Carnegie Porter 5,5% - Carlsberg Sverige AB

craftbrewer

Tennessee

5/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Hands down the best porter I've ever had, Baltic or otherwise.

Brown/choclate and patent malt notes in the nose, some maltiness.
Flavor is a wonderfully complex mix of smooth chocolate and roasty flavors, with a hint of crystal/caramel. Body is smooth and mellow. Low bitterness gives a slightly sweet character. Finishes with a pleasant grainy dryness that lingers with a great complex toasty character.

I have tried over 500 commercial beers and this is my all time favorite

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2004 04:42:12 | More by craftbrewer

Brushkanna

New Jersey

5/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

WOW that’s a great beer. We had a Porter & Stout beer tasting over New Years Eve and of the 12 beers we tried this was hands down #1. Some of the beers we had were bitter, or had chocolate and coffee flavors, too much going on in some of them. Carnegie Porter had the straight-up porter style that I look for, full flavored, smooth with a short creamy head, World Class. This is the first beer I felt compelled to review.

Serving type: bottle

01-03-2012 20:45:16 | More by Brushkanna

Offa

California

4.98/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

This is an outstanding, complex, yet highly drinkable baltic porter. Despite being at the low abv end for the style, it does not lack character.

Almost black, it has a medium tan head very slowly shrinking to foamy ring & wisps, some lace.

Aroma is rich anisy prunes, dark sweet toast, dried dark fruits, chocolate.

Taste is wonderful toasted dark brown bread, singed prunes, anisy-woody elements, roastiness, wood. It has firm sweetness, light engaging bitterness. Finish is roasty and woody with dry cocoa. It is engaging and lively but the feel, though not oily, is full.

It is an outstanding balance between rich, full character, complexity, and easy drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2012 23:46:10 | More by Offa

Todd

Massachusetts

4.95/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Presentation: 8.82fl.oz. cute little brown bottle. "årgång 1997" states that it's their '97 vintage. "stark" is strong.

Appearance: Deep, dark brown/ruby red. Head pours weak at first with large bubbles, then it creates a 1/4" cream lace under the same. It dissipates to a patchy, creamy off-white lace. A gentle swirl will induce a more creamy head.

Smell: One of the best aromas that I have ever come across. Big malt aromas of dark fruits and sweet raw malts, touch of caramel malt, black liquorice, oak and vanilla. Esters and oxidation are noted. Very rich and complex nose.

Taste: Sweet malt profile of caramel (faint diacetyl/butter flavours), grape-like flavours, light molasses and chocolate. No real "roasted" type flavours, which makes it a very traditional Porter, however you can just pick up a faint smoked malt flavour. Body is medium to full, mouthfeel is a bit chewy and luscious. Towards the end you can taste some oxidation and cherry/oak notes, a by-product of its age. Finishes slighty dry and bready, with notes of grain husk and chocolate residuals.

Notes: This vintage has probably reached its peak, though I'd be interested in tasting it again in a few years. It's an amazing example of the style and ripe for the tasting. I implore everyone to try this magnificent Swedish beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2001 09:48:26 | More by Todd

Gregfalone

California

4.93/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into an allagash goblet type glass. Bottle dated 2010. Have another to compare in a year.

Smooth, but high pour yields an inch and a half khaki head.
Beer is near opaque with deep ruby/amber light showing through when held up toward the lamp.

Smells of raisins, figs, and very faint malt and coffee... VERY faint. The smell is beautiful.

Taste is also fronted by raisin, then figs I get no coffee I the taste. Very nice mild tobacco sweetness. No alcohol taste. Very little bitterness. Smells and tastes perfect to me.

Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated for the thick wet consistency. This is one of the best beers I've ever drank. Definately in the top ten.

Overall- I love this beer. I will buy this over and over again. Next time I see it I'm gonna buy a few to drink and a couple to store. I have one Ike holding for a year, but I have a feeling two or three or more years will make this beer absolutely fanfuckintastic.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 08:16:26 | More by Gregfalone

matjack85

Illinois

4.9/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 3 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I never had a Sweedish beer before so I almost balked at picking this one up when I saw the $5.19 price tag for a single 16.9 oz bottle, plus the beer was dated 2001 and this was already Sept. of 2006, so I didn't know how well it had held up and wondered why no one was buying it.

