Smuttynose Baltic Porter (Big Beer Series) - Smuttynose Brewing Company

lifebeer

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a. pours a dark chocolate, with two fingers of cascading, mocha head, beautiful

s. strong chicory astringency, some citrus and roasted chocolate malts, yeast

t. begins with slightly bitter chicory, maltiness, and finishes with alcohol, as warms bitterness is softened as is alcohol, and unsweetened chocolate, earthy/yeasty flavor stays around

m. medium body

d. very drinkable, not too filling

enjoyed how the flavor characteristic changed with warming. this is a fairly tasty brew. suprisingly light-bodied. might buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2008 02:05:26 | More by lifebeer

guinness33

New Jersey

3.93/5  rDev -8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an awesome deep, deep brown colour that is essentially black. A big dark tan creamy chocolate head sits atop the liquid and has decent retention before settling into a thick-ish lace. Each sip leaves a slight amount of residue on the glass.

The aroma is sweet: cocoa, caramel and a touch of coffee, and there is a nice hop burst here as well, which is more than was expected for sure.

The flavour is quite similar to the aroma, but has more of a burnt/roasted malt feel to it. Definitely bitter and there's a fair amount of a semi-sweet chocolate flavour here as well, along with just a touch of coffee. Mouthfeel is medium to full bodied with a bit of creaminess to it and is just right for the style in my opinion.

This is a really nice Baltic Porter. It's much more along the lines of what Perkuno's Hammer used to be and more of what I was expecting and didn't get from the Baltic Thunder. If you've the choice of the two, definitely go for the Smutty and try it for sure anyway as it's just a solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2008 20:32:18 | More by guinness33

morebeergood

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Man, what a good beer. That's all I kept thinking as I kept sipping. Pours a diesel oil black color into the glass. The head was huge and puffy, and brown as leather. The smell was of roasted malt all the way up my nostrils. The taste was immense, with ample notes of chocolate, coffee, and black licorice all over the palate. I never thought a beer could be that "burnt" tasting and still taste so delicious. That might be it's only fault, its taste was so powerful it might be hard to drink more than one. And since the abv is unknown, you'll need to be careful. I kicked myself when I remembered that I only bought one. If I had known it was this good, I would have definitely bought a few more. The best in the Smutty Big Beer Series thus far.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2008 00:44:55 | More by morebeergood

Rainintheface

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I picked this up at Julio's about a month back, last one there. I've saved it for this, my 100th review.

A: dark, mostly black. There's no seeing through this. Has an awesome two+ finger coffee, frothy looking head. Great retention.

S: coffee, lots of coffee. some chocolate and a slight raisiny aroma. smells fantastic

T: dark fruit, maybe prunes. molasses, malt, some licorice lingers in the mouth. coffee. wow, there's much going on.

M: smooth, full bodied, creamy and velvety. alcohol is well hidden

D: Drinkable- yes. It's a big complex beer that needs to be savored

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2008 18:02:31 | More by Rainintheface

vtfan77

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Very dark brown. Not quite black, but close. About a half inch of tan head forms and quickly dissipates.

S- Unsweetened chocolate is the main player here. Lots of roasty aromas, not much sweetness.

T- Starts out with a big roasted malt character and flavors of coffee and dark chocolate. Some sweetness emerges in the middle with a touch of dark fruit and chocolate syrup before drying out at the end. The aftertaste is of dark baker's chocolate. The hops add a moderate bitterness to the finish, but don't really contribute anything to the flavor.

M- Smooth and velvety with a medium-full body. It's not too thick and doesn't have too much carbonation.

D- Not bad. It's pretty rich, so it's definitely not a quaffer. I'd put the alcohol in the 7-8% range. If it's much more than that, then it's hidden very well.

Very nice beer here. This has everything you could want in a Baltic Porter. I'd also guess that this would be good with a year or two under its belt. Overall, a great example of the style and one that I will be happy to revisit in the future. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 05:19:45 | More by vtfan77

dsa7783

New Jersey

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

1 Pint, 6 fl oz bottle copped from Total Wine and More in Union...
From what I've heard, this beer boasts an 8.7% ABV, which is hardly noticeable behind the ultra-rich and thick conglomeration of sweet, chocolate flavors...
Pours a very attractive, engine-oil, dark-black, appearance with a red, tan, frothy and foamy head that soon receded leaving a copious amount of lacing...
Smell was very rich and apparent, bursting with fresh and dark espresso, latte, and cocoa nuances...
Taste resembled the smell, with strong chocolate, mocha, espresso, and latte flavors, bursting with burnt, roasted malts...
Excellent depiction of the style, bursting with flavor, smell , and quality dominating this teriffic brew... Excellent stuff from Smuttynose... they did really well with this one, creating a true-to-the style sample worthy of the highest praise...
Ultar-rich, thick, and creamy mouthfeel with a good level of drinkability...
Definitely recommended...

