Cultivating Mass
Breakside Brewery - SE Taproom

 

 

2020 vintage, purchased at the Slabtown location.

Jet black with a thin, brown head that falls off to a ring rapidly, this looks solid. The nose is rich and savory with soy, a rich port like oxidation, a moderate bourbon, a rich dark fruit from the base Baltic porter, dark dates, dark raisins, rich, medium dark chocolate, a little earthy honey.

The palate opens rich but balanced, with caramel, toffee, medium dark chocolate, cocoa all pairing well with the dark fruit. The extended time in barrels lends an oxidative flavor that is remarkably well integrated into the beer, with a soft, dark soy sauce note, savory and umami rich, amplifying the fruit notes really harmoniously. Fruity on the finish with lingering oak and bourbon. A touch overcarbonated, this doesn't work with the flavor or the medium full body. Quite excellent.

 

Pitch black body with a thick light brown collar, surface and spotted lacing. Huge rustic wood, black strap molasses, licorice, bourbon, brown sugar, and a touch of tobacco. Taste is liquid bourbon barrel, I can taste the wood so much I think I got a splinter, huge licorice, bourbon, black strap molasses, and tobacco. Feel is barrel molded, woody and very boozy, yet has that robust malt work of the style. Amazing baltic, would be perfect in the heart of winter

 

What a disappointment! The 2020 vintage did not live up to the hype. Mediocre at best.
Purchased on Tavour, waste of hard earned cash.

750ML bottle split with my wife, only my second sip of Breakside.

Black with a teeny, tiny persistent head. Nose is light: malt, barrel.

Cultivating Mass is less than the sum of its parts a la Kim Kardashian and Tyler Austin. Just glanced down the reviews & I don’t get it – this is about as standard a beer as I can imagine. Nice malts, slight smokiness, touch of black & white pepper. The barrel hits the back of the throat as a mild burn rather than a taste (24 months – really?) that adds a severe note of booze. Strong oaky finish. Big & smooth, an 11 oz. pour is just fine.

Eh. In a world brimming with big barrel-aged stouts & porters, ya gotta move the needle more than this. Decent enough.

 

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a short beige colored head that left a collar around the edge of the glass and a small patch of bubbles on the surface.
S: Moderate aromas of brown sugars, sweet spices, and oak are present in the nose.
T: The taste is nearly a mirror image to the taste and has additional notes of bourbon.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. There are some hints of warming from the alcohol in the taste.
O: This beer isn't overly alcoholic and has interesting, spicy flavors of bourbon. It is quite easy to drink considering its strength.

Serving type: can

 

 

Fantastic bourbon flavor with a complex but clean dark malt backbone. I like how smooth the lagering makes the overall feel. The 12oz format helps keep things manageable. Really impressed with all the barrel-aged beers I’ve had from Breakside.

Impressive Baltic porter. The barrel aged nature does hide some of the nature flavours of a Baltic porter but this is boozy but very smooth at the same time.

Very dark chestnut brown, appearing black, with a moderate dark tan head. Head has average retention and leaves spotty lacing. Aroma is bourbon and toffee. Taste is immediately bourbon, then notes of brown sugar or molasses. Mouthfeel is smooth and silky, but slightly hot. Finish is slightly tannic from the oak barrels.

 

3-8

 

 

Bottle:
Pours thin and quite black. I didn't go too strong on the pour but tried to get a little aggressive near the end. A thin dark tan to brown cap formed. It didn't build up, but it didn't leave, either. There's early sheets for lacing, half of which slides back into the dark folds.

Nose has a deep fudgey note with a somewhat sweet tobacco bourbon barrel edge to it. There's a little tang of a dark black cherry cordial with the chocolate background. The bourbon barrel was a little more prominent when I first sniffed it, but it's more integrated as I start analyzing.

Ah - the bourbon and barrel do make its way into the taste. A Baltic porter does seem to be a vehicle to show off the barrel. There's a little light molasses flavor without the thickness and an unsweetened birch beer note to open. I think the booze may be bringing some bite that gives the soda root impression. That booze comes next more in flavor than heat, as that stays at a moderately low level. A white raisin or currant taste provides a tang before that fudge note from the nose catches up. Vanilla and fudge with perhaps something mildly akin to hazelnut alights the back of the taste. The medium thin feel has a little excitement from carbonation early, but becomes a little more creamy as it warms and flattens.

This beer is quite good, and I am impressed. The lighter base beer adds an interesting nuance, but is a tad bit different for a BA beer. It seemed to play equal partners with the barrel aspects more than being accented by the aging process. That worked for it more earlier in the glass, but I did have a couple sips on a warmer beer where I wanted the porter to carry its weight more. Minor issues - I'd easily buy a few 4-packs of these to drink and share.