A•W18 One-Off Baltic Porter
Cloudwater Brew Co.

i am fairly certain that this is the baltic porter that was on when we visited their beer mile location, but i see another baltic porter listed here that looks like a different beer, so hopefully i have it right based on the other one being retired and this one being current. the beer is on the richer side for the style, near black and with some sweetness and grain heft to the body, but the cold fermentation and lager yeast can also be tasted and felt in here, so it sort of gives the drinker the best of both worlds. nice head on it from the tap, and big notes of licorice and wet tobacco in the nose, brown sugar and molasses too, with the bready lager yeast coming through the roasted grain pretty well. oddly low alcohol for the style, and i think i kind of miss what it usually adds here. the flavor is really kind of sticky and big, far more substantial and structurally intense than its modest abv would suggest, black licorice, rum raisin, prune, dark chocolate, and burnt sugar sweetness. the lager yeast though comes on more and more towards the finish, and this oddly doesnt have the linger and palate coating permanence that i thought it would when i first sipped it. still well short of crisp or anything, huge bodied for sure and rich, but the fermentation profile is awesome. these guys are doing some awesome beers, and this robust and traditional baltic porter was a treat to drink on!

Pours a very dark brown, with massive, thick head.

Smell is roasty with notes of dark malt, chocolate and hints of leather and cured meat.

Taste is roasty with a bit of sweetness upfront. Notes of dark malt, chocolate, cured meat and dried fruit. Mild bitterness, and quite warming.

Mouthfeel is medium and creamy, well carbonated.

Overall, a great Batic porter with more body than the ABV would suggest.