Alaskan Baltic Porter

Brewed by Alaskan Brewing Co
Style: Baltic Porter
Juneau, Alaska USA

Thanks to Hayduke for sending this long desired beer. Pour is quite dark with just a bit more red than the typical porter. A smallish tan head has excellent staying power and leaves thick lacing. Aroma is whiskey and vanilla. Feel is velvety smooth. Flavor is also whiskey with plenty of wood, beans, anise, soy sauce, and roasted brown sugar. The sweetness is almost cloying. This could be an impy porter with the alcohol and whiskey notes. This porter was well worth waiting for and it did not disappoint. Big, black, and smooth. Like Aretha Franklin’s singing.

22 oz. bottle. Pours a medium beige head, of good duration, over a reddish brown (SRM 35) clear body......nose is cherry, coffee, chocolate....taste initially is cherry, chocolate, then coffee, vanilla, later a bit of terpene harshness, sweet throughout.....mouth feel is medium to heavy, tiny bubbled carbonation makes for a creamy sensation. This is a bit too sweet and the cherry flavors a bit too prominent. A really great Baltic has a lighter sweetness, and although present, the fruity characteristics are more subtle. The appearance and mouth feel of this are almost perfect.

2009 bomber. Poured deeper brown with an easily-resuscitated tan head. The aroma picked up tart oak and chocolate-covered cherries upfront, with a little oud bruin flair.. blended chocolates, mocha, and vanilla provided malt support.. brown sugar and honey rolled in as it warmed up, along with some a dark spices.. seems like they threw everything in here, and it worked. The flavor was centered around brownie-like chocolates, with lots and lots of complementary malts to back it up (coffee, molasses, and vanilla beans come to mind).. grated cherry skins, char, and mild smoke accented.. the oak was most apparent around the finish, giving a dry, tart impression. Medium-bodied with low carbonation on the palate.. actually somewhat of a slick feel.. dry and grainy overall.. the vanilla addition worked for the most part, but became cloying near and through the finish.

Pours a dark brown with small head and light retention. Smells slightly nutty and fruity with a definite hint of alcohol. Thick syrupy body with light cherry and vanilla flavors (obviously), alcohol, and ends with a cherry flavor. Bold body with a medium level of carbonation.

22 oz bottle. Pours a very dark brown, almost black, body with a small fizzy light brown head that runs to a thick ring and a small island. The nose has lots of licorice and burnt caramel with some burnt roasty malt and candied dark fruits. More than anything I’m tasting burnt rubber though, not the licorice and caramel that I wanted. The rubber taste lingers on the finish as well. The overdone alcohol doesn’t help things out either. Thick and viscous body with a clingy coating finish. Fine fizzy carbonation. This one just didn’t grow on me at all from the first sip. This was pretty hard to finish.

From the bottle at The Big Pour Beer Festival in Scottsdale AZ. Very dark brown, heavy looking pour. Figgy, fruity, treacle and spice aroma. Incredibly port-like flavours, loads of fig jam, cherries, vanilla, leather... crazy good stuff!

Dark brown, thin tan head. Nose of cherry cola, barrel-like vanilla, chocolate, and thick malt. Flavor has more of the same, vanilla and chocolate leading with the cherry being a little more extract-like than the nose. Super creamy body, decent, tart cherry finish. The fruit is surprisingly strong here and the balance is pro, but I think the cherry takes a little away as my favorite BPs have more malt and are generally more complex.

Purchased a bomber at local store. This beer pours a dark brown almost black. The smell of cherries and dark chocolate makes your mouth water with anticipation. The taste is delightful with hints of cinnamon, brown sugar, and cherries. This is a great dessert beer and is fantastic on a cold crisp day or evening.