It poured a dark brown color and left just a 1 finger creamy tan head that soon disappeared to just a tan ring on top producing just a minimal of lacing. Nothing exceptional about the pour or appearance.

The smell however was a different story. This beer had an incredibly good aroma. It was an intoxicating mix of roasted malt, coffee, and chocolate. It smelled absolutely delicious.

The taste was more of the same. It had a creamy mouthfeel due in part to the low carbonation and tasted like creamy coffee layered with chocolate and roasted malts. There was no bitterness to it at all. Many beers with coffee tastes have a bitter coffee flavor to them and some chocolate flavors are more like bittersweet dark chocolate than sweet chocoalte, but this beer is all mild roasted coffee and sweet milk chocolate, yet it is a pleasant subtle sweetness rather than sugary sweet and I absolutely loved it. Like drinking a cold chocolate flavored coffee.
There was a trace of alcohol in the aftertaste, but it wasn't anyhting that detracted from the overall experience.

At just 5.5% abv I could drink these all night, and when a beer is this good, you don't mind spending $5.19 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2006 23:49:15 | More by matjack85

berebrando

California

4.9/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

fantastic beer!!! I found this on the menu of cafe rouge in berkeley. served in a tall slender pint glass, poured from approx 22 oz bottle. the thick tan head of medium and small sized bubbles lasts long enough for the beer to reach optimal tasting temperature. once it warms, you can smell more of the chocolate malts. tastes like chocolate, coffee, burned, some spices and a slight boozy late favoring. I loved it... it was drinksble and tasted good in my mouth, as it was not quite a thick meal in a mug, nor too light, as little red says, it I'd just right, and fantastic at that.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2010 02:35:08 | More by berebrando

Ethanol4one

New York

4.9/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Very dark, with an average head, this beer sneaks up on you like base jumping Airborne Ranger delivering flowers that you forgot for your best girl as you walk up to her doorstep, with its mildly sweet, malty and perfectly balanced slight hopped aroma, and a just short of moderately thick mouth feel, like that of a stout. In fact, I'd bet a case that most people would identify it as a stout, if they were not told it's labeled a porter.

My first reaction right down to the last drop was that "this beer is perfect", so there's that. Although, the second one tasted more sweet to me, after pairings with some of the excellent olives Beer Table serves.

I had it at Beer Table, on tap in Brooklyn, where they really care about teh suds.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2013 18:50:52 | More by Ethanol4one

Mitchster

Michigan

4.85/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours out to a very dark brown with mahogany accents, near black. Forms a thin tan head with poor retention and sparse lacing despite a heavy handed pour. Carbonation is mild. Aroma is very nice, with suggestions of fruits, dates, prunes, chocolate, vanilla, coffee. Clean ferment. Mouthfeel is full and soft with a dense body and luxurious finish. Taste is wonderful...a capitulation of the aroma with the addition of tobacco, a suggestion of woody dryness towards the finish, and a brisk, clean twangy finish. There is a hint of metal towards the middle, but tends to disappear over time. There is a very nice roasted character with a hint of chalk in the mix. Alcohol is imperceptable, and there are absolutely no off-flavors. Bert Grant...eat your heart out. "Perfect Porter" my ass...

This is an amazing porter, besting many stouts. Very pleasantly surprised by this, and I would highly recommend it to my porter loving friends. The drinkability is amazing. I could easily put away 3 of these 17 oz bottles back without noticing. Complex, yet extremely satisfying without fatigue on the tastebuds. My last gulp was as good or better than the last. Wow.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2004 23:56:58 | More by Mitchster

Stunner97

New Jersey

4.85/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

2006 edition

Appearance-pitch dark black with very nice tan head, no carbonation to be seen what so ever, dark and ominous appearance great look

Smell- wow beautiful smell world class, roasted espresso, chocolate, roasted malts, just so appealing on the nose,

