Sea Legs Baltic Porter - Uinta Brewing Company

mactrail

California

3.6/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Quite attractive dark chestnut brown color with lots of beige head. I finally get to use my Crooked Line slender tulip on a new beer. Appealing malty, roasty aroma. Just a whiff of plastic detracts from the nose.

Rather nice mouthfeel, on the creamier side. Some chocolate and winey flavors. Dark roast malt in every shade of black. Slightly sweet, and some nutty flavors. Some woody flavor that is hard to place seems to account for the oak. Bitter twang for the ending with a charred edge. Some bitterish fruit like currants, pomegranate, pear skins. Interesting example of the style.

From the 500 ml corked bottle bought at Bine and Vine in San Diego.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 04:23:06 | More by mactrail

Spectre

California

3.6/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

A.Black with a thin dark brown head.

S.Chocolate, Coco, Oak, and a hint of Vanilla.

T.Not bad but definitely not what I was expecting. There's more coffee and hops than chocolate. Though there's vanilla this beer is far for sweet.

M.Thinner than most porters. I can use a little more smoothness.

Overall not a bad porter but has more of a stout feel to it.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 04:55:25 | More by Spectre

agomega

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle served in a tulip glass.

Appearance: Deep opaque black, with a caramel colored head that dissipates to a thin foam covering on top of the beer. Slight lacing, but most of the head stays on top of the beer.

Smell: Chocolate, Vanilla, Licorice, and hints from the oak barrels in which it was aged.

Taste: The overall taste is very light and balanced - definitely not a flavor bomb like an imperial stout. Notes of chocolate, licorice, vanilla and oak, with a very subtle astringency coming from the oak (perhaps due to the rye whiskey).

Mouthfeel: Thin to medium mouthfeel. Very smooth drinking for such a big beer. Could easily finish the whole bottle.

Overall: A very smooth and refined beer, great for a light desert sipping beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 03:35:14 | More by agomega

brureview

Massachusetts

3.69/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured in a tulip, the beer is an intensely dark chocolate with a three finger head.

Light vanilla wafts from the head.

The mouth feel is very carbonated. There is a tingling tartness.

The taste is hoppy, chocolate and light vanilla. With warming, there is more maltiness,
smoothness, but the hoppiness masks the chocolate.

I was a bit disappointed by the beer. I expected a richer chocolate, and a smoother taste with vanilla. I switched glasses for a difference. The stein produced a smoother, more malty taste, but the pronounced tang remained.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:18:07 | More by brureview

Bung

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

750ml. Nice looking black pour, nearly a finger of tanish head. Retained pretty well. Looks like there might be a high level of carbonation to this...

Aroma, some roast malt, dark chocolate and a woody note. The nose is not real strong.

Taste, roast malt, dark chocolate and woody cocoa. Oak is nice in the finish. Some coffee/anise. Just a little bit thin throughout.

Mid bodied, carbonation a tick too high to feel creamy. Very easy to drink. Just seemed a little thin, maybe still a bit too fresh.

Lack of boldness in any way is the only thing holding this back from the upper eschelon. So far my least favorite of the crooked line, which have all been excellent.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 03:12:41 | More by Bung

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.84/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a huge mocha colored creamy rich 2 finger head, fades slowly with nice soapy lacing, super dark pitch black beer, big pillowy head.

Nose nice, creamy dark malts, pillowy fluffy malts, nougat, some cocoa and dark chocolate, light dusty wood shelf and esters, but also a bit of a too much dank wood dust yeasty bready thing going on. Light vanilla and hint of booze in there. Some booze esters and cocoa powder coming more as it warms.

Taste brings a nice dark malt, similar to Labyrinth at first, little creamy rich dark malts, fluffy nougat, little caramel, chewy oats, etc. Then chocolate, cocoa powder and hint of charred malt. Barrel is there too, not a lot bit a little vanilla and light dank dusty shelf. A bit yeasty too as the yeast seems a little overrun, and esters from the wood and yeast don't help. Booze is warming and a little tingly. Finish is still a bit sweet but drier, some earthy bitter hops come out on the finish, bit more cocoa and dusty barrel lingering. Big creamy cocoa late too.

Mouth is fuller bodied, rich and creamy, lots of fluffy carb maybe too much, and too thick creamy body for a typical baltic porter.

