SKA Nefarious Ten Pin Imperial Porter

Brewed by SKA Brewing
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Durango, Colorado USA

Roasted nose, black color, frothy beige head. Chocolate notes, coffee end. Napkin, papery touch in the finish too. Thinish with a creamy feel. Decent.

When I cut the wax and pop the cap, I notice some rust on the inside of the cap! Isn’t wax supposed to prevent this kind of thing from happening? Sure enough, I detect oxidation in the aroma. What happened here? (And a better question... why did I sit on this bottle for six months before opening it? Seems like I hatched a lemon.) Pours near-black with garnet highlights, but it takes a long time for my glass to fill due to the enormous tan head that towers over the rim and settles slow in a rocky mass. Dank, dusty, roasted malts with prune and a helping of piney hops in the aroma, harsh alcohol when warm. Flavor finds chocolate and roasted bitterness, but alcohol is hot and adds to a metallic taste. The mouthfeel, however, is smooth and creamy. I don’t know... I hate to say it, but the best thing about this beer may be it’s name and label (although Ska’s original <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/ska-ten-pin-port Pin was none-too-impressive, either.)

<font size=-4>Purchased at <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? Liquors, Chicago, IL 60638<font size=-1>

(draught sample at Clark Street Ale House, Chicago) Deeb black-brown with very little brown head.. Malt aroma. Flavors of roast malt and dark fruits. A bit thin in body.

Thanks to Whaleman for this one! This pours dark brown and lifts up a light-brown head that disappates quickly. Nutty malt aroma with chocolate and some caramel. Smooth sweet start and the roast malts add to some bitterness at the finish. A bit thin bodied for a Baltic Porter to me.

Black, creamy tan head. Nose held nice notes of cocoa, berry, chocolate and cream, with lighter tones of espresso and nut. Flavor had a cherry coffee tang up front, milk chocolate notes in the middle, and ended with a decent hop bitterness to round it out. Medium bodied, but a tad thin in the mouthfeel, soft carbonation, bittersweet finish. If you run across it, then certainly worth a try...

Bottle... Black ale with a small, creamy, light brown head. The nutty, earthy nose is of chocolate creme with a hint of black cherry. Perfectly balanced flavor. Roasted maltiness with medium hop bitterness. A touch chocolaty. Thin for the style. Medium-bodied with an astringent mouthfeel and lively carbonation. Finishes chocolaty and dry.

Finally, a beer by these guys you can get your teeth into. Very rich, rounded mouthfeel with a pleasureable creaminess in palate. Rich roasted caramel malts...with some strong chocolate, vanilla, and brown sugar action going on. Maybe some espresso, too. Potent hop bite. And a big alcohol presence in the peppery finish.

Small light brown head, good retention and lace.Black brown Porter with a tinge of ruby edging.. Chocolatey nose, touch of roast and a shot of licorice. Body is fully medium, lightly oily. Chocolatey, cookie flavors, caramel, some malt balls, mildly sweet malts with some bourbon and vanilla notes hiding down there. Medium sweet finish, lightly fruity. A Baltic Porter? I had no idea! Come,ohhhnnn,,,,, Props to CaptainCougar for this one!