Kalevipoeg Baltic Porter - Cigar City Brewing

SGDJosh

4.68/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From tasting notes, 8/12

A - Pours dark and velvety, khaki colored head covers the top

S - Smells of smokiness and coffee. Rich nose.

T - Love it. Notes of mocha, smoke, black cherry, and rich dark chocolate. Very smooth!

M - Medium-Full Body, nice low carbonation that really lets it coat the palate and hold on.

O - Amazing Porter! One of my favorite Porter's to date. I appreciate the full body and layers of flavors. Got another one sitting in the fridge!

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 13:29:49 | More by SGDJosh

ngeunit1

California

4.43/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - The beer pours a dark black color with just a hint of brown around the edges with a finger of frothy chocolate-khaki colored head. The head fades down at a normal pace leaving behind some nice lacing.

S - Aroma is a mix of roasted chocolate malts, coffee, dark fruits, black licorice, with a hint of smoke and booze.

T - Starts off with some roasted chocolate malts with some raisin and other dark fruits, and some black licorice. Through the middle, some roasted coffee comes through with some light smoke and vanilla. The finish is a mix of roasted chocolate malts, coffee, dark fruits, a touch of peat, and a hint of booze.

M - Medium-plus bodied with moderate carbonation. Feels smooth with a warming and sweet finish.

D - Very drinkable. Nice Baltic Porter. Really nice overall balance with good body and mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 07:34:04 | More by ngeunit1

Fux

France

4.39/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Short review from a fly at Cigar City.
Nose and palate are rich and intense, balanced between coffee and chocolate flavors. Light bitterness on the finish. Oily but not sticky, easy to drink. The alcohol is well integrated. A nice treat. Would look for it again.

Serving type: on-tap

05-10-2013 23:35:42 | More by Fux

cwguy5

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A - pretty much black with cinnamon 1/2 inch head that faded quickly to a bubbly ring; light lacing

S - coffee, nuts, bread, leather

T - dark chocolate, dark breads, roasted malts; mild finish

M - medium-heavy bodied with fine, creamy carbonation; very short, mild aftertaste of black coffee

O - super tasty. a bit different than some other baltics. less roasty and more bread malts maybe. very good at any rate. congrats to ccb on 1000 batches!

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 23:02:35 | More by cwguy5

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A-dark brown with no head at all

S-smells like a true baltic porter. dark roasted grains. no artificial flavors. smells strong

T-comes in with a very bold and robust taste of dark roasted malts. the tastes are very clean and strong. the flavors are so organic and natural. its not very complex, i like it.

M-medium carbonation with a dry finish

O-this is a classic baltic porter. this could've been mistaken for an original. its so tasty too, and extremely drinkable for the higher abv. there's nothing negative here. i want more!

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 19:55:28 | More by AdamBear

scottyshades

Florida

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap at BX Beer Depot's CCB Tap Takeover - Aged for one year

An example of a mellow yet robust porter. Rich and decadent flavor with notes of dark fruit and coffee to finish. Velvety mouth feel and lingering finish. Really drinkable Baltic Porter... Another winner from CCB

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2013 18:40:59 | More by scottyshades

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

750ml bottle shared with a new friend at Cask Pub & Kitchen.

A: Black with clear garnet highlights. One inch head of tan froth. Ok retention, light lace. Just fine.

S: Quite intense aroma of roasted malts and dark fruits. Dark chocolate, figs, grapes, cherries, adn molasses. Some faint herbal hops. Great.

T: Roasty coffee and chocolate up front, with serious fruits building in midway through. Dry, clean, bitter, almost tart finish. Long, lingering minerality. Terrific.

M: Lively medium body. A bit too frothy, but all right.

O: I really enjoyed this, but my companion found the fruitiness off-putting considering the style. This is most definitely on the light, fruity, lagery end of the Baltic Porter spectrum, which was something I appreciated but that others expecting a more RIS-like experience could find disappointing. Good as this was, I do wish I'd shelled out the extra two pounds for Speedway...

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 23:44:29 | More by woosterbill

Zraly

Virginia

4.24/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours opaque but effervescent black with a tan head. Swirling reveals burnt amber/reddish rings in the head -- really pretty.

Rich, roasted chocolate with a hint of licorice mingling. Dried fruits are pronounced in the middle. Creamy in the finish with a hint of vanilla. Nice balance of sweet and bitter. Robust and medium-full bodied, yet it drinks much lighter. A touch of chew with the bitter finish is really nice on the palate. The finish is a bit long and lingers a while, much like a good, aged red wine.