Overall mixed. It has some great parts, but also off points, maybe the yeast in the bottle went too far, but if it wasn't for that yeasty and dank wood esters out would be quite nice.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 13:29:24 | More by jlindros

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

appearance: Beautiful darkest of browns. Very little light getting through this. Slight dark red highlights when held to light.
smell: Smoky vanilla and chocolate. The barrel aging adds a fairly subtle but detectible sumpin extra.
taste: Quite good though not as rich as the nose promises.
overall: Another nice addition to the crooked line series.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 00:23:38 | More by cindyjeffsmith

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.93/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle - $12.99 at Bullock's Wine & Spirits in Marietta, Georgia.

Bottled On: 11/21/12.

Appearance: Pours an onyx black body with an initially tall, tan head, though it collapses fairly soon.

Smell: Fudge, carob chips, flecks of charred malt. Then, some vanilla and oak from the barrel. Light, leafy touch from the hops. Hint of foiled dark fruits, a bit of musty, funkiness cut from razor thin sniffs of alcohol.

Taste: Bittersweet chocolate, carob, and some slightly burnt malt hinting at espresso start. Medium-light sweetness. Slight, somewhat subtle vanilla and oaken elements from the barrel treatment. There's a very, very light but noticeable funkiness for me, giving it a faintly sourish backing. Soiled dark fruitiness. Mild hop character, very low bitterness. Warming, chary, chocolaty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium-plus carbonation, initially. Smooth, as it glides across the tongue, but there's ample suds all the same (initially, at least).

Overall: A decent sipper. I think I like it. I think?

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 02:00:54 | More by ChainGangGuy

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

750ml bottle poured into a large snifter.

A: Deep brown on the pour, very close to black. an inch and a half of tan head retain very well. Lacing patterns the glass in thin rings and small spots.

S: Chocolate truffles and black cocoa powder, hints of smoke and jerky, slight pepper, plum and cherry esters, and a subtle toasted oak backing with an accompanying vanilla note.

T: Fudge and German chocolate cake. Cola. Undercurrent of caramel and molasses. Woody and smokey, turns a bit acrid. Black cherry and plum darkfruit. Very subtle noted of toasted oak and vanilla. Slight peppery alcohol. Finishes smokey and a touch acrid with a slight drying oak presence.

M: Medium-thick body. Very creamy and a bit airy, it seems lighter than it is. Moderate prickling carbonation helps to lift and scrub.

O: Uinta's barrel aged beers tend to take the 'less is more' approach, and this one is no exception. A very subtle incorporation of the barrel means that the wood takes on a strictly complementary role. Nice balance and restraint displayed here, and the beer benefits from it.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 00:19:12 | More by ryan1788a5

metter98

New York

3.98/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A: The beer is jet black in color. It poured with a thin beige head that died down, leaving some lacing on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light aromas of of dark malts along with some hints of roasted malts.
T: The taste has a mix of flavors of coffee, licorice, dark malts, chocolate and vanilla; these become stronger as the beer warms up.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little smooth on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: Thiss beer is very complex but is also very balanced in the sense that not one flavor stands out in particular. It is quite easy to drink and completely hides the alcohol.

Serving type: growler

03-16-2013 20:56:13 | More by metter98

Bendurgin

Maine

3.99/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a tulip. This one pours dark brown with a thick cap of frothy white head.

The aroma has hints of bitter dark chocolate with some dark fruits in the background. Roasted malts on the pallet with dark bready flavors. Hints of bitter cocoa in the background.

The body is medium with soft carbonation. Overall this is a good brew; would gladly try it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 02:12:35 | More by Bendurgin

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours an opaque but clear extremely dark brown in color (almost black) with some moderate amounts of visible carbonation and some dark amber highlights . The beer has a half finger tall light tan head that slowly reduces to a mottled very thin film covering the majority of the surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Light to moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of dark roasted malts, chocolate, burnt coffee, vanilla, and oak.

T: Upfront there are some light to moderate flavors of dark roasted malts with some light to moderate notes of dark chocolate and burnt coffee. Very light hints of vanilla and oak. Just a hint of licorice and light to moderate amounts of bitterness which lingers slightly.

M: Slightly heavier than medium bodied with light to moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth.

O: There is a good amount of complexity. Well balanced, no single flavor really dominates and quite smooth. An excellent sipping beer and the alcohol is well hidden - I could really see this one sneaking up on me.

Serving type: growler

03-16-2013 20:57:57 | More by dbrauneis

tdm168

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - black with a thick, brown head that has great retention

S - roasted malts, citrus, coffee

T - creamy, citrusy, coffee, roasted malts, sugary

M - full bodied, smooth, well carbonated

This is an interesting beer. It has most of the typical notes that one would expect from the style, but there is an intense citrus character throughout. I won't say I didn't like it, but it wasn't what I was expecting. Once I came around to the blend of coffee, citrus, and some burnt sugar notes all blended together, I really enjoyed this beer. It's worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 23:04:48 | More by tdm168

emerge077

Illinois

4.05/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Huge billowing head of creamy tan foam that has a meringue surface texture. Plenty of lace coating the glass in weblike patterns.

