Schell Snowstorm (2009 - Baltic Porter)

Brewed by August Schell Brewing Company
Style: Baltic Porter
New Ulm, Minnesota USA

Thanks to Bob for the bottle! Poured deep cola brown with a short cap of off-white head. The aroma was far on the sweet side for a Baltic porter, but it worked well for me when I drank it.. toasty baker’s chocolate, cocoa, and molasses led, with accents of vanilla and faint honeysuckle.. candied cake in a glass. The flavor was along the same lines.. slightly-astringent molasses and chocolate malts supported the core, while cocoa, vanilla, and tangy, earthy notes around.. lightly peppery with lots of residual sugars on the finish. Medium-bodied with low-ish carbonation on the palate.. very, very sweet, but warmth brought out a nice level of dry roast that balanced it out. I’d drink more of these.

2009 Bottle - thanks biniek13! Pours a thin dk brown with a small beige head...aroma is dk roast malt and a bit of metal, burnt grain and a bit of anise...flavour is similar, burnt malt, light hop bitters and light cocoa, a slightly sweet finish reminds me of some lactose sugar, decent...

Bottle pours dark with a decent head that retains somewhat. The aroma mostly of sweet roastiness. Flavor much the same with some of that Schells house flavor that I either imagine or just cannot get past. Not bad.

My first baltic porter so I don’t know if it’s true to style, but it’s a very good brew. Definately better as it warms and more flavors come out.

Pours dark, reddish-muddy brown with a 1-finger creamy beige head that has decent retention. Aroma is roast, cereal grain, lots of sweet bread spice, a touch of milk chocolate, a little caramel in there as well. Flavor is roast, toast, more spice, chocolate, an odd skin-on mashed potato flavor (not bad, or too strong here, but odd), light earthy and smoky wet wood notes. Finishes with roast, light bitterness and a little licorice. Bitterness, a little cocoa and licorice linger. Palate is light to medium bodied, slightly creamy entry, moderate to high carbonation (I think most people would like that where it is), and a lightly dry, sorta chalky finish. Pretty good stuff overall, nothing spectacular, but something I am quite likely to buy again before it’s gone forever.

Pours a very deep black with caramel notes and a very thin off-white head that fades down. Aroma as it warms up has an oatmeal, coffee, light licorice and gingerbread. Flavor has a smooth gingerbread, coffee flavor and acidic bite, a mild dark chocolate presence, some light licorice at the very end with a graininess that comes through as well. Body is light-medium in density and has a mildly oily texture with very low carbonation. Overall the brew is MUCH better as it warms as the flavors do really come out. In the grand scheme of the Snowstorm series, I think this is just an okay offering as the previous years I have been much better.

12 oz bottle purchased by my Dad at Zipps in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Pour is black with ruby notes and a one inch light tan head. Head falls pretty quickly with minimal lacing. Aroma of slight roast, some grassy smoky tobacco. Faint, but clean nose. Taste is some of the roast of the nose up front, followed by a milkiness and leafiness. There is also a soft milk chocolate sweetness. Flavor like the nose is faint but clean. Palate is medium, lowish carbonation and a clean brief finish. The alcohol is not present until the very back of the finish. Nice enough.

very dark brown pour with a tight medium tan head. aroma is chocolate, roasted malt, slightly nutty. Flavour is nice roasted malt flavour, nutty tones carry from aroma, lighter dark fruitiness and semi-sweet chocolate through the finish.