Dessert beer. Or probably great with anything with cream in it. I wouldn't turn down a slab of NY style cheesecake. As a lover of malt, I can say I would purchase this again. Another fine offering from CCB.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 23:31:40 | More by Zraly

mulder1010

Australia

4.23/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Sendsilk for the bottle. Much appreciated
Poured into a tulip

A-- Poured a dark cola color and settled midnight black. No light penetrating this. Visually not as thick as other CCB beers I have had. One finger light brown head. nice staying power to the head. largest carbonation bubbles I have seen in a head. Looked like golf divots. Finally settled down to a thick film. Very nice retention on swirling and left nice spotty lacing.

S-- Sort of a woody floral smell at first. That dropped to coco powder, tobacco, carmel, coffee, and bread.

T-- Gritty Coffee, gritty coco powder, tobacco, dark fruits, bread, vanilla, and carmel. Nice earthiness in the taste. Sort of grittiness that grabs hold and slightly shakes you.

M-- Far lighter than expected. Drinks more like a 7% porter than a 9%. Char and ash are evident in the front and mid palate and a long lasting sweet dairy chocolate and vanilla finish. Light medium bodied and medium carbonation. Array of flavors really helps this out a lot.

O-- Nothing special for a 1000 beer but it is a good one. High points are the earthy notes in the taste and the long lasting feel. Really well done baltic porter with some twists to this. Not as big as other CCB beers are but a good solid beer to have had.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2012 12:07:28 | More by mulder1010

PorterLambic

Florida

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

I let this sit for 45 minutes before doing anything at all with it.

A liquid the color of tar with a ring of espresso colored foam. No light getting in here. No lace being left behind.
Smell is roasted malt, coffee, cardboard, dry erase marker(?) and a light molasses note.
Taste is rich with malt, whiskey, raisins, brown sugar, wheat and soy sauce. Really well balanced.
Exceedingly smooth and rich. Full bodied, very light effervescence. A faint note of baking chocolate shows in the aftertaste. ABV is completely unnoticed. A serious sipping beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-13-2012 01:14:33 | More by PorterLambic

amread4

Florida

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a snifter glass.

A: thick opaque black. No light able to permeate even when held to the sun. Promising.

S: big chocolate malts, caramel and toffee with some tobacco. Sweet smelling. The alcohol is definitely present on the finish of the first whiff.

T: wow chocolatey. The chocolate malts dominate this one. As with the smell, sweeter sensations including caramel and toffee. The alcohol is not as present here.

M: fantastic. Creamy, smooth, and full bodied, but not too chewy. The most notable quality of the beer for me.

O: very satisfying. A bit sweet, so one bottle is the ideal quantity. A very fine effort for the style. Here's to many thousands more. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 01:52:06 | More by amread4

mdfb79

New York

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 06/08/12 notes. Had on tap at Churchkey in Washington, DC the day after their Cigar City/FB event.

a - Pours a very dark brown, almost black color, with one inch of off white head and low carbonation evident.

s - Smells of sweet chocolate, roasted malts, sweet cocoa, molasses, light fruity. Ton of chocolate which I love, and quite sweet, but not too much.

t - Tastes of sweet chocolate, cream, light vanilla, dark fruits, roasted malts, and toasted malts. Not quite as chocolate heavy as the nose, but some nice vanilla here. Very nice.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Smooth and creamy. A little alcohol but nice body.

o - Overall a very nice baltic porter. I loved the nose as it was sweet and chocolate heavy. Would love to have it again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-20-2012 18:32:51 | More by mdfb79

comfortablynumb1

California

4.2/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

Reviewed from notes

Big thanks to Andrew for the hookup on this one...

A - Pours a deep brown with a one finger khaki head that dissipates at a good pace. Lacing is spotty...

S - Roast, chocolate, dark fruit, and a good amount of molasses...

T - Chocolate with roast, dark fruits, and molasses in the mix. Also pick up a touch of vanilla on the end. Chocolate really drives this one, and is prominate throughout. Roasted malts are fairly subdued, and the alcohol comes across very smooth. Damn tasty...

M - A tad thin. Sits somehwere on the medium bodied scale with light carbonation..

O - Interesting take on the style. Honestly wish more balitc porters tasted like this one. Really enjoyed the chocolate notes throughout. Definitely something I would recommend trying if you get the chance...

Cheers...

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 04:20:46 | More by comfortablynumb1

stakem

Pennsylvania

4.15/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I snagged a couple of these 750's from the cigar city tasting room fridge while I was there the week of the 4th of July. Poured into a matching CCB snifter, the brew appears a very dark brown with clarity around the edges and ruby through the middle. A tan head quickly fades leaving stringy lace sticking to the glass.

The aroma is roasty and raisony upfront with a touch of citrus hops across the backend. Some chocolate and solvent tinges of alcohol makes itself known as the brew warms up. This isnt a deeply complex smelling brew like others in the style but it smells clean and enjoyable.

