Hoogstraten Poorter - Brouwerij Sterkens N.V.

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

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

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

WesWes

New York

3.9/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a translucent dark brown color with a frothy off-white head. The aroma is decent. It has a malty/roasted barley scent that is very pleasant. It has a sweet aroma. The taste is good. It is a light tasting dark beer with malt character and a fruity yeast finish. The mouthfeel is good. It is a medium bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a fine porter style Belgian ale. I think I'll have another.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2004 23:28:21 | More by WesWes

russpowell

Oklahoma

2.9/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours an effervescent deep chestnut/mahogany with 3 fingers of puffy sand colored head. Superior head retention & lacing

S: Iron & little breadyness

T: Fruity & bready with hints of toasted malt up front. Some licorice sneaks in as this warms along with brown sugar. Finishes dry, with hints of toffee & a whisper of coffee

MF: Thin bodied for the style with assertive carbonation,

Drinks alright, but off style IMO, can't really recommend this, especially for $9 a 750 ml

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2007 03:42:56 | More by russpowell

jwc215

New Jersey

2.63/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I split a bottle of this with a friend -
Poured a medium brown. It had some odd sediment floating around. The head was decent - it became a lasting lace after a short while. It was the lightest porter I've ever seen - didn't look like a porter.
The smell was of sweet caramel with some alcohol notes.
The taste wasn't terrible, but not very well-balanced. Two dimensional - caramel and water. Quite sweet. Not typical of a porter. Reminded me of a malty doppelbock. Some fruitness was evident as the drink progressed.
The mouthfeel was a bit sticky, but not overwhelming. Nothing bad, nothing outstanding - or even above average.
I have had numerous Baltic Porters, and I have to say that this is - while not terrible - certainly below average.
Other than to own the cool ceramic flip-top bottle, it is not worth the price when there are so many better porters out there and just as available (if not moreso.)
As a beer it is not terrible - but if you are in the mood for a porter - this is not the one to have - too caramel-sweet and lacks richness or the complex flavors of a porter.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2006 03:37:54 | More by jwc215

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4.13/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours with a two-finger light tan head that fades slowly leaving a good lace. Deep red/amber color. Medium carbonation and medium bodied. Nose is malty. Starts with a roasted hazelnut sweetness and finishes smooth with no bitter aftertaste or hints of alcohol. A very good porter, quite different from typical American porters - Stone, Heavyweight, Redhook etc. 750ml bottle for $10.99 at Hoosick St Discount Bev. Troy, NY.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2004 22:35:57 | More by jdhilt

Zorro

California

2.38/5  rDev -34.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

From a 750 ml bottle.

Pours a clear brown beer with a little tan head.

Smell is mostly brown sugar and raisins. Black pepper and cherry scent ride on the alcohol fumes. Faint soy sauce odor.

Taste is mildly sweet with the light flavors of brown sugar, tobacco, smoke, and figs. An under flavored beer here it just isn't strong enough.

Very thin mouthfeel.

I guess I could finish this glass of this beer but I don't want to. There are 24 different beers in my refrigerator right now all of, which are more enjoyable than this. I can't recommend this beer at all.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2005 01:58:32 | More by Zorro

Bighuge

Minnesota

2.63/5  rDev -27.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A belgian porter? Hard to believe. Doesn't taste like a porter.

Clear crimson appearance. Only a slight head graces the surface of the beer. Lacing is droopy. The aroma is sweet. A little candy-like. Bubblegum. Cotton candy. The mouthfeel of this beer is lacking. Watery. Thin. Almost no carbonation. With a body barely above light in stature. The taste is fairly bland. No roasted qualities, coffee or chocolate tones that I am used to in a porter. Rather, I get some slight belgian characteristics...yeast wise in the flavor profile. A little bready and doughy. Some fruity esters. And a little sting of EtOH. Finish is weak and flavorless.

All in all, a subpar porter/belgian beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2003 21:12:43 | More by Bighuge

Gusler

Arizona

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

The pour a cloudless sanguineous color, the head slight, and the lace patchy. The nose is mostly malt, fresh and clean smelling with the start thickly malt, lightly sweet and the top middling in its mouth feel. Finish is penetratingly acidic, the hops toothsome, also a bit vinous and lightly tart with the aftertaste exquisitely dry and long lasting. Different front the run of the mill porters, and the 6.5% ABV adds a bit of warmth to the tummy, well worth a sample, as a change of pace from the American Style Porters.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2003 11:10:12 | More by Gusler

DrJay

Massachusetts

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

Clear, dark brown/amber with light tan head composed of fine bubbles. Good head retention and very nice lacing that left rings around the glass. Light chocolate and raisin aroma with a bit of cola and slight funky cheesiness. Interesting. Plenty of malt sweetness with some chocolate, grainy malt and low bitterness. The finish is very short. Medium body and carbonation, good texture and a bit dry. It seems to be a little light on the dark malt for a porter, but it's very easy to drink and fairly interesting.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2006 18:19:58 | More by DrJay

tavernjef

Minnesota

3.1/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Ruby rust, small bubbly head of dusty yellowed foam comes to surface as it glugs its way out of the tall ceramic jug. Sticky thin lacing coats well as it wavers.

Aroma is faint of a starfruit sweetness and yellow raisiny tang.

Flavor is a little strange at first but grows on ya after awhile, but also gets boring and tedoius and makes it hard to continue any kind of consumption. Mildly tangy and sweet with a soft toffee and sugar cookie plainness. Some notions of cocoa dust the finish with a slight drying late along with a bit of sugar and a touch of roast. It's like drinking a really subpar, under baked sugar cookie.

Feel is quick and softly carbonated in most areas, some weird, off heavy spots and slight chalk textures. Lighter medium body overall with a slight dry finish.

