Hoogstraten Poorter - Brouwerij Sterkens N.V.

rainydays2020

New York

3.24/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

A- Dark brown, alsmost amber tint when held up to sunlight, off-white head with good retention

S- Strong smell of raisins, slightly woody, sweet

T- the date/raisin flavor is overpowering, mild alcohol heat that finishes the beer nicely

M- semi-sweet good carbonation, medium-light body

Overall a good beer. It's not something I would seek out, but still worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 23:13:36 | More by rainydays2020

NilocRellim

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Beer poured out from a bottle. It had a clear, dark brown appearance and a white, foamy head. Not much of a smell; a little bit of malt and a little bit of toastiness. Tasted sweet and malty, with a little bit of toastedness. There was a little bit of bitterness in the aftertaste.

Would I buy this beer again? Probably.

Serving type: bottle

04-14-2013 03:40:48 | More by NilocRellim

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a Leffe glass on 2/4/13

23/02/16 B printed on the label.

Caramel brown that settles close to dark. One finger, fluffy head dissipates to a 1/4th inch layer. Smooth, lasting retention. Good lace.

Dark fruit aroma: raisins, plum, dark grapes. Figs, hints of brown sugar, baked bread, dough, yeast, very mild spices. Quite malty.

The taste is comparably malty with a strong bread presence. Hints of chocolate, raisins, figs, subtle yeast spice and plum. Faint earthiness.

The body is medium-full with fluffy, modest carbonation. Dusty finish.

Pretty nice drinkin' here. Seems more like a Belgian Dark Ale than a Porter, but who's counting?

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2013 03:08:51 | More by Ryan011235

Ranz

Texas

3.38/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Thick jet black in the pint glass with a ridiculous amount of head. The bottle is a great solution for a classy growler.

S: Tons of yeast and grass, roasted malt.

T: That yeast pushes through in the beginning with a ton of bitter flavor that may be a bit too much.

M: Thick and effervescent, it has a slightly dry finish. Not bad here.

O: A bit underwhelming, but the bottle makes up for it.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2012 02:01:49 | More by Ranz

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Dark brown, reddish hues. Frothy, beige head. Sticky lacing.

S - Cocoa powder, semi-sweet chocolate. Roasty, malty, mineral water.

T - A complex mixture of nutty, bitter citrus pith, spices, apple skin and minerals. This beer has a very interesting flavor profile, with lots of yeasty notes. Certainly not a typical porter flavor.

M - Medium bodied, effervescent, wet feel, clean finish.

O - Not what you would expect from a porter. The Belgian yeast makes for a surprising palate.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 18:47:39 | More by BeerForMuscle

UCLABrewN84

California

3.55/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Best before 8/26/16.

Pours an almost opaque super dark brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, dark fruits, and some cocoa aromas. Taste is much the same with a mild roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a low level of carbonation with an almost flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is drinkable but the mouthfeel needs improvement in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2012 05:23:11 | More by UCLABrewN84

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.4/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from 2/2011 notes. Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours a dark red brown amber with a vigorous off white head leaving nice lacing. Malt aroma with a bit of a sour, mineral component. Tastes of light sweet malt and light and dark fruits with Belgian spicing. Thin bodied, and sweeter and lighter than most porters. Nice strong carbonation is refreshing. A pleasant Belgian take on a porter, but not outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 02:28:47 | More by LiquidAmber

ncsutton

Minnesota

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

Serving - Growler

A - Very dark with a nice head that retains for a nice period of time, lacing

S - A scent of roasted malts, and some dark fruit, seems like raisin

T - Tastes like it smells, however it's not quite as strong as I would have thought, nice roasted malt going with raisin and apricot, some chocolate after tones

M - somewhat light weight for what I was expecting, moderate carbonation

O - Overall not too bad, not what I was expecting for a Baltic Porter, but it's still a good brew, I thought the bottle looked cool and the beer behind it justified my purchase

Serving type: growler

03-06-2012 02:21:44 | More by ncsutton

mactrail

California

3.83/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Very nice foam on top. Full creamy mouthfeel. Is there something different about the Belgian carbonation? Reminds me of a seltzer. Interesting nutty flavor with a buttery touch. Yeasty and rich with a distinct tang. Caramel taste but more on the dry side.

I'd still call it a Belgian Dark Ale instead of a porter. Soft flavors, not much of the really dark roast and certainly none of the charred malt we usually find in porters and stouts. The big ceramic bottle from Mega Liquor in Hemet, Calif.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2012 06:04:55 | More by mactrail

phenomenologian

Nebraska

4.6/5  rDev +26.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

this comes in a growler bottle that has that top that lies aside, with a regular bottle cap that seals it. Its a thick ceramic bottle. This beer is very very pricey. 17 dollars.

some smoke comes out. upon pouring a rather large tan head forms. three fingers. It retains very well. It also laces a bit. Body is translucent and is nowhere near as dark as most porters. You can see a bit of bubbles rise to the top. The color of the body is darker brownish. Looks nice.

the smell is of yeast and malts and of roasted tones. It has a nice sweet overall smell with maybe molasses or other sweeter flavors.

