Grumpy Troll Amnesia Baltic Porter

Brewed by Grumpy Troll Brewery, Restaurant and Pizzeria
Style: Baltic Porter
Mount Horeb, Wisconsin USA

Bottle at Xmas Eve Eve Eve. Pours black with amber edges, small beige head. The aroma is fruit and nuts, in a way that kind of reminds me of trail mix, and a light vegetal note. The flavor is roasted grain, some ash, cashew, a bit of roasty sourness. The finish is slightly earthy and bitter. There is a somewhat strange sour aftertaste. Pretty good.

Draught at GABF 2008. Dark brown coloured with a medium sized beige head. Roasted and fruity arom aof caramel and chocolate. Sweet flavour of caramel, chocolate, dried fruits and hops. Hoppy and roasted finish.

22 oz bottle shared by csbosox at the 10/18 tasting. Pour is deep brown, cloudy, with a thinnish off white head. Aroma of roasted maltiness, dark chocolate and tobacco. Nice full, rounded nose. Taste is roasty, a bit milky, the chocolate and more of the tobacco. Nice smooth taste, very gentle burnt smokiness throughout. Nice Baltic Porter.

Thanks for sharing, csbosox. The body was black with a light khaki head. The aroma was dark chocolate with some dank raisins. There was also some bread crust. The taste was lightly roasted with some subtle coffee. There was also some light anise. A nicely done Baltic porter. It’s good to see Grumpy Troll is continuing their new solid line up.

SurlySober brought this over to my house, and swore up and down it was better on tap at the brewpub. The bottle was extremely carbonated, and indeed he said experienced secondary fermentation in the bottle. There was a powerful pop when I pried the cap off, and the beer foamed extensively in the glass. Color was black with too much head. Aroma was pretty faint, and was a pretty generic dark roastiness. Flavor wasn’t bad, but was nothing to write home about. It was dark and roastiness with a bit of coffee and chocolate, but it was faint and just not the same as some other great baltic porters or imperial stouts. Not bad, but not exciting, at least not in the bottle. Based on this experience, I wouldn’t recommend this beer, but I would give it a second chance at the brewpub, where in my experience, the food and beer are both excellent. SurlySober bought this bottle at the brewpub.

Appearance: Pours a dark brown, near black body with a small, light tan head. Smell: Aroma of roasty, smokey barley along with chocolate and a lesser note of fruit skins. Taste: A mingling of roasted barley, baker’s chocolate, and dark caramel with a mild sweetness. Earthy, roasty bitterness. Faint wisp of smoke. Touch of fruit -- a bit of red grape. Relatively light finish with a lingering fruitiness. Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-low carbonation. Drinkability: So-so as far as Baltic Porters go.

From a 22oz. Bomber - Pours black in color with a small head – very low in carbonation. Smells of fruit and yeast overpowering the hop aroma. First sip is caramel and fruity (dark fruits), with raisins and fig notes. Not too bad, but not something worth seeking out.

22oz bomber, no date from badbeer, who picked it up at the brewpub on 8/30/08, I think. Thanks Mike! Deep ruby with a big three finger beige head, fantastic retention, albeit a tad overcarbonated? Roasted malt and cold coffee are dominant and clean smelling. Some sweet caramel and toffee notes are next, with some toasted malt rounding it out. Slightly metallic as well, but in a lager way.Kinda reminds me of Smuttynose’s version thus far. Flavor gets a little bit fruity (dark fruits) with not too much roast, but plenty of chocolate and caramel notes coming forth. The flavor does get roastier as it finishes. Bitterness peaks at a 2-3, and the alcohol is masked quite well. Full body with low to moderate carbonation. I think I’m going to be the highest rating here, as I think it’s terribly underrated. Must’ve gotten a good bottle! Never have managed to get up to Mount Horeb while it was on tap, though.