Baltic Porter (Smuttynose Brewing Co.)

This beer has been in my fridge for a couple weeks now and I've been eyeing it up and down every time I open the door. Finally, I have the chance to settle in and give it the attention it deserves.

The Baltic Porter was released in mid-January and is the newest member of the BIG BEER Series from Smuttynose. 

The label reads:

"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."

Wow, this pours thick and viscous. Perfect for a ridiculously cold night in St. Petersburg (or Portland). The head is nice and coffee colored and stays firmly planted on the top of the glass. It looks oily and like jet black coffee in the view from above. 

The smell of this is incredible. It smells like a cafe mocha made with lots of deep, dark espresso. Its such a delicious smell. A couple more whiffs and you get some of the very dark cooked fruit sweetness.

This is a chewy beer. No better way to describe it. Its rich, thick and very, very flavorful. Dark chocolate combined with rich maltiness and a nice bitter taste of coffee and hints of licorice. They really did a great job with this new release. It will be something to look forward to each January from now on!

For brewer's notes on this beer go HERE!

For the Smuttynose blog notes about this beer go HERE!

BEER FACTS

Name: Baltic Porter

Style: Baltic Porter

Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company

Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: Pilsner, Munich,CaraHell, Dark Crystal 120, Carastan 35, Chocolate Malt, Black Malt

Hops: Magnum and Liberty

ABV: 8.7% 

IBUs: 40

The Smuttynose BIG BEER Series is:

Baltic Porter - mid-January 
Imperial Stout - mid-February
Maibock - early April
Big A IPA - early May 
Farmhouse Ale - early June
Wheat Wine mid-August
Barley Wine - early October
S'muttonator Double Bock - mid-November