Koff Porter

Brewed by Sinebrychoff (Carlsberg)
Style: Baltic Porter
Kerava, Finland

Draught, on 25th July 2009, at Ginger Man NYC. Solid, impenetrably black with earthy brown head giving "swiss cheese patterning" in its lacing. Looks very handsome in the glass. Creamy lacticity and some citrus notes are met simultaneously by smoky, roasted malts which combine in a pungent kick. This is followed by a short, sharp finish containing sour and bitter notes all delivered on a smooth, but not untextured, mouthfeel. Very rewarding porter!

Draft at Pizzeria Paradiso. Pours black with a dark brown head. Nice aroma of roasted malt and chocolate. Flavor is more of the same, big on the dark chocolate, with some bitter cocoa and a hint of sourness. Heavy and creamy on the palate with a dry and bitter finish. Very nice.

GrammercyTavern. Deep dark black with ruby edges. Aroma of rasted malt and cherry, reddish tan head. Beautiful. Raosted malt/carbon hits first, develops into sweet fruit, sweet dark chocolate, some coffee, bit of hops in the end. Finishes bitter and warm.

Bottle. Pours with an ultra deep brown body, and a huge, creamy brown head Tons of lace, everywhere.. Earth, raisins, dark fruit, caramel, chocolate and toasted almonds. Taste is a bit smokey, with tobacco, nuts, milk chocolate. chocolate and a distinct metallic flavor. Earthy. Finishes more than slightly lactic. Medium to thin mouthfeel, light bubbles. Starting to get an understanding for the style. The American versions are far different than their Scandinavian counterparts.

draft @ redlight redlight. Chocolate malts, creamy vanilla, roasty malts, sweet milk chocolate on the nose. Pours black with a thick tan head. Smooth and creamy, with milk chocolate flavors, creamy sweet vanilla, hints of bitter chocolate and roasted malts in the flavor. Extremely smooth and easy to drink! Great baltic porter!

Pours black with a huge dense brown head, diminishes slightly, great lace. Nose of dark fruit, sweet malt, raisins, coffee. Taste is slight sourness, roasted malt, chocolate, moving into a semi-bitter hoppyness and finishing with a touch of alcohol. Medium-full body, creamy, soft carbonation, finishes dry. Quite balanced, the sourness is a little weird at first, but I slowly grew to like it.

11.2oz bottle. Pours a black body with a finger-width, dark brown, creamy and dense, inch thick head that dissipates quickly and leaves a moderate lacing. Aroma is buttery sweet malts, grapes, chocolate, raisin, a light sour fruit, and a bit of whiskey. Flavor is sweet as well with a wild mixture of flavors. Some blueberry cream, grapes, chocolate, vanilla, moderately bitter hops and roast, a bit figgy, and just a light coffee. Finishes dry and lingers with a fruity caramel/chocolate, medium bitterness and roast, and a creamy honey. Palate is medium bodied and clean. Overall, a really tasty baltic porter. Fruity with plenty of porter taste. Nice.

Pours black as ever with a large chunky head that resembles melted chocolate ice cream. Leaves nice lacing too. The aroma is full of roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, anise, and maybe some dark fruit. The flavor is similar except for some watery sweetness that purges through and throws off the dark bitter everything else. Finish is coffee bitter and some cloying sweetness. Good, but would’ve liked the flavors to blend better.