The taste is bitter and roasty with licorice upfront. A plethora of dark maltiness provides flavors of molassess, coffee and fruity deep tinges of prune/raisiny alcohol esters. Some warming alcohol rounds things out before earthy notes comes out as it warms in the aftertaste.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. I hesitate calling this crisp considering how big and malty it is but it does have a clean snap to its finish. Fairly easy drinking with the alcohol well integrated with the expected flavors well balanced and blended. For a salute to 1,000 brews I admire the restraint in not making something crazy. This is a solid interpretation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 19:06:34 | More by stakem

MrVonzipper

California

4.08/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours black with a tan fizzy head. Low retention and spotty lacing. 

Nice nose and a little different in my opinion. Underlying dark fruit with a touch of earthy smokiness. 

Nice flavor. Nice earthy tones. Not too sweet by any means like the style can be sometimes and others have reviewed. In fact I don't think it's sweet at all. Very well balanced with a bit of dark fruit rind giving it more of an earthy natural flavor as opposed to a sweet fruit flavor. 

Mouthfeel is around medium bodied and has medium carbonation. 
 
Overall it's a very nice beer and cool representation of the style. Great natural and original flavor that really separates itself apart from others in the style. A must try. 

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 23:41:23 | More by MrVonzipper

Immortale25

Florida

4.05/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a snifter. No freshness date.

A- Pours a 99% opaque black color with a 1/4 inch light brown head that doesn't retain well before it drops to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and sparse surface foam. Sticky specs of lacing.

S- Very sweet with a chocolate sensibility and some coffee in the back. Almost floral. Also notes of caramel and toffee.

T- Roast, more caramel and a slight bitterness however, the sweetness is the main player. The booze is toned down considerably but still makes itself known. Quite forward for a porter (even of the Baltic variety) but still restrained enough to remain drinkable.

M- Heavy-ish but doesn't cross over into stout territory. Medium-low carbonation.

O- Nothing extraordinary for CCB's 5000th batch, but certainly not something to pass up.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 03:16:15 | More by Immortale25

twiggamortis420

Texas

4.04/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle courtesy of fthomasl, big thanks for sharing this one! Pours near-black with a fine bubbled tan head. Not much retention and lace.

Nose has tons of fruit - blackberries and raspberries specifically. Slight sour twinge and salty olives...interesting.

Taste is pretty cool and unique; black licorice, blackberry juice and dusty cocoa powder. Light leafy hops finish long and slightly bitter. Mouthfeel is fuller than many a porter, fells more stout-ish. Pretty tasty, Id definitely like to have this one again.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 20:19:18 | More by twiggamortis420

Vec2267

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A - black with a tan head that quickly retreats to a small edge around the rim of the glass and then nothing, some lacing

S - roasted grains dominate, some peat/smoke

T - mirrors the nose, roast malts, peat/smoke, bitter chocolate, a rather acidic bite balances the sweet, alcohol in the background

M - very lush and rich

O - a very big powerful beer, pretty much the norm for CCB, more chocolate notes than coffee

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 23:11:59 | More by Vec2267

MasterSki

Illinois

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Bottle shared by thetomG. Served in a BFM chalice.

A - Quick-dissolving light tan foam that settles to a thin collar, wisps, and spots of lace. Very dark brown body.

S - Cocoa powder, yeasty dark bready, hint of vanilla, and some mild fruitness. A touch of booze, but nothing excessive for the listed 9%.

T - The taste is also pretty nice, with chocolate cake, hint of molasses, some dark fruits, and some signature Cigar City smoke and char in the finish. Thankfully the balance is appropriate here.

M - Smooth texture, medium body, pleasant carbonation, minimal alcohol warmth, and a clean lager finish. Quite nice.

D - Solid beer, that's a bit roastier and less fruity than your standard Baltic Porter. An enjoyable beer that I'd gladly have again, but a bit tame for Cigar City's 1000th batch.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2012 04:59:31 | More by MasterSki

maximum12

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to moose3285 for this bottle. I should just have an intro thanks to Mike written up in a Word document somewhere to save wear & tear on my fingers. 750ML bottle popped open at a tasting.

Pours a dark, damsel-in-fantasy-distress-red. Nose is exceedingly sweet for a baltic porter, along with the expected edge of smoke & maltiness.

Kalevipoeg is way off on the style; good thing I only judge by good taste, because this is tasty. Smokiness shoves its way to the forefront, with the sweet malts, but my attention immediately turns to the...chocolate? Is that right? Once I taste it, the stuff just floods my senses. Dark fruit pops in & out of the chaos, little caramel. Another beer I want more than a few ounces of, but hey, I have plenty of Cigar City at home to keep me warm.

Nice twist on the style, this one was certainly a surprise. Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 01:43:24 | More by maximum12

djmichaelk

Florida

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

10oz snifter at the Roosevelt/Church on a Hill release at CCB.

