Pizza Port Carlsbad Ruby Black

Brewed by Pizza Port (Carlsbad)
Style: Baltic Porter
Carlsbad, California USA

From a growler filled 3/31/08. Opaque black with a 1/2 finger beige head that lasted about 30 seconds before fading to a ring and a swirling film. The aroma is full of milk chocolate and yeasty bread dough. Some deeply toasted grain and roasted malts are also present. Flavor has plenty of yeasty bread and chocolate up front with lots of chocolatey malts--there is a degree of roast, but not as much as I get from imperial stouts--I thought PP was bullshitting me and disguising an imperial stout as a Baltic, but they did well. A tinge of soy with a semi-dry finish, low bitterness (2-3 out of 10). Though the Baltics from their "homeland" end up a bit too sweet, this one didn’t at all. Full body with light to moderate carbonation. Rating #10! This officially gets a style percentile!

On tap at Stone. Black with almost no head. Roasty, chocolate, fruit and hops aroma. Tangy citrus and chocolate taste.

Pours black, not overly thick looking. Tan, somewhat creamy head that leaves some lace. Smells dark and roasty at first and then malty and sweet as you sniff. Taste is sweet, smokey and malty. Finish is malty sweet. Very tasty and complex flavors. I would almost call it an imperial porter. Full body, but not syrupy, crisp carbonation.

On tap at Downtown Johnny Brown’s. Poured midnight black, no seeing through this one. Aroma is strong chocolate malt with rich caramel whiffs as well. Mouthfeel is rich and warming, with a really nice nutty middle. The malts in this were absoulutely insane. The finish was brilliant and lingered nicely tapering off perfectly. Great Porter!

On tap at PP Carlsbad. Looks like I’m the first to rate this hidden gem. Small head that settles to small dense dark tan microfoam ring around the edge of the glass. Black liquid. Heavy body. Aroma is mild. Alcohol burn in the throat. No off flavors. Surprizingly easy to drink for 9.5%. Leans to the sweet side. I suppose a little malty. Very little if any roastiness. Pretty interesting. Very nice.

Thanks for sharing this one, iowaherkeye. The body was blakc with an orangeish tan head. The aroma was pancakes and plain brown syrup. I also got some milk chocolate. The taste was more of the milk chocolate with some walnuts. There was also coffee. A nice medium body kept this easy to drink. Solid.

Aroma is chocolate, dark fruit, light alcohol and cooked molasses. Flavor comprised of the same notes from the aroma, but with more concentrated alcohol, vanilla, deeper fruit notes and light coffee as well. Very tasty brew.

Lagered...nice. Very dark brown. Rich chewy black malt nose. Light nutty coffeeish accents. Very thick, rich body. Slightly sticky. Chewy dense chocolate fudge torte. Light accent of burned plum.