Capital Baltic Porter

Brewed by Capital Brewery
Style: Baltic Porter
Middleton, Wisconsin USA

Date: 08/01/2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Trade

Appearance: clear dark brown with ruby edges, wispy beige head, drops of lace,
Aroma: nutty chocolate aroma with a touch of smokey dry roast, sweet dark caramel comes in a second wave,
Flavor: rich caramel and chocolate flavor, touch of nutty character, touch of caramel sweetness brings out more of the chocolate, light earthyness helps to balance the sweetness and keep it somewhat dry,

Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

(Bottle) Pours a dark brown body with a small beige head that quickly diminishes. Aroma of toasted malt, smoke, dates, sulfur, and ashes. Flavor of dark fruit, roasted malt, vinous, caramel, and brown sugar with a odd bitterness in the finish.

12oz bottle. Poured a dark amberish / brownish color with an averaged sized off white head. Aromas of roast, chocolate, caramel, and I’m getting a light smoked wood. Tastes of roast, dark fruits, chocolate, and caramel. Alcohol content hidden.

Pours a transparent deep dark amber mahogany with a frothy, stringy-lacing beige head. Aroma of rich, sweet dark caramel malt and an authentic lager yeast profile with a touch of molasses and smoke. Body starts fairly full and sweet with some earthy dark caramel flavors, a touch of dark fruits, noble bittering hops and a drier semi-sweet finish. A pretty smooth Baltic porter, but it could use a little more dark malt character and color.

Bottle from the Binny’s in Willowbrook, IL: This pours a clear mahogany body with a decent tan head that soon reduces to some film and a ring around the glass. The aroma is a chocolatey dark toffee with hints of dried fruit. The flavor has a touch of roastiness, dark caramel, thin molasses, and raisins. Well hidden alcohol content. The sweet finish lasts for quite a while. Not bad.

Dark brown with a copper hue when held to the light. Moderate light tan head and nice lace. Mild aromas, with some caramel and hints od herbal hops. Very smooth and drinkable brew. Mild caramel, touch of candi, little bit of currant jam and bit of vanilla. Somewhat vinous. No deep and malty existence detected. Seems to have a more barleywine character. A winter warmer that still works. A strong, simple, drinkable brew.

Bottled from the new batch. Dark brown and ruby red body. The aroma is fairly strong with some toffee and black tea. There is also a fresh wood character. The taste is caramel with some black tea and potato skins. I am not impressed, but this was decent. A let down considering the brewer and the style.

During a sneek preview - sampled at the brewery, fresh, directly from the aging tank just before the brewery started kegging this new brew. Pours an opaque dark cola brown brew with a decent off-white head that has excellent retention. The lacing is spotty at first but when the brew comes closer to proper serving temperature, the lacing sticks to the glass real well. Aroma of dark roasted black malt, some dark chocolate character, candi sugar and sweet molasses. Taste is full bodied, very little carbonation with flavors of dark roasted malt, candi sugar and some sweet toffee. Finish is extremely smooth, creamy with a sweet dark malt and chocolate aftertaste. Awesome! Brewery informed me that only 30 barrels were made and will be on draught only in Madison and a couple of Milwaukee accounts during November ’07.