Cellar Series: Evening Colours
Põhjala Brewery & Tap Room

 

Poured into a Fremont small snifter. Pours a very dark mahogany brown, appearing opaque in the glass with a thin, dark khaki head that dissipates to patches with light lacing. Aroma of dark toasted malt, Port, wood, light caramel and dried plum. Flavor is dark toasted malt, Port and red wine, oak, light tannin, cocoa, dates and dried plums; mildly sweet. Medium bodied with moderate creaminess. An unusual Baltic porter with strong Port and wine character; the latter is almost exactly split between a red wine and a dry Port. Underneath is a rich Baltic porter with nice dark fruit notes and some woody oak from the barrels. Wine is one of my less favorite additives to stout, but I'm usually OK with Port and sherry flavors; this one leans a bit too far into red wine territory, but the overall full, complex flavors won me over. I do not miss a chance for a Baltic porter from the heart of Baltics.

Poured at 53.4°; black with gray edges; fizzy dark tan head vanished immediately leaving nothing; some tiny spots of lace with agitation; thick legs on swirl. Port wine and red currant nose. Taste follows with plum, oak and tobacco; weak chocolate as beer warmed. Medium minus body; light carbonation; no warmth from ABV; light silky feel. Layers of flavors; more barrel in base, but delicious nevertheless.

 

 

A beer so good that it'll have you tasting in color. At least that's what the brewery of Pohjala expects when they wrap their imperial Baltic porter around the flavors of tawny port barrels.

The result is a clever spin on barrel aged beer as the robust porter pours a luscious dark brown, easily taken for stout. As a dainty creme of froth swirls around the margins of the glass, a bold, savory and spicy scent of heavy toast, cocoa, coffee, and tangy red wine all begin to rise. Its first sip is sweet with dark chocolate, dark roast coffee, honey and toast. Dark fruit nuances follow with date, fig, raisin and date with a savory taste of port and sherry to tie them all together. Bitter from woodsy hops and oaken nuance, the finish comes with coffee and pipe tobacco for extra measure.

Full bodied, drying toward finish and savory throughout, the session seems like an after dinner digestive woven together from coffee, cocoa, dry sherry and English bitters- a clever combination indeed.

 

Bottle from Canarias Brew Las Ramblas, served at home in a snifter.
Black colour, beige head with short retention, one finger lacing that lasts for a good while.
Aroma of Wine, wood, cocoa, tobacco, tea leaves? dark fruits.
Full body, sticky texture, falt carbonation. Sweet finish.
Taste of wine, chocolate, plums, tobacco, some vanilla, tea again, coffee, wood.
I love Põhjala.