Taste- wow this is the epitome of complex, roasted malts, chocolate, hops on the finish, soft yet pleasant booze on the finish.very balance super complex and just such an amazing porter in terms flavor im blown away and such long lingering beautiful finish

Mouthfeel- smooth creamy and medium bodied, nice low carbonation and good feel

drinkability- just amazing, world class porter here, i got if for 99 cents cuz the place thought it was distressed and discontinued, but wow, cant believe that at 5.5 a beer can be this great 4 years later, amazing and probably best porter i have had privilege of having, if you see it get it you wont be sorry

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 00:25:11 | More by Stunner97

WilliamPhilaPa

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

(Argang 2000) Wow! This stuff is great! Starts by pouring a very dark black, with a very yummy looking dark tan head. The head sticks around for a good time also, the body is a medium to light- heavy with a very nice smooth mouthfeel. Very nice robust coffee notes and light caramel flavor, with just enough sweetness ( not over done ) to really enjoy this brew! This stuff is great to the last drop! Ends with a nice long finish!Overall a excellent Porter! I need more!

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2002 14:30:32 | More by WilliamPhilaPa

woemad

Washington

4.83/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this last night at the Viking. 2001 vintage. Poured an inky black, with a head somewhere between tan and mud-color. Rich odor, I got elements of chocolate, rich, roasted black coffee, dark fruits, and a beguiling smokiness. The taste was exquisite, silky smooth. Velvety chocolate and premium coffee, wrapped in a thin sheen of smoked malt. Truly a pleasure to drink. If this being axed, as I've heard other BAs say, I'm going to buy up as many of these as my resources will allow.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2003 21:02:36 | More by woemad

Phillyduke

Pennsylvania

4.83/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2001 Vintage with a "Best Before" date of 2010. The second label on the back of the bottle covering the original one leads me to believe this might have been one of the last batches to roll off the Pripps Bryggerier line. Comparing my thoughts with current reviewers, I think this may in fact be the case. Beer is a dark sienna brown and ever so slightly translucent with a fizzy light head that quickly recedes leaving an oily residue on the surface. No lacing to speak of. Not a hint of oxidation after 8 years in the bottle is remarkable for a beer of only 5.5% ABV. Smell is deep, dark, rich and inviting, with hints of chocolate, caramel and coffee.

Taste is out of this world! Medium-bodied with a velvety carbonation that seems to dissolve instantly in the mouth. My palate is coated by rich caramel malts and chocolate, with a bitter coffee finish. Taste wanders between syrupy sweet and roasted/burnt grains. Finish is long and lingers on the tongue, inviting another sip. Before I know it I'm at the bottom of the glass. I can't imagine a porter tasting any better than this.

It's a shame that current reviews paint the newer product as not worthy of the hype the original got. I didn't have very high hopes for this beer (I thought it would have been well past its peak), but I was pleasantly surprised, and slightly disappointed that I may never have one again...at least not in this incarnation.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2009 16:18:18 | More by Phillyduke

pisano

Massachusetts

4.83/5  rDev +16.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2010 vintage

a: pours a dark brown with a short lived one finger khaki head. Nice lacing. Ruby red at the edges where the light comes through. Good clarity despite how dark it is.

s: milk chocolate and roasted malts with sort of a marshmallow sweetness

t: lots of malty sweetness with a slight roasted flavor, milk chocolate, a tinge of bitterness on the finish

m: light, somewhat creamy mouthfeel with light carbonation. Very satisfying.

o: I first had this several years ago and was blown away. Happy to say that this is still one of my absolute favorite porters.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2012 02:03:50 | More by pisano

vladtheimpaler

New Jersey

4.8/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Had a perfectly treated and conditioned bottle. This was yummy. The conditioning of this beer is outstanding. Smooth Chocolate/Coffee malt flavor. Hops have been reduced to the background (through conditioning). Aroma has that beautiful, fruity, toffee, oxidized note that makes every sip enjoyable. This beer stands out and is worth seeking. I must warn everyone about mistreated bottles, though...

