Atwater Shamans Porter

Brewed by Atwater Block Brewery
Style: Baltic Porter
Detroit, Michigan USA

Name: Shaman’s Porter
Date: August 08, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting, Ticker
Appearance: gusher, clear dark brown, fine tan head, drippy lace
Aroma: slightly tart chocolate aroma
Flavor: tart chocolate flavor, hint of sweetness balanced by an earthy bitterness, long bitter finish
Aroma: 4/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 4/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 7/20
Rating: 2.2/5.0
Drinkability: 5/10
Score: *+/4

Bottle courtesy of Duane, not sure of the age: Pours a nearly opaque with dark brown edges and a thin froth of dark tan head. Aroma of sweet dark caramel and roasted malts with a touch of light fruity tartness. Starts lightly sweet and chocolatey but has a fruity tartness that points to an infection, although it seems fairly subtle. Finishes drier and roasty with some lingering dark chocolate and a hint of acidity. Without an infection, this would be a pretty good porter.

Nice pour, a nearly black, nearly solid dark brown with a tall, creamy brown head. Wish it’d hung around longer. The aroma is a bitter chocolate blended with Brazil nuts and some sweet roasted malts. Reads better than it smelled. The flavor is of roasted sweet malts, old coffee, chocolate, and a strong nutty bitterness. Reads better than it tasted. Finishes on a grainy, bitter note. Probably rated better than it merits.

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Near black pour with a taller bubbly light tan head. Aromas of sourdough and sweet roasted malt. Dark roasted malt and tar flavors. A mild lactose type sweetness mid to late sip. Some pine sap, earthy malt and ripe dark fruit join in the mix. Somewhat weak as a baltic porter.

Bottle. Poured a black color with a moderate brown frothy head that was lasting. Moderate roasted malty aroma. Medium to full body with smooth texture. Balanced sweet roasted malt flavor with a small bitter bite at the finish. Good porter.

New arrival in Iowa City. A light khaki colored head topped a very black body. The aroma is walnuts with some light cheap chocolate and day old coffee. The taste is old coffee with some light milk chocolate in the finish. Nice and roasted with a thin body. I got lots of diacetyl on the second try.

Bottled. Poured medium-deep brown with a short, fizzy cap of medium brown head. The aroma picked up lots of sour lactic notes and fruit skins.. chocolate was supposed to be prominent, but it was heavily suppressed.. not as offensive as the drinking it part. The drinking it part sucked.. sour milky notes and dark fruit skins dominate, and it doesn’t seem like I have the first infected bottle.. some chocolate and caramel deep down, but beyond the point where it really matters.. sour lactic finish. Sour and less than medium-bodied on the palate.. ugly feel.. not good.

Bottle. Pours a black body with a tan head. Hints of chocolate, and roasted malt. Accents of roasty coffee and lagered notes. Spoiled with medicinal notes, infection?