Southampton Imperial Baltic Porter - Southampton Publick House

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Enjoying out of the bottle as I don't have my proper glassware with me; if I try it again with a glass I will edit this review.
Enjoyed slightly warm, as dark beers lend themselves quite well to. Smell is alcoholic and malty, slightly roasted. Taste follows; I must be used to American Porters, because this Baltic one tastes more like a strong lager than a porter. Mouthfeel is full and fizzy. Still a great beer, just a little different than expected.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 03:31:22 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

CloudStrife

New York

3.85/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: Pours a very very dark brown that hinges on pitch black. 1 finger slightly yellowed head. Fizzles to a ring in a few minutes. Can see through about an inch of the beer and it is clear and

S: Some coffee and chocolate along with dark fruits. Pretty nice roasted malt to it. Gets more fruit characteristics as it warms. Some alcohol is present.

T: Similar to the smell it has some coffee and chocolate. Pretty smooth and well balanced. Feel some hop in there too.

M: Slightly watery like most porters but a still contains a fairly rich mouthfeel. Pretty easy drinking, better as it warms.

Overall a tasty and very drinkable porter that I wouldnt turn down. A little lackluster for a brewery that makes some real good beers.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 02:32:39 | More by CloudStrife

chinchill

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle allowed to warm for about 15 minutes, then served in a snifter.

A: pours a deep, dark, clear mahogany but is opaque and nearly black in the snifter. The frothy light brown head is mostly short-lived but leaves some lacing.

Aroma: mild-to-moderate strength. Dark malt and fruits, especially prune and raisin, notes of dark sweet chocolate, hints of alcohol, a bit of burnt raisins, and a smidge of roasted black express beans. 4.1

Taste: The beer is sweet with plenty of dark fruit, including notes of prunes, raisins, dates and a hint of cherry. Some dark chocolate and light coffee flavors come to the fore in the finish and aftertaste. Dark roasted grain and well-done toast linger into the finish as well. A bit boozy, but in a nice, brandy-like way. 4.2

M: full bodied, if not quite chewy; creamy smooth; well-chosen low carbonation.

O: This excellent Baltic Porter is rich and malty with ample notes of roasted grains, and dark fruits. This beer is nicely crafted, with enough complexity and depth to maintain interest even if used as a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 23:52:26 | More by chinchill

jlindros

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Light fizzy head fades fairly quickly, dark almost pitch black but a bit too thin to be actually black.

Nose has syrupy malts, light chocolate syrup, mocha, malt.

Taste has nice dark malts, chocolate, malted milk ball, cocoa, bakers choc, creamy, hint of bitterness. Finish is still fairly sweet, cocoa and light bitterness lingering.

Mouth is med bodied, lighter carb.

Overall nice, bit lacking on the carb and nose, bit otherwise nice malts and light bitterness, drinkable and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 02:58:11 | More by jlindros

drtth

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Duvel tulip glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: As poured the beer is a dark brown, almost black, color with a ¼” light tan head that soon recedes to a ring of foam, a patch of irregular large bubbles off to one side and some very thin patches of foam on the surface of the liquid. Sipping leaves irregular patches and small speckles of foam clinging to the sides of the glass for much of the beer.

Smell: The aroma is filled with roasted malt. There’s dark chocolate here, some coffee, some dark molasses, and a touch of herbal earthiness.

Taste: As predicted by the nose, there’s some dark chocolate and coffee here along with the dark molasses. The alcohol is well concealed and the hop flavors don’t really show because of the roasted, almost burnt, dark malt flavors.

Mouthfeel: The mouth feel is on the light side of medium bodied with some nice light prickly feeling from the carbonation. The finish is fairly long as it fades into dry roasted bitterness in the back of the mouth.

Drinkability and Overall Impression: I quite enjoyed sipping my way through this one and will be happy to have it again. My overall impression is that this is an interesting, well-made, beer that is well worth sampling and having once in a while. It also demonstrates quite nicely what a fuzzy boundary separates related styles from each other. In some ways this reminds of a Porter and of a Baltic Porter, and in some ways it reminds of an Imperial Stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 00:52:44 | More by drtth

CTBeerPope

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bought a single of this. Glad I tried it.

