547. Leinenkugel’s Big Eddy Baltic Porter

Leinenkugel’s has gotten into the fancy beer game with their Big Eddy series; the RIS was pretty solid, so we decided to give this one the ol’ college try. Our previous dalliance in the land of cheese features Red Lager. Sorry, outside of Leinenkugel’s, Wisconsin has a lot to offer.

Big Eddy pours a burnished burnt toffee with a moderately persistent tan head; the clear body offers some garnet highlights once the beer gets lower in the glass. The nose is toffee and dark fruit—mainly plum and raisin—along with a fair amount of brown sugar and caramelized fruit. Flavors start with chocolate and dark Belgian candy, giving way to fruit—fig, plum, and raisin this time—and brown sugar in the middle. There is also a touch of oxidized fruit, along with slight hints of cocoa. The finish has a touch of alcohol and a fair amount of lingering raisin. The body is rather chewy for a Baltic Porter; it gets a bit sticky as it warms, and doesn’t finish as clean as other examples we’ve had. The flavors, however, are delicious—as Elli points out, this beer will certainly get better with a little bit of age on it, although that might push it even farther away from being a Baltic Porter and more towards a Belgian Strong Ale—it already has some of the fruit flavors and characteristics as it is now. Still, a very good beer, one I’m glad we decided to try.

From the bottle: “A rich, malty brew with toffee, port, and chocolate notes and a dark fruit finish.”

From Leinenkugel’s website: “With a blanket of malt flavor and notes of toffee, cocoa, caramel, toasted bread and sherry fruit flavors, Big Eddy Baltic Porter is a hearty dark beer that has a clean lager finish.”

ABV: 8.5%
Malts: Blend of 2- and 6-row Pale, Munich, Crystal Rye, Roasted Barley, Special B, and Chocolate Malt
Hops: Cluster zand Mt. Hood
Other: licorice root

(12/6/2012)

542. Harpoon Leviathan Baltic Porter

It’s been a while since we’ve tried much from Harpoon; in fact, I’d forgotten this particular beer was hidden away in the basement. But I bought it and socked it away a couple of years ago, hoping and waiting for a day just like today, when Elli proclaimed that it was time to sample some delicious older beers. And the circle has now come complete. Previous examples of Elli’s maritime fixation include Harpoon 100 Barrel Series #32 Pott’s Landbier, 100 Barrel Series #31 Single Hop ESB, 100 Barrel Series #30 Island Creek Oyster Stout, 100 Barrel Series #28 Glacier ’09 Wet Hop, 100 Barrel Series #27 Helles Blond Bock, Octoberfest, Leviathan Saison Royale, 100 Barrel Series #24 Glacier ’08 Wet Hop and their IPA. That’s a lot.

Leviathan Baltic Porter pours a crystal clear rich molasses brown with a light tan head; there are a fair number of garnet highlights peeking through this beer, and the nose is rich in chocolate—both lighter cocoa and darker rich chocolate—mixed with dark fruit, specifically raisin and fig. Behind that, there is also molasses and caramel. Flavors start with caramel and dark chocolate, followed by raisin and cocoa in the middle. The fruit flavors drop in the finish, leaving a mix of chocolate and cocoa, with the cocoa lingering the longest. As the beer warms, molasses and brown sugar flavors emerge, both in the front and in the finish, and the carbonation develops a bit more bite as well—it was initially a bit sluggish when it came out of the bottle, but gets lighter on the tongue as it warms. The fruit flavors also recede with warmth, giving the beer a creamy, rounded, and chewy mouthfeel. As well, there is no discernible alcohol heat or warmth, which enhances the sipping character of this beer. All in all, it would appear that the time spent in the basement has served this beer well. While it is not quite a Baltic Porter anymore—the lighter lager characteristics in the finish are buried under layers of chocolate and dark fruit—it is still a very good and very enjoyable beer. Here’s to more lurking creatures from the depths...

From the bottle: “Dark fruit and bittersweet chocolate notes meld into a spicy finish of this hearty brew made with de-husked roasted malts and a lager yeast.”

ABV: 9.5%
Bottled: 11/13/2009

(11/18/2012)

436. Great Divide Smoked Baltic Porter

It’s been a while, but Great Divide is back in the house. I had this on tap a while ago at South Park Tavern and really enjoyed, so I am happy to see it making it into the bottle—that means I can salt a few away along with the other Baltic Porters and Alaskan Smoked Porters I’ve got hidden in the basement. After all, these do get better with age. We’re one off the baker’s dozen with Great Divide—give us a little bit, and we’ll make that happen: 16th Anniversary Wood Aged DIPA, Hercules DIPA, Wild Raspberry Ale, Hibernation, Samurai Rice, Hoss, Oak Aged Yeti, Fresh Hop, Double Wit, 15th Anniversary DIPA, and Denver Pale Ale. Num num.

