Smuttynose Baltic Porter

Brewed by Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Baltic Porter
Portsmouth, New Hampshire USA

From a 22oz Bottle. Mostly opaque, blackish brown colored pour with a thick layer of tight bubbled tan head. Clean, lagery nose with hints of sulphur. Deep chocolate and lightly roasted coffee. Lots of dark chocolate. Medium full bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel with a chalky texture. Clean, malt forward flavors up front on the palate, brimming with dark chocolate and silky coffee, adding a nice dark depth without any excessive roast. Mid-palate, some fired raisin and plum fruity notes come through, all the while maintaining the malt focus of the beer. Warming alcohol in the finish, along with a kiss of hop bitterness to dry up the rich palate. Overall, a solid example of a Baltic Porter that exhibits a clean lager-like character and uses malt complexity to develop a rich flavor profile rather than relying on ester qualities. Thanks for sharing, Julian!

650 bottle courtesy of Matthew. Pours a thick blackish-brown with a big tan head. The aroma is rich with coffee, molasses and prunes. The flavor pretty much mirrors the aroma; more coffee, dark chocolate, raisins, dates and roasted malts. The mouthfeel is exceptionally smooth and creamy. The finish is long and dry with lingering biter dark chocolate. Overall: A top notch porter, thanks Matthew.

Thanks to JCB for this one. Jet black pour with a thick brown head and moderate lacing. Malts and coffee on the nose. Medium bodied. Milk Chocolate, molasses, and licorice. Bitter dry finish

22 oz bottle. Dark brown with a tan head, some lace. Nose is coffee, clay and light citrus. Medium body with a tang; alcohol thinning. Taste is chocolate, molasses, licorice, smoke and tobacco. Sticky with a grassy bite. Solid Baltic.

Tried from bottle with Atlanta ratebeer crew at 5 Seasons North tasting. Dryish. Black. Malty, chocolatey. Good carbonation. Tan head. Even though I’m not partial to dry, it’s the best dry porter I’ve ever had.

Date: 05/22/2008
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting

Appearance: black, wispy beige head,
Aroma: rich chocolate aroma with a milky sweetness and a touch of alcohol sweetness,
Body: creamy body,
Flavor: rich chocolate flavor, touch of roasted coffee, balancing hops, light bitterness,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 8/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Pours pitch black with mahogany edges when held up to light. The mocha head is one inch thick and dense, lingers a while and leaves sporadic lacing throughout. Big smell of roasted coffee and malts up front. Dark chocolate aroma as well with some dark fruits, but it’s the sweet malts that steal the show. Roasted coffee and sweet malts also dominate the taste with a sweet molasses and dark fruit flavor as well. I also got some very subtle smoky tones as well. Very well balanced. This is one smooth beer with little carbonation and a nice palate coating mouthfeel. This is one of the better baltic porters I have tasted and I would seek this one out. Highly recommended!

Pours a deep brown color with a brown head. Aroma is malty, nutty, bitter roast, and coffee. Flavor is coffee, roast, some ash, and a nice chocolate bitter roast finish.