Soft aroma of chocolate and mild roasted malt.

Dry chocolatey taste, toasted almonds and mild coffee notes. Pleasant and straightforward, the abv isn't too noticeable. Very smooth and creamy mouthfeel, almost like the consistency of hot chocolate. Medium bodied with a milky character. Overall an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 01:32:40 | More by emerge077

andrewinski1

Maine

4.09/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a tulip. The color is black. There is a full fluffy tan head with lots of staying power.

Bendurgin did the pouring and I could smell the chocolatey hop aroma.

The taste is full of coffee and some chocolate vanilla notes. This is well balanced with roasted and hop bitterness cutting into the malt sweetness just enough. Oak notes are subtle, perhaps undetectable.

This is full bodied with a fluffy mouthfeel. This is super delicious. The only way it could improve is by being rarer.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 02:09:25 | More by andrewinski1

neophilus

Massachusetts

4.09/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Nothing ugly about this pour, looks like a good porter to me. Sweet smelling malt on the nose mingling with vanilla aroma held in place by a whiff of acrid roasted grain.

Flavor brings easy drinking roast with a good balance of sweetness. Vanilla is used with skill and restraint and you almost have to look for it to find it. Reminiscent of dark chocolate desserts at a bakery. Some alcohol heat stiffens the flavor up and mingles well with the roasted bitterness and vanilla sweetness. Finishes dry and clean.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2013 23:19:01 | More by neophilus

overnightstorms

Illinois

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured in a wine glass (best available glass)

A- 1 inch tan head. Perfect lasting lacing. Deep dark brown almost black. 

S- black cherry, molasses, burnt sugar, roasty/toasty. Smells like a food I can't quite pinpoint.

T- complex. black cherry, dank, acidic, dark roasted coffee, strong licorice, dark malts, a bit musty, dark rye bread.

F-  thick, rich and full. 

O- Sweet and heavy. The black cherry flavors are strong. There's a bit of funky "food" smell (slight taste) that was at the tip of my tongue and couldn't quite pinpoint. I prefer the bolder flavors of imperial stouts but this was definitely sweet and interesting.

Really awesome aesthetics. Beautiful artwork of a sailor in some dark weather meeting a mermaid.  

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 06:24:49 | More by overnightstorms

lordofthewiens

Maine

4.1/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

In a snifter this beer was black in color with a thin tan head.

It had a roasted malt aroma that seemed to be more on the chocolate side. There was also more than a hint of vanilla.

Very nice taste. Sweet chocolate, a tiny bit of coffee. Vanilla came through well, as did a bit of oak.

A fairly rich beer, one that wanted to be sipped.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 21:23:22 | More by lordofthewiens

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.14/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance – The beer is served a deep brown color with a one half inch tan head. The head has a good level of retention, slowly fading to leave lots of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is heaviest of a roasted malt smell mixed with nice aromas of chocolate and coffee. Along with these darker aromas are some notes of a caramel sweetness mixed with a little bit of a vanilla and an oaky smell.

Taste – The taste begins with roasted malt taste mixed with some sweeter tastes of caramel and a bit of light vanilla upfront. A light chocolate flavor quickly comes to the tongue with an oaky taste soon following mid way through the taste. The caramel sweetness dwindles more toward the end with the overall flavor of the brew drying out a bit as some roasted coffee and a more dark chocolate like flavor grow stronger. In the end, the roasted characteristics of the brew stand out rather well, leaving a dry and roasty flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the average side with a carbonation level that is rather average to slightly above average producing a very easy drinking brew, although it may possibly be a little light for accentuating the darker flavors of the brew.

Overall – A tasty and very easy drinking brew. There is almost no detectable alcohol taste even at 8 % abv. The nice roasted malt and drier finish of the brew make this one a quite delicious and a dangerous brew. Quite nice.

Serving type: on-tap

05-05-2013 01:00:05 | More by Darkmagus82

rudzud

Massachusetts

4.16/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Thanks to JLindros for sharing this bottle.

A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a deep dark brownish black with a big mocha three finger head that fades to leave a one finger head and nice heavy side lacing. Incredible.

S - Aromas of nice roast and lightly sweet malts. Faint alcohol notes and soft wood/barrel as well. Rather nice Baltic porter.

