Zywiec Porter
Zywiec Breweries PLC (Heineken)

1/18/25 - (Bottle - Home) (Chicago, IL) Bottle Notes: Purchased a single bottle on January 17, 2025 at the Shop and Save on Nagle for $2.48 including tax. Sold refrigerated and kept at home before opening this afternoon. 16.9 oz., 9.5% ABV. Best before 11/13/2025, believe this was bottled 11/14/2023 based on the L3318616B1237 code (First 3 2023, 318th day). Original recipe of Zywiec Brewery, brewed exclusively in Zywiec Brewery. Original Zywiec Porter with thick creamy foam, Brewed since 1881. Zywiec Baltic Porter owes its intense color and distinctive taste to four types of malt. Tastes best at the temperature of 48-52 degrees Fahrenheit. Brewed by Grupa Zywiec, Zywiec, Poland. Imported by Amtec International, Brooklyn, New York.

Appearance: Poured about 2/3 of the bottle into a shaker pint glass, yielding a generous dark tan bubbly head which lingers for a few minutes before leaving substantial soapy lacing and a creamy cover over a dark chestnut brown near black base. Fine creamy bubbles provide a thick ring around the rim. Looks very good. 4.25

Aroma: Let this sit for about 20 minuets to reach estimated proper temperature. Nice malty dark and bakers chocolate blend, some mild coffee notes, strength of aroma medium plus. Enjoying. 3.75

Taste: Consistent with aroma, though a bit milder. Bitter dry bakers chocolate, pumpernickel, lightly roasted coffee and caramel is the yield after letting this sit (was just a tight chocolate range with initial cold sip). Let this warm and enjoy the bounty. 4.0

Mouthfeel: Dry and bitter, drinks easier at first than approaches the strong 9.5% ABV. Balanced between the sweet flavors and bitter dark roast coffee and bittering hops. Enjoyable blend and chocolate caramel finish. 4.5

Overall: This has been brewed since 1881, and can see why. A very solid enjoyable Baltic Porter. This packs a punch as it catches up with you, and is providing a very enjoyable weekend drinking experience. Glad for the Baltic Porter tasting and finally getting around to enjoying this selection. 4.25

 

A 500ml bottle into a stemless snifter.
Ample head with high clarity and a collar that produces some light lacing. A fairly robust Porter at 9.5%.
Roasted malt on the nose and palate. Caramelized malt dominates. Robust, creamy and substantial roasted flavors are very enjoyable. Notes of vanilla, molasses add interest.

A somewhat complex and interesting Porter that is very satisfying.

A - A dark body, deep brown, toward black, with some transparency around the edge and opacity in the center. The head is light tan, pretty quick to fade, and minimal lacing.

S - Strong hits of malty sweetness and alcohol warmth, licorice and chocolate highlights. A bit sharp, honestly, but with a lot of interesting notes.

T - Very direct malt core, roasted, with vanilla and dark bread predominating, strengthening doughy bread and molasses in the middle, and a sharper bitter bite of roasted malts, suggesting a bit of char smokiness, over alcohol warmth in the finish.

M - Moderate weight for the ABV, very strong carbonation for the style, alcohol warmth, and a lingering prickliness in the finish.

O - A big burly brew, with a lot of great flavor. The feel is a bit sharp, and so I cannot imagine adding this into the regular rotation, but I am glad I picked one up.

Smells like licorice, sherry, dried grape...ooh ho... This is not what I expect in a porter or even a Baltic parlor which I have scored another in this style very high

Taste:
It's very sweet... It's quite oxidized... I think these are off flavors And if they're intentionally just don't fit my palate... The taste is Quite busy... This is the fourth porter I've had today and this is one is the least Delicious according to my pallet...

Feel: is very heavy...9.5%. feels very burdensome.. Baltic Porter? hmm This one Is very heavy... I'm at 48° and I'm waiting for it to open up I'm afraid it might be a shit show When it does and I need to check the date, I keep tasting these oxidative notes that are not what I expect... maybe in a stout at an imperial level. I loved third space Baltic Porter... And I now understand as far as Baltic porters go they can be greatly different.... To me this isn't beer.... It's more of a barley wine which is not even good wine to me... Not what I expected... I poured More than 16 oz down the drain... This was not enjoyable for me

A dark pour leaves minimal off white head. Smells is roasty and sweet with a bit of licorice. Taste follows, with hints of coffee. It's remarkably smooth for the ABV. Only a touch of heat. A very fine porter I'm glad I tried.

Surprisingly smooth at 9.5% abv. Still lots of apples, just like their standard lager. Coffee and chocolate with red fruits resembling cherry and raspberry. Bit of molasses. Fresh spring water minerals. Comparable to Samuel Smith Imperial Stout. This is a bit better.

 

 

 

 

 

Międzyzdroje 20/7 2019. 50 cl bottle from Restaurant La Spezia. Black and golden label. A big Crown and the year 1881 in gold on Black background.

Pours clear opaque dark brown with a big light beige head. Settles as 4 cm thick layer of foam covering the surface of the beer. Crawling up the sides of the glass. Substantial lacing.

Aroma is medium intense, dark and sweet. Caramel, brown sugar, dry Tobacco, coffee, dark chocolate. Sour notes and hints of lightly roasted malts.

Light carbonation. Medium thick, soft, oily, creamy texture.

Flavor is heavy sweet followed by a medium coffee bitterness. Aftertaste is sweetish with a strong bitter twist. Lingering. Light Alcoholic burn.

Robust, creamy, solid porter with a healthy ABV.

Pours a dark brown with a 1/2F tan head and light lacing.

Smells and tastes of toasted malt, coffee and dark chocolate with a lightly bitter, boozy warm finish.

Medium heavy body with light carbonation. Lush syrupy mouthfeel.

This one is a sleeper. I didn't know what to expect but this brew is surprisingly good. Bitter and sweet while not overdoing either. No problem with getting it again.

 

One of the few beers I buy by the case. Poured into a glass tankard is my preference. Purchased at Binny'y, Rockford, IL, USA

Don't remember where or when I had this beer but gave it an excellent rating. Think I may have gotten it at TW&M.