Buckwheat Invocation
Pühaste Brewery

 

Pours a pitch-black coloration with a small, frothy, mocha-colored head. Smells of roasted, caramel malt, coffee, chocolate and lighter notes of licorice, tobacco and earthy spice. Taste follows the nose, with a great balance of roasted, sweet'ish caramel malt, chocolate and coffee, as well as lighter notes of licorice, tobacco, earthy spice and just a hint of floral/herbal hops as well. Finishes with a medium bitterness and some roasted malt, coffee and earthy spice lingering in the aftertaste. Full mouthfeel with a medium/rich body and medium carbonation.

Quite a nice porter that may be just a tad too sweet for my personal taste, but is balanced quite nicely by some rather roasted, bitter notes as well, with a good chocolate and coffee presence making up the main body of this and lighter notes of licorice, tobacco, earthy spice and floral/herbal hops adding to the complexity, although personally I could have done without that slightly floral note. Still a rather well-balanced Porter all in all, with a good complexity and interesting interplay of flavors. I don't usually like using the descriptor "umami", but it may well be justified here.