Pours dense black. Minimal head spotty lacing.

Roasty aroma. Some coffee. Some chocolate.

Taste is mild coffee, chocolate and slight dark fruit flavor. Its quite mild for 7%. Flavors are well balanced.

Medium mouthfeel with lower carbonation

This was better than average. If I was in the mood for a darker brew I would give it another go. It got better as time went by.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 03:03:41 | More by CTBeerPope

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a expected dark brown very black in color with a 1/2 inch of mocha colored head.

S - Smells of roasty coffee and mild cocoa nibs. Licorice and anise also comes to mind.

T - Roasty and balanced I get mild coffee's, cocoa, and licorice in the finish all are very balanced in flavor. ABV is perfect making this even more drinkable.

M - Medium bodied and chewy as expected.

Overall kind of reminds me a bit of the Hebrew 8 since it's a very roasty balanced porter. In the same boat too since it's no where to be found around me but worth buying again if I got it from Halftime beverage. Good porter.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 17:24:45 | More by DrDemento456

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

3.03/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into standard pint.

A - Nearly black with a thick tan head. There is good retention and a nice lacing. The appearance is probably the most impressive feature of this beer.

S - Big toasty malt, with some oak, licorice, dark fruits. I get a strange grainy smell, almost musty, as well.

T - Follows the nose with some chocolate and alcohol thrown in there. No real bitterness or acidic nature. None of the flavors are fully developed and it lacks complexity in my opinion.

M - Very thin with light to medium carbonation. Goes down easy.

O - I find this baltic porter to be underwhelming and a tad watery. It is very easy drinking, and not at all harsh, but leaves me wanting more. It isn't terrible but I probably won't get it again on purpose.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 02:42:05 | More by NoLeafClover44

JohnnyChicago

Illinois

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Guinness tulip pint.

A: Pours dark brown with two fingers of tan head.

S: Soft earthy hops and light maltiness. There is a slightly unpleasant metallic aroma to this.

T: Fortunately, the flavour picks up. Its rich, but clean. Hop presence is very minimal and roasty, cocoa notes dominate.

D: Mouthfeel is thin, but this goes down smooth and easy. Very well balanced.

Overall: I know the brewmaster at Southampton has a habit of exploring the historical roots of beers; it appears that this is the result of such an experiment. It falls somewhere between foreign extra stout and strong dark lager, which is what these beers most likely tasted like back in the day. As opposed to today, where Baltic porter has become synonymous with imperial stout.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 00:09:50 | More by JohnnyChicago

argock

Virginia

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz brown bottle into a clear glass mug. No freshness date. Purchased as part of a 6-pack at Ancona's (Ridgefield, CT) for $10.49.

A: Not quite black but very attractive dark brown with ruby highlights crowned with a light beige 1-2 finger head with good retention but a disappointing few bubbles of lacing.

S: A well-integrated mix of caramel, roast, chocolate, licorice, cherries, and coffee finished with a light touch of smokiness and earthy hops.

T: The flavor is solid with robust dark maltiness with just the right amount of musty character to go with the caramel and dark fruit raisin and black cherry notes. The coffee and chocolate come through more with warming. Hops are not the focus but provide pretty substantial bitterness with some earthy features.

M: Prickly carbonation is a bit odd for the style but does help to keep this from being overly heavy.

O: Southampton's stabs at these core beers are generally well-crafted and occasionally outstanding (see Double White), and this one falls in the well-craft and very good camp. Will be a good call for those that like a sweet note to their porter.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2011 00:53:57 | More by argock

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours deep brown with a tan foam head. Not much retention, no lace.

Good dark roasted malt. Some coffee, bitter chocolate, maybe some molasses, but I'm reaching a bit here. No aroma of alcohol.

This drinks alot like a standard porter, but just a bit richer. Decent coffee and some chocolate notes. Leads in with a little richness, some sweetness, but it is pushed out by the bitterness of the malt. Not over hopped, and actually hard to detect any. No real alcohol on the tongue either. Long coffee bitterness in the finish. Good.

Medium to fuller bodied. Some prickly carbonation.

