Online Tasting: Baltic Porter Day (10th Edition)

Off Color Beer for Power Plays.

Light-bodied for the style but full-flavored:
Chocolate, roast, raisin, and a hint of vanilla.

Happy Baltic Porter Day!

 

Alaskan Baltic Porter This was the only Baltic Porter that I could find at either of my two favorite stores, so I'm 'one and done' for Baltic Porter Day. It's a 9.8% abv beer that is brewed with cherries, vanilla beans, brown sugar and oak chips, some or all of which I'd prefer weren't in it. It may be the oak chips that I object to the most because I think I'm tasting tannins. It's not a bad beer by any means, but I won't buy it again.

 

Although far from traditional, this one will have to suffice for BP Day..





Notes:

P - deep mahog, sm tan cap, faint spotty lacing
N - med bold jammy fruits, barrel, booze, vanilla, light roast, really nice
T drops off here just a bit (or at least since I last had it), light jammy fruitiness (berry), supported by toasted/lightly roasted malts and vanilla, some barrel char, dotted w bourbon and vinous notes, a light kiss of tartness lingers in aftertaste
Mf - light med bodied w med to med high prickly carb, fairly smooth, alcohol is there but reasonably restrained
O - profile could be just a touch bolder after the excellent nose, but undeniably solid nonetheless

Cheers, BAs! (and a big thanks to @beergoot for hosting )

 

Time to join in with another tasting from that lager brewery in Massachusetts - Jack's Abby. This is Framinghammer, currently branded as an "imperial" Baltic porter. At 10%, which puts it at the top of the ABV range listed on this site for Baltic porter. I was taking this as an "extreme" version of the style, but maybe I shouldn't, @ChicagoJ?

Anyhow, I added a little to the sauce I was using with the pork BBQ I was reheating and then poured the rest into a glass.


I got sidetracked after pouring, so it's now nearing cellar temperature. The head is obviously not at the volume shown in the picture, but there is a dark tan cap that is a few millimeters thick atop the beer still. As I sip the first few sips, a beige curtain forms on the 80% of the glass I am not sipping from.

With the very first sip or two, I was thinking there was a little sweetness to this, especially compared to Raven's Roost. I'm not noticing it as much now, but it likely is a little sweeter than the beer I had last night. There's a bit of cola in here, but otherwise it has a similar just-burnt bread crust that Raven's Roost had. There's much more of a dark roast coffee vibe overall, though. In the end, there is a little bit of ash.

Working back to the nose - I get a bit more char and roasted malt versus the aromas and flavors that said dark malt can evoke. Comparatively, the smell makes me expect a more bitter beer than I taste.

One last note, the feel on the beer is quite nice - but seems a little heavy and thick compared to other Baltic porters I have had. To me, it drinks a bit more like a stout (ale) than a typically more refreshing lager - though the fact it pushes the limit on ABV probably has the most to do with that.

 

Komes Baltic Porter



Outstanding. Nothing else to add.

 

Schell's Baltic Porter 6.5%



Light to medium roast with tinges of chocolate. Lighter in body and it makes me think more of a Czech dark lager rather than the richer Polish made Baltic Porters I've enjoyed over the years. I especially miss Okocim Baltic Porter.

 

Greetings from the Pacific Northwest! Heater Allen is known for their lagers and their craft in producing Sandy Paws Baltic Porter shows through. A seasonal standard around these parts. The can features dogs from the area...here is Quill.

 

Finally able to join in the conversation, went to a SCA event for the first time in years (15 years for this particular event) and ended up staying much longer than expected.
Oh, there was beer there, but no porter, Baltic or otherwise. So I had to wait until I got home.

Stairway to Nowhere, an unassuming and very good Baltic Porter that I’ve had in my cellar for quite a few months. Still very good, still very enjoyable. Always makes me wonder why I don’t drink more of them.
Cheers!

 

Captain FGS from (now defunct) New Bohemia Brewing. Can date 11/14/23, 8.9%.

Right out of the can there’s a big Whoppers/malt ball nose, which sticks around and becomes a little roasty as it warms up. Some booziness from the bottom of the glass but not a lot. There is some sweetness for sure, but it has like a dusty cocoa on the finish that keeps it from being too much.
Good but by no means great.

 

@Qbert - Really loved Off Color's Beer for Power Plays. Will buy 1-2 four packs for next release.

@cjgiant - Your (and other's) Jack's Abby selection sounds very good. My near 10% yesterday was felt by my final few ounces. I almost bought a slightly higher ABV (10.5) anniversary beer from a local (Pollyanna) but wimped out with the cold. Hope there are cans left to pick up after the thaw for a future NBW/NBS.

My second and final contribution, another selection from Poland.

Browar Amber Grand Imperial Porter

3.61/5 rDev -2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75



Full review linked above. @zid was the only other BA who pulled this one over the first two days. His take:

I am getting fruit notes, though not at the strength experienced by @zid . Taste opened up well, and I did enjoy this offering, but Zywiec was the victor between the two this weekend.

Thank you @beergoot for the tasting, and will enjoy reading the rest of the selections as the weekend comes to a close.

 

Enjoying a Dōmbōc Baltic Porter alongside a Barleywine (Demeter Gold Wax) at Pittsburgh's Lolev Beer. First time visit and we were very impressed by low key atmosphere and top notch brews.

Lolev's Baltic Porter hits all the good qualities.... Roasty cocoa, cold stone, malty and dark dried cherry. Lovely bitterness at the end! Thumbs up, all around.

 

Good Morning all, enjoying this Estonina treat

Öö Cassis

Baltic Porter | 10.5% ABV
Põhjala Brewery & Tap Room in Tallinn, Estonia

Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

4.1/5 rDev -0.7% | Average: 4.13
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured from a 330ml bottle with a Best Before date of 10/10/2026 into the test glass
A - Border between dark brown and black in color, thin mocha ring is evidence of carbonation.
S - Bakers chocolate, hint of char, rapsberry, black currant. add a bit of espresso.
T - Fruity, chocolatey, again with that hint of espresso character.
M - A bit thin in body, semi sweet start, then a move toward center, Finish is wet, linger is cassis driven in the best ways.
O - A really good Baltic Porter, with the Currants well applied. The overall impact of the currants add to the experience.

 

Great way to kick off this event: I didn’t know the definition of a Baltic Porter, that link was great.

 

I always approached that one as a regular porter. I suppose the lager yeast is what makes the distinction, but it's still made for having a few at a time and doesn't really have the saturated flavors of something heavier.