Baltic Porter
Dirigo Brewing Company

Pint can - no date - poured into a fancy pils glass at 38°F.

Pours a deep rosewood brown, sitting almost ebony in the glass, topped with a two finger cap of foamy tan head with fair retention - no lacing. If positioned right, plentiful effervescence is visible.

Nose: Bittersweet roasted malts lend notes of chocolate, toffee, caramel, and malted milk balls in typical porter fashion. Beneath this roasty base, some brighter notes emerge, lending black currant, strawberry, and plum. There's some fruity lager yeast with hints of pear, apple, and orchard fruit, with just a hint of lemon and some spicy hops underneath it all.

Palate: The beer opens up with a bold flavourful greeting. The roasted malts lead the way, with a pretty good amount of initial sweetness, lots of nutty notes, baker's chocolate, caramel, malted milk, and toffee. Nearly at the sane time, there is a punchy brightness that almost leans tart - but stays just shy. This brightness is fruity with slight acidity - bringing currant, raspberry, plum, raisin, and even some lemon. Some subtle fruity esters also emerge. Oddly, these bright notes cut through and pair nicely with the rich sweeter malts. A lager-like minerality cuts right through that richness, and some very subdued herbal bittering hops set the finish up, which sees the brightness push out the sweetness, then the roast push out the brightness, and ultimately concludes with a gently blackened malt note.

Mouthfeel/Body: The beer is medium-bodied, and very crisp. The ABV, roasted malts, and sweetness lend heft and body, but the veer still retains crisp lager elements, remaining about as crisp and drinkable as any dry Irish stout, but with more flavour. Effervescence coarse and adequate, minimal stickiness around the lips, and finishes with drying roast.

Overall: Here's the thing... How many people actively seek out Baltic porters? Not too many. It's an obscure, and often overlooked and underappreciated style. If you enjoy Baltic porters, you'll be right at home with this one. A great small scale local effort.

 

 

Poured into grip shaped goblet: color is dark brown/black, no color or light coming through. Head is tan with fine bubbles and presented nearly 2 inches thick of the pour which seemed to be a temperature adjustment to the glass, head settled quickly to 1/4 inch top with some lacing on the glass.

Smell is lightly sweet, some chocolate, some roast, lightly molasses and toffee notes.

Taste is similar with sweet malt, some chocolate, some roast, light deeper sweet malt notes of molasses, light bitterness, no real hop character.

Mouthfeel is moderate with a light sweetness and fairly smooth initial finish, but the lingering presence seems draw up on the tongue - maybe this is the strength and the drying of the alcohol but seems a bit less smooth than some other stronger baltic porters.

Overall - presentation, aroma, and flavor are very good, with a slightly drying mouthfeel, still a good strong porter in the baltic porters style.

 

 

 

Poured a dark opaque chocolate black color in a Stone Snifter with a 4 F head. Very nice looking beer.

Moderate aroma- light roasted malt anlight coffee.

Lighter body. Good for the style.

Excellent taste. Deep chocolate, roasted malt with a crisp bitterness.

I really like this beer and the approach. Jack’s Abby is leader in the style. This is very different.
More roasted malt, less subtle, good bitterness, and very drinkable.

 

 

10 oz pour on tap into tulip glass.

A: Small soapy big bubbles off white head. Body is a dark brown almost black body with some light escaping the edges.

S: Roasted malts, some dark chocolate, a little alcohol maybe some light licorice. A light candied malts smell.

T: Sweet some roasted grains a good bit of dark chocolate mostly just sweet.

M: Thin a little watery carbonation is very subdued.

O: Not a very complex beer mostly just sweet. The beer needs a touch more body and a little more flavor. The alcohol that was hinted at in the nose is not present in the flavor.

 

Pours a deep brown with crimson highlights, two finger tan/off white head with great retention, nice lacing.

Aromas of roasty smoky malt, toffee, slight bakers chocolate, caramel, and coffee.

Tastes of big roasted malt, dark chocolate, dates, toffee, caramel, some raisin/prune. Light sweetness. Little piney hop and char bitterness lingers.

Medium bodied, decent carbonation, dry finish, alcohol is nicely hidden.

This is a real porter. It's dry, roasty, light hop presence, and light passes through it. Good old roasty deliciousness.