Koff Porter

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

Serve in English pint, Shaker, Snifter

Rated at the Pewaukee Tasting II 5/5/07. 2000 vintage courtesy of Murray. Appearance – Seriously black, tan head Aroma: Deep prunes, plums, vinous, vanilla. Flavor – Fruity, dark malts, very dry Palate – medium bodied

11.2oz. Bottle $2.96 Sam’s Downers Grove Sinebrychoff Porter pours the deepest of browns. Mahogany highlights shine through only when held to the light. A 1 finger creamy tan head formed on the pour and left patchy lacing as it slowly receded. Leaves more lacing after each sip. Very nice looking beer. The aroma is big and heavy. Molasses and dark fruits take center stage. The fruit in the form of figs and black cherries. Slightly doughy with a nice helping of bittersweet chocolate. Slight hint of frothed milk as it warms. Flavor is identical to the aroma but the flavors are more subtle and blend seamlessly. There’s a very mild, soft metallic twang on the finish along with just a hint of coffee grounds. Good porter. The mouthfeel is top notch on this beer. It’s creamy and super smooth up front and gets frothy on the swallow. Zero hint of alcohol. The drinkability for such a big porter is very good. Subtle well balanced flavors and the absence of alcohol in flavor and heat make this beer an easy one to put away. A good Baltic porter I’ve been wanting to try for awhile now. Glad I finally did. I’ll be picking up more of these in the future. 4/25/07

33 cl bottle. Sugary impy stout smell upon opening. Pours a thick brown under an inch-high brown foam. First impression I get in tasting is its hops, a rare thing for a porter. But there they are, noble as Edward Tudor yet crude as Tom Canty. Backed up with plenty of molasses and fusels. It also reminds me of my very first Guinness all those years ago. Roasted graininess and wood burls, a little apricot and prune in the finish. Way too easy drinking for something this powerful!

Dark black-brown, opaque appearance, with a small but very dark brown head. Absolutely beautiful. Aroma of prunes and blackstrap molasses. The flavor is rich and roasty with blackstrap molasses. What a fine porter indeed!

I’m not sure exactly why this is called Koff Porter. Koff does not appear on the label at all, but not all things are meant to be understood. What I do understand is that this brew is a fine beverage. Pours dark and thick. Big, creamy, dark brown head that refuses to relent. Aroma of dark fruits and licorice, and the flavor more or less follows suit. Definitely some roast in there, bit of chocolate. Great long finish, creamy body, carbonation is perfect, just an all around delight to consume.

UPDATED: MAR 13, 2009 Rerate 3-13-09. Bought circa October 2008.
Dark brown to black (again, of course). Rich medium sized frothy mocha head, leaving copious lacing as it settles. Oh the sweetest chocolate mousse and coconut milk aroma on this one, comparable to Pannepot of all things. The nose has seriously kicked it up a notch in the last few months. Any bitterness previously there has mellowed significantly and now only factors into the finish. I don’t like my porters too light or too heavy; this one is just perfect, delivering all the goods. There is definitely something astoundingly Pannepotish in this one, just that instant of mellow chocolate mousse sweetness that hits you before melding into a light roasty bitterness. Perfect palate again. Overall, this is very, very good from an objective standpoint, but subjectively it’s still a little short of hitting that peak of deliciousness or complexity that takes a beer to the top. Besides that tiny criticism, this is highly recommended, buy several bottles and try them at different ages.
9 4 8 5 17 4.3

Orig. rating 5-13-07: Viscous, motor-oil black pour and a luscious chocolate mousse mocha-tan head. Roasty, chocolatey, turkish coffee aroma. Very full flavor, loads of malts, lots of roasty bitterness, also licorice. Oily body. A very excellent porter (probably because this is closer in style to my beloved imperial stouts), really glad I found this one. Salty finish.
7 5 8 5 17, 4.2

Peanut and oak aroma. Brownish black pour with a thin brown head, nice lacing. Roasted malt taste with some hops. Not overly sweet or tart. Smoke hops and vanilla finish. Middle of the road porter, but still a great beer.

UPDATED: APR 15, 2009 Keg (St. Urho’s, Helsinki). The Baltic Porter style is basically the Imperial Stout of old, and this is a perfect example. Heavy oily roasted aroma, but not enough to prepare you for the huge smack in the gob when you first taste it. Sweet, spicey, coffee, malty by the bucketload, with crisp bitter notes, and a sharpness from the carbonation that almost makes this 7.2%-er "refreshing". All of the above is well balanced I must add, which might be due to it being top-fermented.