Baltika 4 Originalnoe (Original)

Brewed by Baltika Brewery (Baltic Beverages Holding - Carlsberg)
Style: Dunkel
St. Petersburg, Russia

Has a great clouded amber/orange color with little carbonation and a malted smell. Taste is somewhat thick malt and finishes very smooth. Overall a great beer.

I quite agree with the first rater: this is a very pleasant surprise. It was on sale for a $1.49/16.9 ounce bottle at the local Whole Foods, and I wasn’t expecting much. The description on the bottle reads: ’Original Baltika is a brown beer with a harmonious bread smack and caramel malt aroma.’ I have no idea what a ’harmonious bread smack’ is (though I love the sound of it!), but I can definitely confirm the caramel. This is a wonderfully hearty beer that goes exceptionally well with food.

This beer is reddish amber in color with a small white head. it has taste of raisins and caramel. this is a very good dark lager... will be buying this one again! Cheers!

Surprisingly good! Wonderful ruby colour, thick lasting head; as far as the flavour goes there’s a mix of fruity, caramel and roasted notes. Full bodied, slightly dry in finish. Awesome; took another one home from St. Petesburgh.

0.5L bottle pours a nice deep amber color with tan head. Aroma of dark fruit and hints of caramel. Nice. The flavor is full with shriveled plums, dates and raisins. By midway a streak of caramel enters the picture and helps create a nice medley of flavors. The taste experience ends with more dates and raisins. Tasty brew.

Clear brown, with a light tan head. The aroma is of toasted dark bread; this shows up in the taste as well. (perhaps the fabled "Harmonious Bread Smack"). I agree completely with Aurelius about this being better warm. It’s surprisingly light-bodied, but very pleasing anyway. Probably the best I’ve had from Russia yet.

Clean, fresh, malty aroma. Nice, frothy cream-colored head with a good bit of lacing. Nice copper color with an active pour. Nice nutty, malty flavor with a hint of caramel sweetness - excellent representation of the style. Good full-bodied flavor lasts to the finish - sticks to your ribs.

Baltika Original Dark Beer pours to a bright, deep caramel color with a thick and creamy tan head, and a good bit of carbonation. The nose is very malty, with big waves of sweet and caramel malt aromas. The palate is a solid base of sweet and caramel malts, with flavors of fresh bread, and caramel on the tongue. The body is hefty, but round and clean, making it very drinkable. Baltika Original Dark Beer finishes with more big sweet malt flavors up front, then ends with a slightly cloying and warming finish. This was a very malt accented brew, and very well done in my opinion. Abv come in at right around 7% making this beer quite similar to bock bier, but not quite a dopple bock. This rich and warming brew, is the perfect beer to warm and comfort the soul during those long, cold, Russian winters. I would match this beer with hearty fare, beef stroganoff with egg noodles and a crusty rye bread, immediately comes to mind. It would work very well as a desert beer as well, and would make a great after dinner beer, or night cap. Impressive beer, from and impressive Russian brewery. Seek this beer out if you can find it in your market.