The taste is not as strong but is still nice with darker roasted malts as the bigger taste there. there is also taste defintely of molasses and yeast. Really nice taste that accompanies the smell and feel.

The feel is not as thick as the smell and taste would point to. It feels very thin with some carbonation. This is good in my opinion as the flavors are allowed to go down awesomely even though its a porter with lots of flavor.

Overall, maybe not worth the price, but still a very very very good porter to try even if you don't like most porters are this one is much lighter and thinner than most porters you see. Give it a try even if you like pale ales.

Serving type: growler

02-18-2012 04:41:57 | More by phenomenologian

ibbjamin

California

2.58/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a large snifter to review.

Yields a half inch tan head that dissipates somewhat quickly leaving almost no retention. Dark brown in color with some visible sediment when held to a light.

Aroma is bready with dark malts and Belgian yeast. Malt is leaning on the sweet side with a noticeable roasted character. I detect some dark fruits a la fig and raisin as well as molasses.

Taste is a bit more muted, with what there is becoming more of robust porter in character.

The mouth is quite watery and is the biggest flaw with this beer. More carbonation would not hurt it either.

Overall pretty average, which means not good since the quality of beer these days seems to be quite good and improving.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2011 02:46:35 | More by ibbjamin

kylehay2004

Florida

3.6/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: three finger frothy head. some lacing, not as much as I was expecting. Brownish-black with more light getting through than the average porter.

S: dark fruit and raisin mostly. Some chocolate in the background.

T: Mostly raisin, apricot and some red apple. Nice chocolate finish.

M: Lighter in the body than most porters. Moderate to high carbonation.

D: Not very porter like but a decent tasting beer overall. The aroma and taste match up very well without much difference between the two.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 01:12:15 | More by kylehay2004

nickfl

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours with a large, light brown head of loose foam on a hazy, brown body.

S - Malty with notes of brown bread, caramel, and brown sugar. Some spicy hops in the background.

T - Brown malt and dark sugar up front. Some molasses and spicy hops in the middle. More molasses and brown sugar in the finish with a hint of chocolate.

M - A medium body, moderate carbonation, and a slightly dry finish.

D - Very brown and bready, not really what I think if when I think porter. Drinkable, but the bottle is more attractive than the beer inside.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 01:11:14 | More by nickfl

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

750 mL ceramic swing top bottle. Best by date of 1/8/14.

appears dark brown, with creamy off-white colored head, 1/2" thick. good retention. sweet malty aroma, with some notes of raisin.

taste is all malt, no hops detected. a touch of dark fruit flavors in there. average carbonation and body.

Overall, a good beer, but if I didn't see this listed as a Baltic Porter, I'd just have called it a normal "Belgian Dark Ale".

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 03:22:41 | More by jmdrpi

ranger7

Texas

3.73/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a large, awesome resealable ceramic bottle into a Sam Adams glass.

A - Nice and dark, not black, but cloudy. A nice and thick off-white head.

S - Good. A little sweet, some chocolate and caramel.

T - A little bit of a bite. Similar to a typical Belgian brew, but darker.

M - Smooth finish, with some carbonation to start, so a bit fizzy. A little watery, but not bad. Dry aftertaste, but decent.

Summary - This "Poorter" is pretty nice. For the price, however, I would expect a better brew. Personally, I prefer Fuller's London Porter, which is a little heavier. I do love the bottle though.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 23:34:47 | More by ranger7

omnigrits

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Ceramic bottle with a crown cap and a swing-top seal making it re-usable for home brew.

A. Very dark brown with ruby highlights and a puffy light tan head. Minimal lace.

S. Spicy, earthy, almost to the point of funky. Plenty of dark fruit flavours, particularly prunes.

T. Again, a bit spicy and earthy, not overly sweet. Pleasant but a bit one-dimensional.

M. Disappointingly thin and watery.

O. If you want to lay down close to $10 for a very drinkable but quite average brew that comes in a useful bottle (if you're a homebrewer), be my guest. I'll probably buy it again but only if it's on sale.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 00:20:30 | More by omnigrits

donteatpoop

Ohio

3.25/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Nice thick head on pour, retains well enough though it does lose some of its height. The beer itself is dark in color though relatively clear otherwise.

Dark fruits and brown sugar aromas dominate the nose.

The dark sugary taste and dark fruits dominate the mouth as well, a dry bitterness lingers below.

Mouthfeel was a bit watery with a lingering dryness.

Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 04:40:46 | More by donteatpoop

womencantsail

California

3.65/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The pour is a dark amber color with about a finger of off-white head.