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2004 20:12:17 | More by vladtheimpaler

rkhaze

California

4.8/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Poured a really dark chestnut color. Small, quickly disappating tan head.
Deep classic aromas of sweet roasted malt, coffee and dark chocolate.
Big complex rich flavors of earthy, heavily roasted malt, coffee, bittersweet chocolate and smidges of cola and licorice. It had a tangy sweetness and finished mildly acidic with a pleasant hop bitterness and a whisper of tobacco. Good stuff! Let this one warm up a bit.
Medium bodied with a full, creamy and chewy mouthfeel. Good amount of carbonation.
Excellent beer and supreme drinkability!

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2004 00:11:14 | More by rkhaze

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.8/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

2006 version

Pours black with purple highlights when held to the light & a fluffed up 2 fingers deep sand colored head. Great lacing & head retention

S: Choclate & licorice

T: Huge choclate & burnt grain up front, then licorice & molasses. A little iron & alcohol bite surfaces as it warms . Finishes with a slight fruittyness, licorice & molasses

MF: Chewy with low carbonation & superb balance. Makes me think of a malted milk

Drinks pretty easy, would a nice on to session on if it weren't so expensive. One kickass batlic porter

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2006 03:40:38 | More by russpowell

Rocko

Sweden

4.78/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Vintage 2002:

Wow this is a real baby. :) Pours pitch black with a small brown head that fades away after a few seconds. It smells very malty with hints of coffee and dark chocolate, I think it has a really pleasant smell.

The taste is very complex, nice and pleasantly bitter, there is also a bit of coffee and burnt sugar in the background. The aftertaste is very long, but not as bitter as one would think. Thumbs up from me.

I think I will buy a few and let them mature!

Quote from the back label: "Carnegie Porter was created in 1836 and the taste is the same today" Anyone happen to have a 1836 vintage? ;))

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2003 08:53:28 | More by Rocko

horndecker

New Jersey

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Vintage 2000. Curious to see if this is a bit long in the tooth, or if it has some longevity.

The color is inky black with the odd raspberry red highlight. A fine tan head flares and settles, leaving some sticky suds.

The smell is lots of chocolate, a faint grassy hop, a hint of cherries, all of it rather earthy and dark. Some espresso notes at the end.

The taste is chocolate, roasted malt, almost malted milk, slight burnt flavors, but not edgy, very smooth. There is a mild bitterness which tempers the chocolate center, and leads to a dusty cocoa aftertaste.

It seems to have a bit less fruit than younger bottles I have had. The coffee/espresso contribution seems to diminish as well. Still a great beer, and beautifully put together. Enjoyed for it's earthier character.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2005 15:35:38 | More by horndecker

nlmartin

Ohio

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer was purchased at Jungle Jims. The beer was served in a imperial pint glass. The beer was the 2004 vintage. The bottle says best by 2014. I just dont know if this is a realistic best by date.

Appearance: The beer pours a black coloration with ruby opaqueness to light. The beer had a thick creamed coffee colored head. The head resolved itself into a thin ring. Patches of lacing remain on my glass.

Smell: This beer is loaded with dark roasted and toasted malts. The beer produces wiffs of smokeyness. The beer is majorly loaded with dark fruityness perhaps figs, prunes and black currants. The beer has a bit of choco and coffee smells playing in the smell. I cant really pinpoint anything that is hoppy in origin but I dont care. This is a dam fine smelling beer.

Taste: The beer delivers on the smell big time. This is a malty beer treat. The beer never hits a cloying sweetness. I guess this is due to the roasted and smokey flavors.

Mouthfeel/ Drinkability: The beer is a bit lighter than full bodied. The beer is lightly carbonated. The beer has a bit of buttery creamyness to the mouth. The beer never becomes cloyingly sweet. I would have liked this beer to be a bit thicker on the mouthfeel. The beer is a very drinkable malt bomb. I wish the cost of this was a bit cheaper because it would be a regular in my beer line up.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2006 01:44:11 | More by nlmartin

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Vintage 2004. Drank 2010.

Important: this Porter tastes like a proper Porter, and not like an alternate Stout. That is part of the reason why it is so dope. Many a purported Porter these days is suspiciously similar to a Stout. This one, as I said, differentiates itself definitively and definitely.

A – It pours as black as crude, with a moderate tan foam, and some decent lace action.

