CB's Krysztoff
CB Craft Brewers

On tap at Stoneyard Brewing Company in Brockport, NY.

This one pours a pretty dark black, but not a super deep black, with a small head, and a little lacing.

Smells like dark fruit, port, chocolate, a little bit of roast, and some vanilla maybe.

This tastes pretty good, in comparison to other subpar CB's beers, but there's just something missing that I can't quite place my finger on, unfortunately. The dark fruit flavor is a little nice, but there's a bit of an estery stale character to it, but the malt character is still definitely nice, dark cherry, tobacco, and chocolate. I just wish this was a little bit better well rounded, but what can I do.

This is medium bodied, pretty creamy, with a moderate level of carbonation.

Nice to finally try this one, but it didn't blow me way.

 

Older bottle with 9.5% ABV, probably at least two years aged.

A: opaque, poured with nice tan colored head
S: medium nose, full roasted malt with chocolate undertones
T: full-bodied, deep roasted malt up front with cocoa midway and generous hop bitterness finish
M: very, very creamy, highly drinkable for ABV, silky smooth, very clean
O: very nice beer but bordered more on an IRS than a Baltic Porter

Appearance: Pour a murky black coffee color with an impressive head; good stickage that leaves a trail of lace

Smell: Molasses, charcoal, prune and baker's chocolate

Taste: Charcoal dominates the front, bringing a taste of over-roasted grain; in the middle, the prune, chocolate and molasses flavors arrive, adding a sweeter, fruitier dimension; in the finish, black and red licorice adds more sweetness to the profile

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate carbonation; the burnt flavors create an astringency, however; some warmth in the gullet from the ABV

Overall: Far from my favorite example of the style; find it surprising that this was the 2011 Beer of the Year according to the New York Craft Report (whatever that is - when I Google it nothing turns up by that name)

Thanks, RochesterAaron, for the opportunity

 

 

 

The beer of the year for 2011 according to the New York Cork Report!

A: Pours pitch black with about a finger of light tan head. A good amount of foamy lacing coats the sides of the glass.

S: Chocolate, roasted malt, and coffee immediately hit the nose. Raisins and just a slight smokiness linger in the background. Very nice.

T: Bitter-sweet chocolate upfront transitions to a bitter finish. A little smokiness and minerality in the finish as well. Hints of burnt coffee and toffee too.

M: Full bodied with mild carbonation. Very smooth. The 10% is hidden very well.

O: A very good baltic porter. There is very little to criticize in this beer and should certainly be sought out if you have the chance. This very well may have been one of the best beers brewed in New York in 2011.

 

 

It'd be great if I could say that CB's Krysztoff dresses the glass in lacing that looks like those traditional Baltic folk costumes - you know, the ones that look basically like full-body doilies with flowers embroidered into them - but I unfortunately cannot. I can say, however, that it has as much colour, clarity and carbonation as the Baltic Sea.

Coffee liqueur, dark cherries and just a splash of tobacco juice combine to make this aroma as definitively 'Baltic' as canned herring, funny looking letters and negligible ethnic diversity. No alcohol is noted although the bouquet does contain somewhat bourbon-esque hints of vanilla pod and smoky oak wood. The scents aren't bold, rather sharp like piano wire.

But if you think you know Krysztoff, think again. The flavour is a bit of a departure from the bouquet as it showcases more of a dark fruit character, lots of raisins, figs and prunes specifically. Snagged in a reef of black licorice, the notes of oak and vanilla bean really begin to spin their wheels; on the palate wood aging is even more imaginable.

Baltic Porters prove that lagering can temper and smooth out even the strongest, darkest, smokiest of beers - despite an alcohol content of nearly 10% this has the texture of chocolate mousse. It is soft, light and airy whilst still packing a strong punch of rich, coffee-laden grain flavour. And at one year old it is still drinking wonderfully.

CB's Krysztoff is not the least embellished or over-amplified, as American craft renditions of classic European styles often tend to be. Rather, it has a perfect likeness to those beers you'd find in places like Russia or Poland or Finland and is a modest, true representation of the style, making it an easy beer to recommend and one worth picking up again.