Described on the label as both “sultry” and “regal,” Smoked Baltic Porter pours a rich, deep chocolate brown; viewed through the light, there are some alluring garnet highlights. The head is a tannish ivory that is initially rather prominent, but quickly reduces to a ring with some slight overall coverage. In addition to the clearly discernable smoked malt presence in the nose, there is a bit of a muted dark fruitiness competing with the smoke character—it’s competing, but currently losing terribly. Flavors start smoky with just a touch of greasiness from the smoke—it is just below being bacon-y. There is also a light roastiness mixed with the rich malt before giving way to a dark fruit flavor in the middle that has black cherry characteristic to it—here, the fruit flavor is getting the upper hand on the smokiness. The finish features a return of the smoke flavor that mixes well with the clean finish from the lager yeast—everything else drops off, allowing the smokiness to tantalizingly linger on the tongue and the back of the mouth. As the beer warms, there are some nutty flavors that emerge in the front of the beer, and some light chocolate in the middle and finish. The body is surprisingly light when compared to the complexity of flavors; while part of this is due to the lager yeast (or at least cold fermented ale yeast), it is also possibly due to a lower ABV: only 6.2%, putting it on the lighter side of the style. While the slightly chewy and slick viscous (that slick smoky greasiness) mouthfeel may make the body feel bigger, it is still rather easy and clean on the palate. Carbonation does help emphasize the smoke in the finish—the bite in the final third cuts the fruit and cleans the palate, allowing the smoke flavors to reassert themselves in the finish. All in all, I am smitten with this beer—it might be able to give Alaskan Smoked Porter a run for the money. Well-balanced, subtle, and complex Smoked Baltic Porter is certainly worth seeking out; we’re making it a Top 10 Best contender. Oh, how I have missed you, Great Divide.

From the bottle: “Smoked Baltic Porter is the sultry sister of a storied style. Brewed with traditional German malts and hops, this dark lager gets its special twist from a hefty addition of Bamberg smoked malt. This smoldering, medium-bodied lager is sure to please. Smoked Baltic Porter is smooth, smoky, and dark...mysterious enough yet?”

Here’s another review of Great Divide’s Smoked Baltic Porter from The New School beer blog, September 10, 2010.

ABV: 6.2%
Bottled on: August 6, 2010

(12/4/2010)

300. Smuttynose Baltic Porter

We’ve hit the big 300 with another from Smuttynose’s Big Beer Series, making this our fif Smuttynose. We’ve run through Imperial Stout, Shoals Pale Ale, Finestkind IPA and Farmhouse Ale. I can only choose one...

guess who’s back...

Smuttynose Baltic Porter pours an inky thick chocolate brown with a light brown head. The nose is redolent of dark fruits, chocolate, and rich malt sweetness; it does get sweeter smelling as the beer warms. The flavors begin with a big rich sweetness mixed with chocolate in the front; the middle adds coffee and dark fruit to the mix, with raisin and currant the most obvious fruit flavors, and possibly a bit of cherry in the background. Baltic Porter then moves into roastiness and more coffee in the finish, ending rather clean. While there is a bit of lingering roastiness, the finish does exhibit the lager qualities of the Baltic Porter style. The mouthfeel is thick and creamy and the body is medium to heavy. Baltic Porter has medium carbonation that helps lighten the rich body on the palate, and also contributes to the clean finish. More chocolate richness does emerge as the beer warms, although for some reason this seems to lighten the body slightly. Overall, a smooth, drinkable, and delicious beer. We’ll be scoring a couple of extra bottles of this to throw in the basement—we’re guessing that much like the Alaskan Baltic Porter, this one will get much better with a little bit of age on it.

From the bottle: “The Smuttynose Big Beer Series: big beers in big bottles, released seasonally in very limited quantities. Share one with your comrades!”

Oh, the flavor.

From the Smuttynose website: “Indigenous to northern Europe, Baltic Porters historically stem from the shipping of British porters to the Russian hinterland. Unlike their British cousins, Baltic Porters are often brewed with lager yeast, which is the tradition we follow. Big & bold, with flavors of coffee, dark fruit & raisins, this black beer is smooth as a chocolate swirl.”

ABV: 8.7%

(4/26/2010)

179b. Victory Baltic Thunder

Our third beer from Victory, and our first non-HopDevil varietal—besides HopDevil we’ve had WildDevil. You’re also probably wondering why I came to the West Coast to drink an East Coast beer (yes, I’m still in Seattle). Easy—because I’ve never seen this beer before, and I’m one not to pass up an opportunity. Plus Victory is the bomb. And yes, I know I’m marking myself as ten years behind by using that phrase. Wack as hell, too. I’ll live. I’ve got the beer.

