Smuttynose Baltic Porter

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

Roasted punch everywhere. This beer is perhaps the best example of an American-made strong porter. Smuttynose, the most underrated craft brewer on the east coast.

(bottle from ditmier, thanks!) Pours black with a medium tan head that reduces to a thin ring around the snifter. The aroma is initially not all that great, with some scents of creamed corn, mocha, and roasted malt. As this warmed however, the aroma opens up and yields scents of dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, and cherry. There is some booze as well, but not enough to detract from the other scents. Further warming intensifies the chocolate and coffee, with some smoke and vanilla showing up as well. The taste is pretty simple, with chocolate, brown sugar, roasted malt, and a bit of raisin, but really nothing else. Mouthfeel is medium, carbonation is decent, and the finish is lightly roasted. Thanks again Eric!

Bomber bottle, 2009. Pours very dark brown, nearly black, with a nice half-inch brown head. Aroma is roasted malts, coffee, chocolate, and a touch of sour milk. Flavor is chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, with hints of dark fruits and vanilla. Alcohol bite is noticeable. Full, creamy mouthfeel, medium carbonation. Baltic Porters are one of my favorite styles, and while this is an excellent example, I feel it is a bit over-rated. Sinebrychoff (Koff) Porter is superior. Duck-Rabbit’s is very good, but inconsistent. I’ve only had this one Smuttynose Baltic Porter, so I cannot commend on its consistency. Every Sinebrychoff I’ve had has been exactly the same, and is, IMHO, the best Baltic Porter out there.

Wow, this was one hell of a brew. In my memory this serves as the definitive example of a perfect head, color, and lacing in a beer. A rich dark brown head I don’t see very often. Aroma is of intense chocolate and coffee. The flavor also tastes of these two wonderful dark roasts along with additional maltiness and sweetness. I will have it again, and the rating may even get bumped up (Flavor 10/10???)

Pours very dark, hints at red and brown. Full foamy head, dark beige in color. Aroma starts with chocolate and espresso, followed by some fruitcake fruitiness, like candied cherries and anise. Flavor is roasty and a bit astringent, with an acrid finish. Very husky. Harsh and unbalanced.

Bottle from Cletus, Thanks John! Pours a dark brown with a nice tan head. Aroma of dusty cocoa, plum, dates. Flavor is coffee, dark fruit, rum cake, dark chocolate, and some smoke. A nice sticky mouthfeel with a dry finish. Great beer.

Bottle shared by shawnm213. This was part of a weekend-long drinking session with Shawn and some other friends, and one in which I tried a few Baltic Porters for the first time. After the Utenos and Baltika 6- which were both solid, if unspectacular- this showed me what the style is capable of. Pours a lovely black with a little tan head that hangs around for the ride. Dried fruit, molasses, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, and roasted malts on the nose. Flavor is roast malts, dried fruit, coffee, chocolate, and alcohol. Thick, oily body, and incredibly smooth. Rich, complex and well-balanced.

This is becoming a preferred style of mine. This one looks gorgeous. Black, thick dark brown head. Nice lacing too. Aroma is oaky, along with big bag of dried fruit, some mochachino. The palate is light at 1st, then it warmed and tasted a bit boozy, rich, oily, roasted malt present, nice. Very true to the style and enjoyable.