T - Taste is nice and roasty toasty with a slight metallic tinge with a gentle bitter roast. Light chocolate as well. Not getting much barrel on the taste though.

M - Mouthfeel is good a bit sharp for a porter. Still though very drinkable for a 8%porter beer.

O - Overall this was a solid beer with very nice roast qualities. Would like to see a bit more barrel come through but still a damn good beer from Crooked Line.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 22:42:20 | More by rudzud

ngeunit1

California

4.16/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark black with a finger of frothy khaki-chocolate head. Fades fairly slowly.

S - Roasted chocolate and caramel malts, oak, vanilla, Bourbon, coffee, a bit of dark fruit, and a bit of booze.

T - Roasted chocolate and caramel malts, oak, vanilla, Bourbon, coffee, molasses, a bit of dark fruit, and a bit of booze.

M - Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation. Smooth with a roasted, sweet, and warming finish.

D - Great barrel aged baltic porter. Good balance and mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2013 02:01:15 | More by ngeunit1

bluejacket74

Ohio

4.21/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

750 ml caged and corked bottle, bottled on 12/04/12. Served in a nonic pint glass, the beer pours dark brown/black with about an inch and a half frothy tan head that stayed around for a very long time. There's also a good amount of lacing. The aroma is nice, it smells like dark fruit, roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, wood, vanilla, and some coffee. It tastes like roasted malt, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, coffee, burnt/charred malt, dark fruit, molasses and a bit of licorice. Nice balance between the sweet and bitter roasty flavors. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's smooth and a bit creamy with good carbonation. I liked this brew a lot, I think I'll have to pick up another bottle soon. $11.99 a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:05:00 | More by bluejacket74

RedneckBeerz

North Carolina

4.23/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The label describes the brew as "complex and drinkable, this barrel aged Baltic style porter exhibits chocolate and smokey malt flavors, with hints of vanilla and oak. A seductive offering, Sea Legs is a siren of a beer."
My 750 ml corked and caged beauty was bottled 11/23/12.
Poured into a Spaten Octoberfest nonic, the first thing I notice is the massive tan colored frothy seas foam head (3 fingers+, the brew may have been poured a touch cold @ 40°). Nice heavy spider web lacing as the head eventually subsides to leave a 1/4" layer atop the brew. Great head retention. Tipping the nonic and holding it up to the ceiling light reveals a dark brown brew that no light enters except faintly if tipped.
The aroma is dark toasty lightly smoked malts with slight elements of oak (perhaps).
The flavor is dark roasted malts, chocolate that's neither sweet nor bitter, a bit of #2 moleasses (not the harsh blackstrap nor the barely detectable #1), with very restrained smokiness, vanilla (again with nice restraint), and a touch of oak. I could swear the smokiness comes through more on the lips than the tongue, but then; I'm just a redneck.
Finishes with a medium body, near perfect carbination for this style, slightly creamy, and with a slight stickyness on the lips.
Overall, a well balanced Baltic style Porter with nice complexity and easy drinkability. If you are into the harsh, slap you in the face Barrel Aged Porters you probably want to pass this one by. If you like balance and complexity in your Barrel Aged beautys this is a must try.
To me it's an easy 4.2 brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 15:01:10 | More by RedneckBeerz

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.23/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into an Elysian snifter. Pours a very dark brown, appearing opaque black in the glass. Fine one finger brown head with good retention and great lacing. Aroma of toasted malt, chocolate, vanilla and mild dark fruits. Flavor dominated by toasted malt, charred coffee and bitter chocolate with light vanilla, dark fruit and a hint of citrus. Finishes with charred malt and light hops. Medium bodied with pleasant creaminess. A really nice porter. Somewhat less light fruit / cherry flavor than I'm used to from Baltic porters, but not complaining, this is really well integrated and tasty. Another winner from Uinta's Crooked series.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 04:16:43 | More by LiquidAmber

Kromes

Georgia

4.25/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a snifter. Pitch black with a huge brown colored head that leaves sheets of lacing down the glass. Looks like a root beer float.

Oak, vanilla, roasted malt, chocolate aromas.

More of the same in the flavor. It starts out with very smooth oak, vanilla and chocolate flavors. There is a sweet, lactic creaminess to the beer. The oak is very mellow and doesn't overpower the beer. A great balance. The roasted malt does take a back seat here and only makes itself present towards the finish were it provides a bitterness and roast flavor that lingers.

A nice smooth feels to it with a bit of acidic tang and bitterness in the finish.

Very, very good beer. Delicious and well crafted with flavors that compliment and balance one another.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 00:07:31 | More by Kromes