2.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 7/20 OldMrCrow (1415) - Seattle, Washington, USA - SEP 23, 2006
Bottle
I don’t understand the ratings that this one is pulling. It starts off well enough; it pours deep black with a nice grey-brown head. The roasty, chocolately, plums-and-sugar nose is really very enjoyable. But the taste...ugh. It’s so sweet that I just can’t enjoy it. I get cola syrup and alcohol (in the taste much more than on the palate, where it’s really quite hidden for 8.3%) and a bit of smoke. It’s like the sweetest British barleywine, without any of the particular suite of complex characters that make that sweetness enjoyable.
The sweetness ends up overwhelming enough that I have no interest in finishing the bottle, even though the initial sip was not distasteful in the way that most drainpours are.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 13/20 kenb (1102) - Oregon, USA - SEP 22, 2006
500 oz bottle via slob(thanks!). Pours a dark brown/almost black color with a MOHAGENY tint.. Aroma of vanilla, toffee, chocolate and plums. Wow this is sweet. Wasn’t expecting this. Reminds me of Black Boss Porter but not quite THAT sweet at least...hmm on 2nd thought maybe this is as sweet...This has a sweet toasted malt taste, i detect a lof of vanilla, cherry, some raisen, toffee and a nice mocha finish. Great beer, but is this really in the BALTIC style? Tastes more like a SWEET & STRONG dopplebock. Anyways it is very tasty.
3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20 JoeMcPhee (6835) - Toronto, ON, Ontario, CANADA - SEP 20, 2006
500 ml bottle. Thick tan head, fine lace over a deep dark brown beer. Sweet dark malty aroma, brown sugar, light char and some chocolate, light toast, a bit of peppery ethanol. Flavour is medium bodied, sweet dark chocolate with some thick breadiness and toast. Molasses and light rye toast notes in the flavour profile. Long herbal hoppy finish mingles with the peppery alcohol and spicy rye notes to give a lovely balance of sweet and spicy. Lingering molasses finish. Quite light tasting and almost refreshing, especially for something ringing in at 8.3%. Well-balanced and tasty brew.
3.5 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20 fordest (1954) - Santee/San Diego, California, USA - SEP 8, 2006
500 ml bottle. Lots of chocolate and coffee off this darkest brown pour with an awesome tan head. Flavors were very dusty and very alcoholic. Maybe just a bit too alcoholic. Some chocolate, but mostly dust and alcohol. Still not bad.
3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20 Sully (1378) - Potts Point, New South Wales, AUSTRALIA - SEP 5, 2006
I found this in the very impressive Purvis Cellars in Melbourne. My interest has been piqued since the experience with the other Polish porter with the spelling that bears no relationship to its pronunciation. This is similar in that the way you say it is not the way it appears. But neither is it the way one hopes. The presentation is dense and rich with a deep malty and blackstrap flavour, even a bit like the other peculier(ly) spelled name of the English ale. But harshness, fusels and brackishness assailed the olfactory and tastebuds. While a reasonable chocolate hint was present I am not impressed with the affrontery much like a Polish whore plying her trade in a Gdansk harboourfront bar (I think, given that I have never been to Poland let alone on one of its working harbours). OK, worth a zloty or two but not the golden glory I hoped for.
3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20 Vac (2420) - Capistrano Beach, California, USA - SEP 1, 2006
Pours with a dark brown body with red highlights, topped by a medium thick head with a good amount of lacing. It’s sweet and malty with a slight roastiness and a very slight caramel note, as well as, a hint of hops. Full bodied, smooth and warming.
4.1 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20 mutant (854) - Melbourne, AUSTRALIA - AUG 31, 2006
Jet black with a small tan head which persisted. Chocolatey herbal aroma. Stong chocolate and coffee flavour, with a long coffee aftertaste. Really loved this.
3.1 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20 daalamar (403) - new albany, Indiana, USA - AUG 29, 2006
Thanks go out to Secret Santa for this brew. Dark brown color with ruby edging when held to the light. Aroma is very faint, mostly of charred grain and burnt sugar sweetness. Flavor is also subdued with black patent being at the front followed with more burnt sugar and grain. Not much complexity here but nothing to complain about either, very simple porter.
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