King Neptune
Threshold Brewing and Blending

16oz can from Brewers Haven. Dark brown pour, initial towering head settles down to a persistent filmy layer. Boozy aroma, whiskey, chocolate. Taste begins with the whiskey barrel, strong, bitter, then sweetness, roasty bitterness, licorice. Some bitterness lingers along with a good amount of residual heat.

16-ounce can purchased at John's Marketplace in Beaverton, OR. Date stamp reads "CANNED ON 09/30/25". Enjoyed in an English tulip-style half-pint glass.

Look:
This red-brown beer sports ruby highlights and a thick head of dense light brown foam pockmarked with larger bubbles. The head doesn't last long, but it produces lovely tan lacing.

Smell:
The nose is a delightful combo of malted milk balls, caramel, raisins, prunes, a splash of coffee, and really well integrated whiskey barrel character.

Taste:
As good as the nose is, the flavor is even better. Milk chocolate and whiskey make a superbly smooth intro that's satisfyingly sweet. Caramel follows, then gives way to chewy dried fruit (mostly raisin with some fig and prune). The beer dries out in the finish, with roasted malt and mild coffee notes coming forward. There's also a breath of black licorice and an intriguing hint of something woody and spicy. Whiskey makes a well-timed appearance at the end.

Feel:
The body feels light for a 10% porter, but the texture is silky. The carbonation and alcohol warmth provide a gentle counterpoint.

Overall:
King Neptune is the best beer I've had from Threshold by a margin best measured in parsecs. It's everything I want from a Baltic porter: flavors of chocolate, caramel, and an abundance of rich fruit, with sweetness up front and a drying finish. The whiskey barrel character fits beautifully. It could use a fuller body, but that's a minor point which doesn't diminish how surprisingly good this beer is.