Baltic Porter
Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

Black. Dark black. Ink black. Impenetrable, pretty much. Not much of a head, slim ring of cocoa...I saw it look bigger in a snifter at the bar. Since that's how most folks will enjoy it, I can't knock it for being so small in my particular pour from a growler I picked up 3 days ago.

Heavy aroma. Roast coffee, maple, anise, ...very dry. Quite nice, but could be better.

Big, thick mouthfeel, but still supple, and in it's own way, smooth and slick. Sturdy presence on the palate, but maybe a bit simplistic in the flavors it delivers. I could use more variety and more forward flavors. Besides that, very solid, very big in the body, I don't complain there, certainly not a weak-kneed, pencil-necked wannabe Baltic Porter, this is a hearty one, indeed. Boards the palate assertively, leaves dry and roasty, slightly fruity, then clean.

ABV is somewhere in the 7-something percentile, one the low end for the style.
Actually, near the end of glass #1, more flavor reveals itself. Makes me wonder how I'll like it in another minute...is it getting better as it warms? Hmmm...
I'm gonna go watch something on youtube and come back in a minute or 5...

damn, can you waste time on that site! I started watching videos of Afro-beat master Fela Kuti and ended up peeping spoofs of Tickle Me Elmo for some reason...sheesh!

But the beer did get better, especially as I got toasted-ier...um...yeah...so, I kncoked the "taste" number up...it's working...no problem there...

(Served in an American pint glass)
6.5% ABV
A- This beer has a black inky body with a thin tan head that pools in the middle of the glass. The body is too dense to see any signs of carbonation.

S- This beer has a soft slightly sweet dark black malt smell with a hint of tar to it.

T- This beer has a sweet black malt flavor with a soft tar flavor that gives the malt an earthy quality. There is a slight bitterness in the finish that tastes more from the malt than hops.

M- This beer has a medium-full mouthfeel with a slight sweet finish with no alcohol heat noted.

D- This beer is pretty dense and heavy but it doesn't have the complexity to make it interesting. It would be nice to have some more alcohol to lighten up the mouthfeel in this beer.

The Baltic Porter was the January Brewer’s special. Served in an oversized mug, the beer is dark brown with a fairly dense tan head.

The nose is of dark fruits, molasses, and slightly smoky malts.

The taste is loaded with raisins, plum and toasted dark bread flavors. The beer is slightly sweet as expected. The finish is dry with a bit of molasses and smoke.

I thought the mouth was a trifle thin, but this was an easy enough drinker. I had it for desert after my meal. I can recommend a pint or two of this one!