A - Pours a deep brown, almost black. Maybe a finger-plus of head, with decent retention. Not much lacing.

S - Sweetish to start off, with some dark and bittersweet chocolate, then plenty roastiness and a bit of hoppy bitterness. A bit more alcohol in the aroma than I'd like, but it's still nice enough.

T - Much like the nose, the taste is very much like a bar of dark chocolate in the beginning, with some smoke and roast in the middle, and maybe some dark fruit. The bitter hops take over toward the end in a pleasant way. Finish is long and dry.

M - This is where CCB really excels; nearly all of their heavier stouts and porters are thick and syrupy. Carbonation is pretty much exactly where I'd like it to be.

O - I'd liked to have ordered another of these for sure, and I definitely picked up a few bottles to go. For a batch 1000 celebratory brew, this is pretty damned nice. It's a nice cap to a brewery that has been extraordinarily successful (despite some well-publicized growing pains). Here's to the next 1000.

Serving type: on-tap

02-10-2012 06:03:56 | More by djmichaelk

jaasen64

Massachusetts

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

750ml bottle, big thanks to dolfan54fl. Brewed in recognition of CCB's 1000th batch- Cograts! Poured into CCB snifter.

A- Pours a dark slightly purplish brown black with about a quarter finger of creamy mocha brown head that quickly recedes to no head. Average to slightly above average carbonation.

S- Sweet, a little bit fruitier then I was expecting with some floral notes. Caramel, toffee, nuts, papaya, mango, grapes, not too much chocolate but definitely a little bit along with some lightly roasted malts. About average aroma strength.

T- Chocolate definitely more prevalent in the taste. Along with lightly roasted malts, nuts, papaya, grapes, mango, and other sweet fruits. Definitely a little bit sweeter and fruitier then I was expecting. Finishes with a nice fruity, slightly nutty aftertaste.

M- Medium bodied, very smooth, abv very well hidden, about average carbonation which isn't to noticeable. Very easy to drink.

O- This was a very good baltic porter, one of the better beers of the style that I've had and definitely a good offering from CCB. The fruity flavors balanced well with the chocolate porter flavors. I recommend definitely trying this if you get the chance.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 02:26:43 | More by jaasen64

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big thanks goes out to beeruser for sharing this one during a recent tasting! Served from bottle into a Boulevard tulip. Poured a deep dark red-brown with a minimal very light tan head. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, roasted malt, smoked meat, smoke, and subtle wood. The flavor was of sweet malt, roasted malt, smoke, wood, smoked meat, and subtle vanilla. It had a medium feel on the palate with medium-high carbonaton. Overall this was a fairly good brew. This was a really nice brew for the style. My only gripe was with the mouthfeel as I am a big fan of Baltic Porters that have a thick and oily feel to them. This one lacked that. However, the flavor and aroma going on in this one were very nice and on-par with the style. Definitely glad I got the chance to try this one and I suggest you do the same if the opportunity comes up.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 10:48:03 | More by thagr81us

mntlover

Tennessee

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark with some deep red hints around the edge. Nice two finger sized brown head that falls slow to clumpy ring that laces nicely.

Aroma is nice chocolate notes everywhere with good amount of fruity notes. Some licorice and peat hints along with light hop notes.

Taste is right on par with the nose, nice roasted malts with lots oh chocolate notes. Good fruity notes along with peat and licorice. Some woody notes with herbal hops in the finish.

Mouthfeel is little light for a Baltic Porter but it is smooth.

Overall pretty nice, good flavors, enjoyable brew from a great brewery.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 00:54:42 | More by mntlover

Gosox8787

New Hampshire

3.95/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Presentation: 750mL bottle poured into a Kate the Great tulip glass. Served slightly chilled and allowed to warm over about an hour. Big thanks to cfrances33 for the bottle.

Appearance: Dark brown to black in color. Pours a really nice, one finger medium brown head that settles into a nice lacing. Does not look overly thick.

Aroma: Chocolate and dark fruits stand out upfront in the aroma. Not overly sweet though. Some bitter licorice and subtle vanilla tones. Some alcohol burn but overall pretty mellow.

Taste: Milk chocolate, plums and other dark fruits are the main components. There is some licorice, coffee, vanilla and caramel as well. Really nice balance of sweet and bitter. Really mellow for the ABV and for the style.

Mouthfeel: Lighter than expected in body with with a really nice, smooth and creamy texture. Lower than average carbonation for the style.

Overall, a really nice take on a baltic porter. THe bitter and sweet notes are nicely balanced and it offers plenty of complexity to stay interesting. Very smooth and easy to drink. If anything, it's biggest flaw is that it is solid throughout but doesn't really stand out in any way. Still a really nice porter I was glad to get to try.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 01:20:50 | More by Gosox8787