S – The aroma is not extravagant, but it is succinct and sublime, as is everything about this brew. It basically smells of dark malt, light oxidation and notes of cinnamon and smoke.

T – Again, it is not strongly flavored, but it is phenomenally smooth and balanced. I can't believe this beer is nearly six years old. The taste is full and richly malty, but not sweet, with subtle suggestions of dark fruit, plums, fig and a hint of roasty oxidation.

M – Very hearty. Exceptional.

D – Again, I am shocked that this brew is nearly six years old. At 5.5%, I wouldn't think it would keep so well. But it certainly does.

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2010 06:38:52 | More by ktrillionaire

Wonka

Maryland

4.72/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

5,5%Alc/Vol.
1 Pint. 9 Fl. Oz.
2004

I had one at Ludwig’s Garten in Philly a few weeks back and I had to come back for a review after I found it locally.

Appearance – spot on color with the black core and the light barely sneaking by at the fringes; monumental, frothy mocha head that holds long; lace is respectable, but it could be better-bringing in down from perfect

Smell – chocolate, molasses, some vanilla and dark fruit; the least exciting portion of the package but I still almost stamped it a 4.5

Taste – big malts; molasses and dark chocolate straight from the Whitman’s Sampler; coffee; vanilla comes through which was a certain pleasantry; bitterness comes through in close but its not overpowering

Mouthfeel – incredibly lush to the close where the desert sets in; carbonation is perfect

Drinkability – turnover is so easy, but that dryness sets it back just a bit

Undeniably, D. Carnegie’s porter is top shelf.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2005 23:21:25 | More by Wonka

jwc215

New Jersey

4.72/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This was the 2004 Vintage.
Poured black with ruby highlights around the edges when held up to the light. The thin tan head soon became a bubbly, well-retained lacing.
The smell was reminiscent of that of robust coffee.
The taste had smoky, charcoal-like characteristics. It had the flavors of rich coffee and bitter chocolate.
The silky, smooth mouthfeel ended with a bitter-sweet aftertaste. There was a very subtle hint of an alcohol finish.
The smooth, delicious, rich taste, along with a low abv for this style, makes this an enjoyably drinkable "session" Baltic Porter.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2006 22:38:57 | More by jwc215

echdk3

Missouri

4.72/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 1pt, 9oz bottle into a mug, 2004 vintage

A_Gorgeous dark black color with caramel color one centimeter head with bubbles on top surface. Really a beautiful beer, and leaves a nice slight lace

S_Big time vinegar, molasses. Burnt toast and coffee, a very rich and complex aroma complete with a slight bit of very dark bittersweet chocolate bar

T_Saliva kicks in on the pallet pretty quickly once this brew hits. Primary flavor is dark Italian burnt coffee also with some of that same white vinegar from the aroma

M_Very chewy and lightly carbonated, feels like chewy young goude cheese, absolutely gorgeous

D_Really nice dark roast italian coffee aftertaste is present but absolutely unintrusive. The alcohol is hidden very well. I really could drink many of these, very very nice

I am rating this beer very higly. It is easily one of the best porters I've ever had - in all five categories. Please, please pick this beer up and enjoy all of its subtleties slowly and fully

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2008 02:23:46 | More by echdk3

popery

California

4.72/5  rDev +14%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

2006 Vintage.

A: Very good looking beer, particularly for a porter with a few years on it. Black liquid with a nice foamy head and plenty of lacing.

S: Interesting smell. It's probably a bit weaker but more complex now than it was fresh. There are notes of sweet stone fruit and roasted malt. It's interesting, but it doesn't have the punch of some porters.

T: The taste is incredible at this point. It's sweet, roasty and fruity. The flavor is exceptionally well-melded and balanced. It's an excellent porter that has aged incredibly. I like that there's still good bitterness. The hops have mostly dropped out, but it's never cloying or overly sweet.

M: Creamy and smooth.

D: Extremely easy to drink. You can't make a beer taste this way without the aid of time. The feel and flavor are just right. This beer has surprised me greatly. I was expecting disappointment but received just the opposite.

3/20/2010 - Still awesome.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2009 05:51:35 | More by popery