S: Lots of malty sweetness with a definite dark fruit aroma which consists mostly of plums, black cherries, and raisins. There is a mild roasted malt quality and some nice toffee, chocolate, and caramel.

T: While the beer smells nice, there is a bit of a cardboard flavor to it. The sweetness is still there with plenty of toffee, chocolate, and caramel, along with the fruitiness. A mild to moderate roasted malt quality and a fair amount of yeast.

M: Medium in body with a moderate level of carbonation.

O: Smelled quite nice and tasted pretty good as well. Not a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 21:51:43 | More by womencantsail

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Aroma is smoky and chocolaty with yeast and caramel hints. It pours a dark chocolate brown that is opaque save at the edges and has a very thick, if not persistent, tan head - the sample I got fizzed like nobody’s business. Oh noes, wasted beer! Satisfying flavor is malty with smoky, chocolate and nutty tones and just a touch of caramel. Texture is quite fizzy, leaving behind a rather persistent tingle.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 02:35:46 | More by Cyberkedi

biglite351

Pennsylvania

2.83/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

A - light through the middle of glass. Almost more of a dark burnt amber. Tall white creamy head that drop quickly.

S - light but has a fruity malt scent.

T - lots of sweet fruit. I would have guessed this to be an odd double bock as opposed to a porter.

M - mild coating but no real tingle.

D - easily drinkable, but there are many better options out there.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 01:07:31 | More by biglite351

BevMoAndrew

California

3.85/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a wine glass right out of the fridge. (Only glass available.)
the hoogstraten poorter pours a dark brown a the glass with a creamy white froth. Amazing aromas of black cherries, black raspberries, cassis, caramel, belgian waffle, roasted nuts, some baking spices, and belgian yeast that follows through on the palate. The beer has a medium light body, creamy carbonation, & long finish. There is a definite sweetness to this beer, however the beer dries the palate on the finish (not bitter, just dry). Overall, I really liked this beer & would love to drink it again, but, unfortunately, this beer is way over valued at $10 a bottle. Because of the cost, this beer is Not Recommended....unless you have a ton of extra cash burning a hole in your pocket.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2010 01:58:05 | More by BevMoAndrew

SykDoc

Wisconsin

3.28/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a pint glass. It forms a large several inch head that is mixed-mocha colored and reduces to a nice coverage. Carbonation is readily visible. It appears a light brown while pouring but steardies up to be a darker brown in the glass, when held to the light.

The aroma was primarily dark fruity sweetness with a uniquely rugged grassy component in the background.

The taste was primarily a malty sweetness (some caramel and dark fruit) mixed with toasted nuts. Just a bit lacking in stiffness.

The mouthfeel was medium bodied with a higher level of carbonation that I think may detract from the flavor. It was a bit thin but goes down smoothly and leaves a mild but pleasant sweet/dry mix.

Overall, this beer is reasonable to drink but has several aspects that could make it very good. Not hard to drink, just not outstanding.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2010 00:35:18 | More by SykDoc

ADZA

Australia

3.73/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Im not gonna lie i do love beers that come in these bottles there is definately some love shown in presentation thats for sure,a gentle pour leaves a frothy creamy coloured two finger head with heaps of lacing and the beer underneath is a very weird dark cherry colour with nice ruby highlights,the aroma is chocolate,dried dark fruits and sugary malts with a tinge of alcohol,it has a full mouthfeel first up followed by a easy medium finish with nice tastes of raisins,dried apricots and some strong yeasty notes with only a touch of brandy flavoured alcohol present on first couple of sips,i know this beer says on the back of the earthware bottle STRONG BEER but to me 6.5% isnt what i call strong beer and the alcohol isnt a major taste on the palette so it is amazingly enough very drinkable for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2009 05:06:37 | More by ADZA

armock

New York

3.03/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Poured a mahogany color with a tan head that fades quickly

S - Is of sugary dark fruits

T - Some roasted malt but mostly very sweet fruit flavors

M - This beer has a medium body with high carbonation to it

D - This tastes like no other porter that I've had before and thats not really a good thing save your money and pass by this one

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2009 23:22:09 | More by armock

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.65/5  rDev -27.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearance: Pours out a hazed, deep, dark amber body with a wispy, whitish head.

Smell: Sweetish, fairly fruity nose with notes of raisins and dried apricots at the fore with toasted malts and standard sugar in the back.

Taste: Toasty, faintly nutty malts with a solid bump of candyish sweetness. As is the case with the nose, it's quite fruity. Essentially no hop character or bitterness. Vaguely sweetish and fruity on the otherwise hohum finish. It's sweet and then it's gone.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium-plus carbonation.

Drinkability: Entirely unimpressive and not a beer I could honestly recommend; it's one of those beers that were it not for these notes, I would have absolutely no memory of this thing. Somebody deserves a well-earned high five for the joke of classifying this a "Baltic Porter". Good one!

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2009 23:38:37 | More by ChainGangGuy