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2008 00:13:05 | More by dsa7783

Hautacam

Connecticut

3.8/5  rDev -11%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pretty dark brown with a rusty head....foams and laces just a bit.
Smell is heavy with dark fruit and anise.
Taste is dense with chalky, slightly sweet coffee...dry licorice, raisans , dates and figs...hop bite..hint of phenol..residual chalk aftertaste.
Mouthfeel is full and carbonation moderate.
I really like this , but a bomber is a bit too much....the intensity wore me out.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2008 23:32:36 | More by Hautacam

hopsjunkie23

New Jersey

4.88/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Had on draft at The Shepherd and the Knucklehead, Haledon, NJ

Color - nice dark, very opaque.. beautiful creamy head. about two fingers and it remained.

Smell - wonderful coffee, vanilla and black currant notes..

Taste - lots of vanilla, almost whiskey taste.. lots of black currant.. almost a sweetness... very smooth, well balanced alcohol-wise

Tremendous drinkability - had three pints and was three sheets to the wind... Highly recommended!

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2008 22:01:50 | More by hopsjunkie23

sawbones420

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Smutty BIG BEER releases have never once let me down, so I tend to try each new one I see.

Opting out of using proper glassware (mug/pint), I pour into my Brooklyn B. snifter glass. When the ABV is unlisted, I go with a sipping glass to be on the safe side. Plus I typically enjoy porters out of snifters to begin with.

Pours opaque black (like over-roasted coffee) with chocolate milk colored head. Smells like coffee, but chocolatey and caramely (similar to many chocolate stouts/porters). Also picking up a faint medicinal smell.

Yummy! has many of the flavor characteristics typical of the style (coffee, chocolate) but with a slightly smoked woody tinge to it. The medium body washes well in the mouth and doesn't over-thick you like a stout might. Finishes on the roasty, woody note, with a hint of nut. Wonderfully complex without being excessively heavy.

Unless it's hiding it well, I'd guess this beer clocks in roughly around 6% ABV, although I'm not at the bottom of the bottle yet. If it's any higher than that, however, it's concealed well. Definitely drinkable, although not for those that aren't fans of the style. I could probably do two in one sitting after a well-digested meal.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2008 05:02:27 | More by sawbones420

Kudashov

Massachusetts

4.45/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into my Spaten mug the brew is dark as ink and comes to a large coffee colored head . I am a big fan of the Smuttynose brewery .Coffee , chocolate and roasted malt flavor . Brown sugar , " mapley " flavor. After a few sips there is wonderful lacing and the Smuttynose Brewery has made another great beer . As for the ABV there is some redness to my cheeks which means by my account that is over 7% . Creamy and smooth . As with most of the " Big Beer Series " from Smutty this will be another that I will be more than happy to purchase . Total class from Smuttynose . Cheers .

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2008 22:57:36 | More by Kudashov

LittleBreeze

New York

4.05/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Both smell and taste are rather complex. Strong chocolate, espresso, caramel, vanilla and a host of others. The mouthfeel is thick... creamy...lactose.

I really love this one. Nice espresso bitterness balanced with the chocolate. It goes down a little too easy.

Very good beer experience.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2008 04:22:58 | More by LittleBreeze

aerozeppl

New York

2.95/5  rDev -30.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Split a 22oz bottle.

A: Pours thick out of the bottle. Black with some brown on the edges when held up to the light. One finger of tan head.

S:Roasted malt, charcoal and black licorice. I should have stopped here as I hate black licorice.

T: All I could taste was the licorice. I hate that taste so much. Ruined this beer for me.

M: Thick and chewy. Good amount of carbonation for the style.

D:Before I took a sip I was really exited about this beer. I had to abandon my half after about 5 sips. If they remove the licorice/anise from the recipe I would go back. Until then this beer just isn't for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2008 16:54:26 | More by aerozeppl

dedrinker

Kansas

3.73/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Flat black color with a light tan head. Aroma of roasted grain and baker's chocolate. More roasted malts and bittersweet chocolate in the flavor with the added character of a lager's rounded, firm, smoothness. No hot estery/ alcohol wildness here. Very nice - medium-full body with a nice dry, roasty finish. I used mine to polish off some sausages and whole grain mustard with onions, sauerkraut, pumpernickel and Appenzeller.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2008 20:38:58 | More by dedrinker

Durge

Connecticut

4.2/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pitch black, completely opaque with medium tan head and a carpeting of lace. Mild coffee chocolate aroma. Smooth charcoal and coffee, licorice raison. Average drinkability for this style but not something I would get too carried away with in one sitting. Excellent full body. Yummy.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2008 03:29:09 | More by Durge

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle purchased from Table & Vine, West Springfield, MA.