Overall, not quite the Baltic I'd want, but not a substandard beer. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

07-30-2011 22:50:16 | More by OtherShoe2

claspada

New Jersey

3.88/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aromas of dark chocolate, dark caramels, fruity yeast and a hint of roastiness combine, I was expecting a little more as all the above are a bit mellowed.
The tastes begin with burnt dark caramels and a lighter sweet fruitiness. Surprisingly the coffee/bitterness is retrained which is usually a major characteristic of this style. It finishes dry with dark chocolate flavors and a touch more roastiness as it warms.
The mouthfeel is smooth and lush. It's medium-full bodied. It has a delicate yet restrained carbonation that leaves a clean finish/flavor on the palate. Overall a good example of the style, restrained definitely compared to other verions, but that is acceptable considering the lower ABV level in the category. Recommended for the quality/pricepoint alone.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 13:59:30 | More by claspada

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter.

A: pours a very dark brown, almost black. Two-inch off-white head settles after a short time. Lacing is sparse and patchy.

S: Caramel, toffee, molasses, and powdery chocolate. Grape and cherry esters. Mild alcohol. Hops seem floral and spicy in an earthy/herbal way.

T: Roasted grains, toffee, molasses. Faint hint of coco powder. Grape esters and a subtle hint of tart cherry. Hops are floral and grassy. Finishes with mild alcohol, syrupy molasses, and the faintest kiss of smoke.

M: Medium bodied, slightly syrupy. Prickly carbonation.

D: Very drinkable, especially for the style.

Notes: Has a very Old-World feel to it. Nice to see a brewery willing to offer something like this, rather than the typical too-big-for-its-britches RIS. A good solid beer that drinks very well.

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2011 01:19:32 | More by ryan1788a5

Pencible

Virginia

4.05/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: This poured a nearly opaque blackish mahogany, with some light tan head.
S: It smelled like milk chocolate and dry earthy coffee, with roasted barley and sweet molasses.
T: It tasted like dry chocolate and roasted coffee, with some sweet caramel and brown sugar. It had a clean bittersweet aftertaste.
M: It was fairly thick with moderate carbonation. Pretty good, but a bit too fizzy.
D: This was very nice and tasty, with good balance and nice body. It hid the alcohol well also, so it was easy to drink. This was one of the sweeter imperial porters I've tried, which was favorable given my sweet tooth. Given the flavor profile, this beer might be best fresh, but who knows what might happen in the cellar. Recommended either way.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2011 16:16:43 | More by Pencible

rye726

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks for sending me this as an extra. Always love trying new beers. Pours a dark color, tan head. Not much going on here. Some roasty malts and hops. Light body a bit over carbonated. Average at best. Southampton makes such a variety of quality of brews.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 04:08:10 | More by rye726

dragonWhale

New York

2.95/5  rDev -25.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Had to try this twice when I was in BK last week since it was on tap at a couple different places. Pours dark brown with amber highlights and a tiny little head. roast and coffee and a little sweetness. Thin body, thin mouthfeel, nothing lingers, nothing exciting really. It's too sweet for how thin it is, and it's overall just not very enjoyable. Had to try it again on a different tap line just in case. Not really too happy with this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-08-2011 05:25:20 | More by dragonWhale

airheadmtrcycle

Georgia

3.83/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Beautiful pour in a New Belgium snifter. Dark brown to black with a creamy head that fades to a crema-like coating.

Smells of smoke, dark malts and maybe some chocolate. I noticed the mouthfeel right away. It's medium to full and layers the palate in a good way. The taste is decent. Different too. It's smokey and bittersweet. The bitterness doesn't seem to come from hops and it's not a burnt flavor either. It's really not very sweet, and that sets it apart from other porters that I've had. This is a unique and pleasant porter.

I wouldn't want to drink two in a row, but you could if that was your fancy. I rate the drinkability as average.

Southampton Imperial Porter is worth a try for anyone who likes porters that are less sweet than average with a smokey quality.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 02:03:50 | More by airheadmtrcycle

tronester

Oklahoma

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very dark brown, but not quite black. Thin tan head. Smells strongly of freshly ground espresso beans. Taste is some vinous wine qualities up front, with a pumpernickel bread middle, and a woody, earthy hop finish. Finishes quite clean for a higher alcohol beer. Mouthfeel is a little bit thin, good carbonation. Good drinkability. A nice Baltic Porter that I would get again.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2010 02:21:11 | More by tronester

morimech

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark brown that appears black in the glass. One finger of head that quickly settled to a thin cap. Light, spotty lacing is left on the glass.

