Koff Porter

Brewed by Sinebrychoff (Carlsberg)
Style: Baltic Porter
Kerava, Finland

Serve in English pint, Shaker, Snifter

As Sinebrychoff Porter IV. Bottle from Ledger’s Liquors. Top fermentation! Go Finns! It pours like oil. It smells like dark fruit with a hint of coffee. The color is opaque black with a tan head that didn’t stay long. Thin to medium body with creamy, near chewy, carbonation. The flavor is dark roasted malt, coffee, and light stone fruit? Mouthsmackingly good. It’s going really well with lox, but the lox smoke may affect the ale flavor. Maybe there is some cola in this. It is very tasty. The finish is not all that dry, has remnants of dark roast, and a hint of hop. Maybe light stone fruit, and more than a hint of hop. I think this ale changes from moment to moment. It’s really very, very tasty. Try this before you depart this mortal coil.

Pours a very dark red hued brown with an ample creamy tan head, diminishing slowly, rocky at first. Fruity dark fruit nose. Lightly sweet, small acidic roast. Big prunes and raisins particularly. Small chocolate and subtle coffee. A bit of an herbal maybe slightly anise and chicory backdrop. The mouthfeel isn’t super thick and viscous, but not watery, with low carbonation. A bit of warming. Much bigger roast and roasty acidity than I would have guessed a prior from the nose. A really biting roast that balances the slightly above average sweetness, which is dominated by dark fruits, raisins and currants with some prunes. The biting charcoal finish is laced with a touch of anise. There’s a good deal of complexity in this baltic porter, than that I think I’ve previously encountered. Perhaps the only drawback is that I’ll have to drink another beer to not get heartburn from this! Still, a very lovely beer. The long finish is so dry and bitter!

Pours a very dark brown through which no light passes through. The head is very dark brown, with small bubbles and nice retention. The aroma is strangely citiric, with dominant notes of roasted malts, and charred woods. The flavor is chewy with chocolate, smoked woods, some mild tannins, and roasted malts. The flavor is very well balanced and the mouthfeel is very nice with a clean finish and a nice, full body. Overall, an excellent representation of a style that I do not have often enough.

This is an excellent example of a Baltic Porter. Probably the best I have ever had. I like it a little better than Okocim. Not sure I have ever had a better one...

UPDATED: MAY 5, 2009 Bottle. Dark black body with tan head. Retains head well. Head was bubbly at first and later turned more creamy. This is one of my favorite styles. A taste reveals, dark roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, baker’s chocolate. Powdered cocoa. There are plums, raisins, nuts. but I am most struck by the dark chocolate. Hmmm, I wonder what this one would taste like brandy barrel aged? Only complaint might be that the finish is a bit weak and abrupt. Excellent Baltic Porter. This is how it is done right!

UPDATED: NOV 23, 2009 33cl bottle. A very good lookin’ beer, pours very dark brown with a big frothy brown head. Plenty of sticky lacing. This really came to life after about 15 minutes in the glass. Aroma is a powerful blend of dark chocolate, dark fruits, malt, coffee. One of the best I’ve encountered so far...I find myself drinking it very slowly so I can continue to take in the aroma. Shoulda bought two... Flavor is more of whats in the aroma, very chocolaty. Sweet. Very smooth and rich, but not overly heavy. I’ve been hunting a Baltic Porter for a while, and this Sinebrychoff is an amazing beer. One of the best I’ve ever had.

Bottle. Black colour with a tan head. Aroma is roasted malt, chocolate. Flavour is hop, roasted, smoked, chocolate, coffee, malt . Nice beer.

Bottled. Poured black with a dark brown head. Aroma was a rich velvet chocolate with coffee and roasted notes. Flavor was a flat chocolate/coffee combo with chocolate being the dominant of the two. Reminded me of a Baltic Porter, and I come to see that is how it is listed here so I pegged that one. Good rich malted body.