Poured into a heavy glass chalice, formed a 2" dark brown head over the opaque dark brown/black brew. Head holds strong, with ample lacing. Aroma is rich dark grains, with hoppy touches. Taste follows along, dark roasty maltiness upfront, melded with some hops in the middle, and then back for some coffee bitterness at the close. Mouthfeel is velvety smooth, with drinkability excellent for the style. Another great Big Beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2008 03:00:53 | More by ppoitras

oberon

North Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Great to see Smuttynose make this part of there new "Big Beer" series and for my money this is the best.Poured into a 22oz nonic a rich and dark nearly opaque black with a large blooming mocha colored head that settled rather quickly leaving no lace behind.I had to give the aroma a "5" because not only are they incredibly appetizing but they just jump out at ya,big juicy prune/raisin dipped in dark bitter chocolate with a hint of dry wood.Great balance of sweeter dark fruit and dark chocolate and a dry leafy,woody finish there is a large dose of hop but it still stays pretty true to style.A great new addition Smuttynose great work.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2008 21:20:13 | More by oberon

francisweizen

Australia

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22oz bottle:

Dark cola brown/black with a light tan head of foam that rises steadily and leaves decent lacing. Aromas are all roasted malts, some cocoa powder, a bit of warm alcohol, and a faint medicinal resin hop. Taste is very chocolate/coffee/roast with a dry almost lactic hop finish. Mouthfeel is medium/thick which lends a good drinkability. Not too far off from an Okocim and that's saying a lot for this style

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2008 22:06:57 | More by francisweizen

ricchezza

Massachusetts

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

2008 Big Beer series.

Smell= Initially after the pour I get a strong chocolate scent. Soon the malts break through leaving a roasted malt and cocoa aroma.

Appearance= Black. Nothing coming through when held up to the light. Thick brown head that retains well.

Mouthfeel= Thick, creamy, heavy.

Taste= Cocoa/coffe-like bitterness. Lingers for a while on the tongue, but I like it.

Drinkability= Too bad this is a seasonal brew. I would like to drink this all year 'round.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2008 13:52:05 | More by ricchezza

asabreed

New York

4.53/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Bomber into a pint glass.

Appearance: Opaque with a creamy mocha-colored head that's thick and rich though I'd prefer more staying power and more lacing on the glass.

Smell: Rich baker's chocolate, mocha and coffee, roasted malts, slight raisins, molassas, nuts, bread crust, berries, a tinge of alcohol and earthiness, tree bark, honey, mild vanilla extract, hints of pine. As it warms more comes through. Highly complex and intriguing.

Taste: Huge coffee and roasted malt presence initially, fading to creamy milk chocolate backed by honey, vanilla, berries, and some earthiness. Finish is initially sweet before the semi-dryness that keeps lingering, with the roasted malts and coffee there for the long haul. A big brew for sure, but highly nuanced and highly drinkable.

Mouthfeel: Very creamy and chewy for such a big-body brew, with the perfect amount of carbonation for the flavors to dominate, while not making it cloying in the least.

Drinkability: For around $5 or $6 a bomber, the Smuttynose Big Beer series is one I'm always into purchasing. For the most part I've yet to be even mildly disappointed and this brew is no different. This seems a style that a lot of breweries are trying, which is great, since you need some deviation from the RIS every once in a while. Certainly an awesome sipper for a cold evening, and one that I highly recommend.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2008 04:27:42 | More by asabreed

jjayjaye

New York

4.5/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

It would have been nice if the BA who entered this beer included (Big Beer Series) in the name to maintain consistency.