Nice rich malty aroma. Hints of chocolate, coffee, dark fruit, licorice, and the slightest hint of smoke.

The malt also gives the beer a rich taste. Not overly sweet which I liked. Flavor is mostly chocolate with a hint of cherries and licorice. There is a subtle smokiness in the finish. Alcohol is barely detectable.

I would of liked a little bigger body but it is very nicely carbonated giving the beer a soft texture.

A good example of a Baltic Porter. Not to the elite level of the style but has some good qualities.

Serving type: bottle

12-12-2010 19:12:59 | More by morimech

mjsheehan08

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had a bottle after work. Has a really smooth, almost velvety feel on the front end, a snap of carbonation in the middle and ends with a bit of burn from the booze. I got a strong taste of fruit, maybe white grape in the front end, and dark chocolate and coffee in the end. Overall, a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2010 07:26:32 | More by mjsheehan08

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Color is black to dark brown with garnet highlights when held to the light. The head after the pour is tan, small, and quick.

The aroma has plums stewed in a roasty brown ale. Then you get some light coffee and a little dark chocolate with vanillin zucker.

Syrupy palate upfront, along with some roasted, dark fruits. The middle has the bubbly pop of carbonation, then some dark cheap coffee and dark chocoalte mix. The finish is velvety on the tongue with a chocolate finish and alcohol linger.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2010 23:17:01 | More by scruffwhor

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into Duck Rabbit snifter.

Pours a half finger of beige head. Color is a dark brown, near black.

Aroma: Rich and roasted. A lot of malts. Some smokiness. Some plums, molasses, and licorice. Some other dark fruits. Not to bad.

Taste: Very rich and malty. Caramel and toffee malts with licorice and plums with some other dried fruits. Roasted here with notes of smoke and bacon.

Mouthfeel: Roasted and creamy. Medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Ends a bit dry with smoked malts.

Overall, not a bad baltic porter. It was really smokey, but it worked with this beer. Decent drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 00:08:23 | More by mothman

kbutler1

Minnesota

4/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle. Pours a very dark opaque brown/black color with a slight tan head. Malty, roasty aroma with maybe a touch of licorice. Medium mouthfeel. Sweet dark roast type flavor without the bitterness of some dark beers. Fairly sweet as well with notes of chocolate and caramel. Slight smoke notes. Ends pretty dryly and cleanly. Nice lace left on the glass. Really nice toffee/caramel flavors. No real alcohol flavors. Overall a pretty enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 00:02:48 | More by kbutler1

Brent

Kentucky

4.22/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer over-hypes itself, as it is not an "imperial" and not really that much of a Baltic porter. Putting delusions of grandeur aside, this hits the mark as a quite good porter in the American style, what once was called the "robust porter" category. Pours a tarry black with a caramel-tinged moderate head. Big roasted flavors with distinct coffee and semi-sweet chocolate notes. Creamy mouthfeel and firm hopping bat cleanup. Does not push into the harder roasted malt notes common to the Baltic porter, which is okay here. Nicely done.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2010 13:39:36 | More by Brent

MikeBrandman

Connecticut

3.23/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - Wow. Black. Not much else to describe in terms of the color here. Opaque, no visible carbonation, and an offwhite, mocha head.

S - A pretty weak smell. I struggled to smell much of anything. What is there is mostly chocolate malts. Slight breadiness to the smell.

T - Taste is rather weak as well. Sweet upfront and has a nice coffee/chocolate aftertaste, but in between these two...there's nothing. From what I can tell, there's just about only aftertaste to this brew. I'm honestly having trouble saying much about this taste. Chocolate at the end is pretty pronounced, but that's it.

MF - A bit heavy. Not quite chewy, but definitely thick.

D - Not all that drinkable due to the lack of complexity and heavy body.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2010 02:20:49 | More by MikeBrandman