown-black with a thinnish tan foam cap that recedes to a thin skin without lace. Smells delicious..chocolate, figs, molasses, toffee. Taste is similar with toffee, chocolate, roasted malt, a bit of coffee, lightly sweet. Mouthfeel is creamy, medium carbonation. Body is medium-heavy. Finish is clean, roasted malt, chocolate fading. Very good porter. I've enjoyed all six of mine so far.

★ 403 characters