An opaque dark brown color that you barely see through the pour. A full finger stiff tan colored head fades slowly to sheets of lacing, some 3D. The smell is an aggressive creamy Tootsie roll chocolate with a light roasted malt character. Nicely carbonated, the mouth feel is full bodied, creamy and silky smooth with a slight tingle of alcohol on the tip of the tongue. Full flavored, the sweet chocolate taste is quite similar to the smell and complemented nicely by the feel. There is a lightly chewy milk chocolate after taste that lingers nicely. The Alcohol is integrated well, yet provides a subtle warmth on the way down. Way too easy to drink! Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2008 01:12:30 | More by jjayjaye

Doomcifer

Rhode Island

4.4/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

First off, the label on this sucker is badass. With that said, I have been excited to try this one from the beloved Smuttynose. The beer pours an extremely rich, oily look. Pitch black color with no light entering when held up to the light. The pour resulted in a chunky, light brown, thick head that retains nicely. Terrific lacing.
Aromas of sweet malts, milk chocolate, roastiness, coffee. Tastes of more sweet malts, lots of bittersweet dark chocolate, espresso, lots of roastiness with a bitter hop flavor in the finish along with an alcohol presence that lingers on the palette for a long while after each sip.
Rich, thick, viscous mouthfeel, prickly with tiny bubbles from the good carbonation, semi-dry finish. Warming effect in the belly. Extremely tasty and enjoyable, Highly drinkable. Ahhh, Smuttynose.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2008 01:11:24 | More by Doomcifer

beerbutcher

Maine

4.33/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

pours black with a dark tan head one finger thick which dissipates quickly. no lacing and minimal carbonation.

aroma is of intense roasted malt. there's a vinous quality to the phenols with rich coffee and chocolate as well as some lighter toasted notes.

taste is broad and deep. there's intense roasted bitterness with a stinging hop bitterness underneath. plenty of rich chocolate, slightly sweet, and a chocolate covered espresso bean finish. very delicious, though quite aggressive. not ragged, just big.

mouthfeel is delightful. it's a massive beer that is quite rich, but not without both the alcohol and the bitterness to balance the sweetness.

overall, an experience. there's plenty to like her for the dark beer lover, though not a style for a weak palate. lots of nuance and discreet alcohol for such a bomb. try alongside something sweet and creamy, a mocha cheescake or a plain one with red fruit on top.. maybe even just the fruit with some chocolate (white!)

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2008 00:48:26 | More by beerbutcher

jaxon53

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

After a long wait, the Baltic Porter is finally here! Served this at about cellar temperature, into my Stone snifter, from a twenty-two ounce brown bottle.

Appearance: This one pours out what appears to be an inky black, that not the slightest bit of light could pass through. Almost has a thick oily look to it. A somewhat hard pour yields about an inch and a half of creamy, thick, bubbly, coffee brown head. Head faded somewhat slowly, and is reduced to thick lace left on the glass. Looks good so far.

Smell: A pretty good, yet sweet nose. A very nice roasted malt presence hits the nose first. A bit of a sweet chocolate aroma is paired up with a little freshly brewed coffee. Also a faint nuttiness with a little molasses.

Taste: A nice, almost smokey malt flavor really stands out. A somewhat rich, sweet chocolate flavor sweetens this some, but not overwhelmingly. Some more molasses with raisin and plum are faint but noticeable. Finishes dry with a hint of hops, and a bitter coffee flavor. Not much noticeable alcohol.

Mouthfeel: Mouthfeel is pretty thick and creamy and a bit chewey. Very rich with plenty of tongue tingling carbonation. Nice big, full body.

Drinkability: Great drinkability. Not too rough on the palate, but a sipper in my opinion. Overall a pretty good Baltic Porter from Smuttynose. Curious how this would be with a little age on it.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2008 19:55:33 | More by jaxon53

Jmamay22

New York

4.18/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This Baltic Porter is pitch black, opaque and shows off a dark brown coffee colored head that eventually settles to a collar.

Smells of rum, raisins, vanilla and sweet molasses.

Sweet up front featuring brown sugar. Slick sticky finish with a warming alcohol burn.

Feel is smooth, but not overly heavy given the undoubtedly high alcohol content and expectations for the style. The bottle notes that this is a lager and a powerful one at that. Creates a surprisingly different feel.

Finish is a little hot, which hurts the alcohol. Despite the apparent lack of hops it does not come off as cloyingly sweet. Some time with this one may smooth things out, but it is still undeniably enjoyable. Worthy of a Russian or New Jersey winter evening.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2008 04:13:33 | More by Jmamay22

WesWes

New York

4.75/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a deep, dark black color with a thick frothy tan head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is great. It has a rich black and chocolate malt scent that warms even the nose. This is one intense beer. The taste is perfect. This one is black to the max. It's rich and smooth going down with bitter black malt flavor. It warms a bit in the finish. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a full bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is the best Baltic I've ever tried. It leaves nothing to be desired; a truely balls out beer. God Bless America!!! Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2008 02:54:42 | More by WesWes