Baltic Thunder is a Baltic Porter; the nose is caramel, roasted malt with a touch of burnt, and a generous helping of dark fruits to round things out. In the glass, it is is deep brown with rich red highlights. With warmth, the caramel, toffee, and fruitiness of the nose increases, and a secondary toasty warm aroma also emerges. Baltic Thunder starts sweet and bready with rich dark fruit flavors—primarily cherry, plum, and raisin—before moving into a roasted rich malt flavor in the middle. The finish brings with it a return of the dark fruits, ending clean & crisp. With a medium to light body, Baltic Thunder also has a medium to low level of carbonation; while rich, there is also some light creaminess to the mouthfeel. A delicious, well-balanced, and smooth drinking beer. The complexity of flavor for a lighter bodied beer is a big plus—it compares very nicely with Alaskan Baltic Porter, for example, although a bit brighter on the palate. Definitely a delicious beer, making me correct in my assumptions that I should grab a bottle now so I didn’t regret it later.

From the Victory website: “Truly a world beer, Baltic Thunder represents the Baltic Porter style admirably. Exhibiting the enticing, toffee roast of the British porters that originated the style in the 18th century, and the soothing, subtle fruit nuance of contemporary brews that flourish from Helsinki to Vilnius today, this dark lager honors the Baltic god of thunder. Created by an inspired collaboration of brewers and tempered with a touch of turmoil, Baltic Thunder rolls on to bring you enchanting light as the darkness fades.”

ABV: 8.5%
Malt: imported German 2-row and roasted malts

Hops: European whole flower

(12/26/2009)

165. Alaskan Baltic Porter

Our second beer from Alaskan Brewing Company, and our second from their Limited Edition beers—the last was their classic Smoked Porter, a crowd favorite.

The red highlights coming through the glass are a nice touch (on the table, not on the glass)

Alaskan’s Baltic Porter starts with a fruity candy nose that is reminiscent of Twizzlers. There is also some sweet malt and sugar aromas, and some light vanilla; some dark fruit notes emerge as the beer warms. Pouring a dark, opaque brown with a tan head and some luscious red highlights, Baltic Porter begins with a rich, sweet malt flavor that also brings with it roasted and chocolate flavors—there are no burnt or bitter flavors. Dark fruit and dark caramel sugar notes appear in the middle, with cherry, raisin, and currant to the forefront along with a distinct vanilla undertone. It ends clean—it does have something of a lager finish—although there is a bit of oak tannins and alcohol warmth that lingers. As well, the brown sugar flavors do become more prevalent as the beer warms. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a thick, viscous, and rich body. The carbonation is low, and falls by the wayside as the beer warms in about the exact same proportion as the alcohol becomes apparent. There is also a bit of slickness and oiliness as the beer warms, and the legs become more apparent. An excellent beer overall, one that has improved with age, and will certainly get better with more time—I wished we had more of this to sit on and try in about another six months. The best way to indicate our enjoyment of this beer is to make it a Top 10 Best contender, and a well deserved one at that.

From the Alaskan website: “Alaskan Baltic Porter is a deep, dense beer with an intricate array of aromas and flavors derived from substantial amounts of specialty malts, dark black cherries and whole gourmet vanilla beans. Aging on toasted French oak adds further complexity. This style shares many characteristics with a Russian Imperial Stout, at times the two are almost indistinguishable. Baltic Porter is full-bodied and jet-black in color with brilliant garnet highlights and a dense tan head. The smooth, deep maltiness is accentuated by raisin and licorice notes, as well as chocolate and mild coffee characters. A touch of cherry and dried fruit flavors are also evident with a mellow vanilla background rounding the finish. The oak brings hints of bourbon and hot toffee and contributes to the warmth of this richly flavorful beer. In order for the British to export their dark ales to the northern ports of the Baltic Sea, they were brewed stronger and hoppier than normal to endure the long voyage. The extra warmth was welcomed in these countries with harsh winters and a taste for the robust, attributes that also fare well in Alaska. Alaskan Baltic Porter is brewed from glacier-fed water and a generous blend of the finest quality European and Pacific Northwest hop varieties and premium two-row pale and specialty malts. Our water originates in the 1500-square mile Juneau Ice Field and from the more than 90 inches of rainfall we receive each year. This limited-edition brew also includes cherries and vanilla beans. Enjoy this vintage brew now or age it for several years. This big beer has a longer life than lighter styles allowing it to develop rich, new flavors over time.

The Story Behind the Label: Russian Orthodox churches are a part of many communities in Alaska as well as Russia and other countries surrounding the Baltic Sea. Built in Alaska by early settlers, the onion-domed copulas and traditional trim of these structures stand out amid the wild spaces of The Last Frontier. Alaska may have been purchased from Russia in 1867, but the churches’ influence is still evident in these icons dotting the hillsides and towns of our state from Juneau to Unalaska.”

ABV: 9.8%
IBU: 53
OG: 1.100

(12/12/2009)