Okocim Porter

Carlsberg Polska
Brewed at Okocim (Carlsberg Polska)
Style: Baltic Porter
Warszawa, Poland

Serve in English pint, Shaker, Snifter

Bottle at Seattle International Beer Fest. Pours deep black with a cappuccino cream head and a few clings. A strong alcohol, chocolate and citrus aroma. Taste is much the same, but nice and subtle.

Many US microbrews make things they claim to be Baltic porters which are really just big versions of their other porters. Baltic porters are in a class of their own and drinking one can be an eye opening experience for those who have not have an authentic one. It pours a deep garnet black w/ a foamy head of tan bubbles which leaves behind lace in little spots. The nose is enormous. Raisin and plum pop out immediately and it’s very sweet and sugary smelling. There is a hint of alcohol and some Christmas spice as well. A mild tartness implies dark fruits while a toasty, roasted malts add a pleasing chocolate character. This has about the same texture as whole milk and is just about as rich. Big,thick and syrupy on the tongue, this Baltic porter is a far cry from the dry drinkable ones of the West. In the end, it cloys a bit which has a pretty strong negative affect on drink ability but it is still something of a delicious beer in small quantities and as such I recommend you split a bottle w/ a friend or two.

My first Baltic Porter. Pours a dark brown colour with red highlights. The deep rich beige head is big, has good retention and lacing. The nose is full of molasses, chocolate and alcohol (that disappears after a bit, to be replaced by notes of nuts). Oily mouthfeel and medium-bodied. The flavours are smooth enough, with some chocolate that is between sweet and bitter, some coffee, some dark fruits and some nuts in the finish. No burning, nor alcohol in the taste. Some smoke comes out long into the aftertaste. Good first experience.

Deep opaque brown with a nice tan head and ok acing. Modest roasted coffee aroma. Muted chocolate, raisin flavors up front, but then a read strong roasted malt and coffee finish. Medium body, slightly watery, and a pleasantly bitter aftertaste.

Nice aroma of chocolate, molasses, fruit. The appearance is a beautiful deep black, tan head. The flavor is chocolate, molasses, plums, raisins. the finish is an enduring piney hop bittering. Medium in body. Excellent.

1999--16.9 oz. Bottle. 8.10% ABV. (3.75 / 5.0) Clear deep black red color. Sweet toasted cherry fruit front. Big rich sweet toasted fruity malty body is a little too much and borders on syrupy. Slight alcohol bite to smooth creamy finish. Sampled 1/15/2000. 2001--16.9 oz. Bottle. 8.10% ABV. (3.25 / 5.0) Clear deep black brown color. Rich tan head leaves big lace. Sweet mild chocolate roasted front. Big rich sweet toasted fruit body. Thick sweet texture lingers to end without balancing spice or hops. Sampled 9/21/2001. 2005--16.9 oz. Longneck Bottle. 8.30% ABV. 30 IBU’s? (4.25 / 5.0) Porter--Baltic. Mild lace head. Clear bright thin dark toffee color. Mild roasted hop front. Clean rich smooth roasted malt dark wheat rye caramel mild sweet fruit body. Mild hot EtOH hop end. Tasty rich roasted Malt Liquor Porter. Sampled 9/10/2005.

500ml bottle -

Aroma - chocolate, cherry-pits aroma...wet dirt...kinda musty smelling...sweet and fruity yet molasses...toasted grain notes.

Appearance - deep brown/black body, mocha colored head, about 1" thick, nice retention.

Taste - lots and lots of chocolate notes, obvious alcohol notes (quite the burn), vinous/bourbon thing going on here...strange but really nice.

Palate - huge full bodied beer, stinging from the alcohol, could be smoother.

Overall - probably the best >$3.00 porter I’ve had. Really nice price and damned good. Just couldn’t drink more than 1 a day I don’t think.

This is a damn good beer. Very dark pour from a bottle, with a big puffy tan head that left thick lacing. It had a strong sweet malty aroma and a deep chocolate taste with hints of raisin and anise and a dry finish that prevents it from being too cloying. Be careful, this beer’s got a wee bit of sting in it’s tail.