This is the pinnacle of average for the style. OK, but no keeper.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2005 22:51:25 | More by tavernjef

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

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

RoyalT

Ohio

2.5/5  rDev -31.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance – Bright brown in color with a horrible head. I worked the pour until my elbow gave out and couldn’t get a thing.

Smell – Very light, thin aroma of toasted malts and sugars. The sugar are more of the manufactured kind, like the stuff you’d find in Fruit Loops or Honeycombs.

Taste – The flavor steps it up a bit from the nose. The taste is still thin, but the sweetness adds a little maple and brown sugar to the mix.

Mouthfeel – Flat and medium to almost light-bodied.

Drinkability – This is almost like an April’s Fools joke. The bottle is stone brown with an authentic Belgium label listing the brewery’s origin as 1210, but its contents is macro-flavored, “Belgium Strong Dark Ale . . . by Budweiser!” It has a cap attached to the bottle . . . as if it’s going to fill you up with one glass and you’ll want to save the rest for later. Egad!

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2003 02:26:45 | More by RoyalT

avalon07

South Carolina

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

A: When poured from a bottle to a pint glass, this beer had a brownish color and a thick texture. There was a big amount of long-lasting head and good lacing.

S: Fruits dominate the aroma, but malt and some hops are there as well.

T: Not what I expected from a Baltic porter, but pretty good. Apples, raisins, malt and hops make for a decent flavor.

M: There was a pretty good amount of carbonation and a smooth finish with this beer. This is a full-bodied beer.

D: This is a pretty tasty beer, though not what I expected from the style. One of the only problems with this brew is that it seems to lose its punch the longer you drink it. Not a bad beer, though.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2008 13:16:59 | More by avalon07

ZAP

Minnesota

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

This is a beer I eagerly anticipated...a Belgian Porter??? I don't think so...not sure what it is, but it's not a porter...color is redish/amber..looks like an Octoberfest...very little carbonation and the head looks like soap suds...I like the nose...sweet sugar covered plums and sweet berries....mouthfeel is thin and very flat...flavor is good but not porter like....the taste mimicks the nose pretty much..very sweet...I like it.......maybe some deep seeded caramel in there as well...

Overall, I am enjoying this beer but the mouthfeel is a bit unsettling...I love the nose and the taste is pretty good but it is not very porter like in my opinion...definitely worth trying once...

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2003 21:29:23 | More by ZAP

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

GClarkage

California

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

07/08/06- Purchased at Bevmo in San Mateo, CA.

Presentation- 750ml bottle, capped with an addition swingtop attached if you can't handle draining 25.4oz of 6% or so abv beer. No freshness dating, poured into my Stone RIS tulip.

Appearance- Medium brown, maybe fig colored. Large and creamy head rises to the top of the glass. Takes three fillings to get the whole bottle in. Lacing is nice and patchy.

Smell- Really not one that jumps out at your nose. More sweetness than I expected. Maybe a bit buttery. Almost like a nose of a Belgian Pale. Spices and maybe some powdered sugar to go along with a bit of malt.

Taste- Porter? My first sip and many after had an odd somewhat metallic taste. I was trying to pinpoint the taste when my wife tasted it and said "Yuk, liver and onions". I tasted it again and she was right on about the liver part. I really does have an odd animal flesh taste. I got used to it and sucked the rest down. Malty..a bit, sugary and sweet...more so. If you really get into th swishing of the liquid you can pick up some berry type flavors...maybe some kind of currant.

Mouthfeel- Fuller than would think by the abv. Medium carbonation level, somewhat creamy and smooth texture.

Drinkability- For a porter I would not buy again, but for a beer just at that, it's a possibility. Rather odd tastes, but pretty good at that. Interesting for sure.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2006 16:30:50 | More by GClarkage

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured medium amber, but very clear, at first I thought it was Newcastle coming from the bottle. The head was white and rose tall falling slowly to lace the glass.

The aroma was malty with chocolate and caramel. The aroma became slightly fruity as it warmed.

The flavor was chocolate and malty caramel. Some light fruity flavors.

The finish was just off dry with lingering chocolate. The body was medium to medium light. Some alcohol warming.

750 ml bottle, ceramic with a bail top. No real complexity to note and this beer should probably not be in the Baltic Porter style, more of a regular Porter. Easy to consume.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2004 22:55:07 | More by GCBrewingCo

Overlord

California

2.98/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I think I'm going to echo just about every review here and say that this brew was not at all what I expected. Why bother putting "porter/poorter" on the bottle?

Pours a reddish light brown (yeah, you heard me right) with a big off-white foam head. Smells like fruit and yeast (yes, you're still reading this accurately) and tastes like a mixture of sweet malt, apricots/figs/raisins/dark fruits and a yeasty citrus finish.

From top to bottom does not resemble a "baltic porter" whatsoever. If this was a blind taste test, I'd think this was a Dubbel ... or perhaps a Belgian Dark. The mouthfeel is unacceptably thin for a Baltic Porter.

I don't normally "grade to style", but when a beer is so far off the mark what else can I do?

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2008 06:40:00 | More by Overlord

ADR

Pennsylvania

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

An interesting beer, may well be in a Porter style as indicated by the bottle (crock). Clear darker ruby color, small head but pretty dense and creamy. Doesn't last a real long time. Yeasty and sharp citrus aromas. Nice mouthfeel, malt dominates flavor and is in the brown-sugar and caramel range. A little hoppy squeeze, slightly tangeriney, and helped by moderate carbonation. Not hugely complex, could use a little more body but a unique brew from Belgium. The thick, light brown, swing-top crock rocks!

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2002 08:32:16 | More by ADR

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

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