Reviewed from notes:

appearance: dark brown black with a 1 finger mocha head

smell: roast, coffee, chocolate, barley, malts,

taste: roast, coffee, chocolate, malts,

mouthfeel: mild carbonation, medium body,

overall: a nicely well balanced porter. never heard of this brewery but happy to give it a try. would try others.

cheers,
The CPJ

Bottle from Wegmans in Penfield,NY

A - Poured a black color with a brown head that leaves lacing behind

S - Is of roasted malts with chocolate and dark fruit scents

T - Follows the nose for the most part roasty malts with some chocolate with some dark fruit in the finish

M - This beer has a fuller body with medium carbonation to it

O - I'm generally not a huge fan of this style as they usually come off way too boozy for my liking however with this one I wouldn't guess its over 6% abv by its taste I also like that it has a fuller body to it unlike many porters and most importantly it tastes good so I would say this beer is worth getting your hands on if you have the opportunity

 

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine Issue #52 (May 2011):

Pitch black, there is no light coming through this beer at all. Beauty of a tan lace. Molasses mocha nougat with a slightly boozy edge and ripe dark fruit. Silky, creamy full body. Roasted flavors are not overly aggressive, but there is a prominent charred flavor from start to finish. Ghostlike wet-paper flavor leads to a finer port-ish character, which is more welcom- ing. Burnt raisin as the fruitiness tries to rise above the charred flavor. Toffee within. Alcohol is mellow for its size; it does warm sip after sip though. Charred drying finish, semidry. Big gentle giant that has a lot to talk about to the palate; a somewhat complex sipper here, but perhaps too mellow.

Huge thanks to DmanGTR for this brew!!

A: Deep dark black with no light coming through. The head is tan and fluffy, it settles back into itself as I swirl it in the glass.

S: It smells rich and malty with notes of melted milk chocolate, nice malty syrup smell, with raison notes and a burnt brown sugar smell. Some fruit notes, and possibly figs? Almost smells a bit like a Imperial Stout.

T: Rich and malty, with more brown sugar, roasty notes, and a nice burnt caramel flavor, accented by raisons. Big, roasty, and malty with a significant bittering charge to balance the sweetness.

M: It actually feels a little lighter than the taste would lead you to believe. It is by no means thin, but goes down very smooth. Carbonation is fine in size, the amount may be a touch high, but certainly not out of style.

O: Overall damn good. Rich and malty with a good balance and smoothness.

Bottle shared with Steve and crew. Bomber into a few tulips.

Poured a dark burgundy, almost black. Milk chocolate coloured head, some bigger bubbles sitting over this light brown head. Nose holds some milk chocolate and dark fruits, malty but not much else; nothing too complex. Taste has more of the dark fruit, and more indiscriminate chocolate qualities. Again, I feel this lacks a degree of complexity and excitement in any respect. Some alcohol and mild roastiness in the finish. Just nothing special overall, and we all agreed on this. Underwhelming.

Decent representation of the style. Black body with some heady. Good smoke aroma. Taste is significant smoke, and salty.A decent porter, not too complex. Above average mouthfeel. CB can turn it up a notch for their special one-offs. Good drinkability.
Thanks Radek.

Had this on tap at Cole's in Buffalo. I had never heard of the brewery, but I seem to love Baltic Porters so I went for it. Pours pitch black with no head at all. No lacing either. Smells of chocolate, booze, roasted malt and toffee. Flavour has some bitterness too it, not as sweet as the nose implied. Still a little bit boozy, but it is 10% alcohol. Fairly smooth mouthfeel, low carbonation level. A very nice beer.

22 oz bomber. Fresh

Appearance: Appears to be a nearly opaque black, but when held a light behind it was a deep red, beautiful. Minimal head that faded rather quickly. Not much lacing as a drank.

Smell: I could smell this bad-boy from five feet away. The aroma was dominated by upfront is dominated by a strange sweetness, and then a strong alcohol presence.

Taste: Up front it tastes just like it smells. There is a malt sweetness and booziness and I did not really enjoy, but then as the beer is swallowed and processed by my brain I picked up nice coffee and especially chocolate notes, that helped achieved a balance that would have been welcome earlier on. Alcohol certainly noticeable, maybe a little overwhelming.

Mouthfeel: I was surprised to find that this beer felt quite light in my mouth, almost watery, considering the style and alcohol. Did not leave much on the palate except maybe a slight watery sweetness.

Drinkability: As a 10% Baltic Porter served fresh out of a bomber this perfect to split among a couple friends. Not particularly drinkable, as the alcohol is quite present, and not all the flavors really worked together for me

Not a style i am all that familiar with, as it does not seem as though many breweries make Baltic Porter's but i was expecting a little more out this