Copper Creek Baltic Porter

[march 14, 2009]
Pint at the brewery. Pours a deep mahogany with a tan head. The nose is strangely vinegary, though not powerfully so. Hints of chocolate, soy sauce, and hickory are here. Again, the flavor is much cleaner than the aroma and lacks any real off note. An excellent level of chocolate is present with spicy nips of bitterness popping up. The finish is almost sour or dry, but chocolate is always present on the palate. This was lighter in flavor and palate than I usually expect Baltic porters to be and no vegetal esters are present either.

Tap at Copper Creek. Pours dark brown with mahogany head. Aroma of roasted malts, grainy, plenty of sweetness close to a vanilla like nose, and coffee. Taste, roasted malts with strong roasted coffee alcohol presence. Light note of smoke and dark fruits. After taste keeps plenty of the dark fruit influence with light chocolate. Solid beer.

On tap at pub. Pours brown, tan head. Aroma of malt, light fruit, chocolate. Taste is similar with some nice malt sweetness, and a light hop bitter finish. Mouth is relatively full. Overall, a really nice brew.