Sinebrychoff Porter - Oy Sinebrychoff Ab

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

3.96/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Incredible head, foamy, dark and rich. Nice lacing.

S - Not as memorable as other features.

T - Some spiciness, dark and rich flavors. Hides alchohol pretty well. Pretty well balanced.

M - Rich and creamy, fairly full bodied.

O - A very solid beer. Very glad I was able to find this. Would certainly have again.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 00:41:36 | More by Beer-A-Lot

Ivanhoes_Backpack

New Brunswick (Canada)

4.14/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Little bottle poured into a tulip.

A - pours an opaque colour with a nice frothy brown head that stays around half a finger.

S - cinnamon, coffee, toasted malt.

T - roasted coffee, some smokey bacon, cocoa, little bit of berry sweetness from the alcohol, but not the warming sensation.

M - smooth, even for a porter, very little carbonation.

O - This is a great porter! I ate it with a hot fudge sundae... man it was good. Looks good, smells good, tastes good, goes down smooth. A very solid porter in spite of its higher alcohol and the tastes and smell are profound and different enough to make this beer stand out.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 00:10:28 | More by Ivanhoes_Backpack

Arborescence

Finland

4.59/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Served in room temperature.

Appearance: Black as the night. Pours a huge and lively head that recedes fairly quickly and has a nice dark brown tint.

Aroma: Roasted malt, burnt toast, black coffee, dark chocolate, and a hint of toffee.

Taste: Very dark chocolate with some bitterness, coffee and malt, a hint of orange peel, and a little bit of a nutty aftertaste. Very robust!

Mouthfeel: Heavy bodied, oily, lingers in the mouth.

Overall: This beer is the best value for money that you can get in Finland, costing only just over 2 Euros at Alko and often some 4,5 Euros at bars -- effectively half the price of many similar beers. Unsurprisingly, this means that I've had the beer many, many times, and will gladly go back to it any time. It deserves the praise that it has gotten, although it's sometimes better known outside of Finland. Although the Koff Porter isn't most chocolate flavoured of stouts, or doesn't boast intensive coffee or strange herbs, it still deserves to be rated highly. Why? Because of its uncompromising devotion to the core of what a porter is supposed to be. It's perfectly balanced, deep, and truly black.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 17:27:22 | More by Arborescence

MudDrinker

Ohio

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: Jet black and opaque with a thin tan head that rapidly dissipates.

Smell: Smells like crushed grapes, prunes, soy sauce, and then mild dark chocolate and coffee scents. Smell is very strong and I could smell it from a pretty good distance after opening.

Taste: Chocolate, some dried dark fruits, toasted sesame, dark chocolate, and roasted bitterness. Very little-to-no alcohol presence.

Mouthfeel: Pretty typical porter, syrupy and full-bodied.

Overall: This is my first Baltic Porter, so I can't say how indicative it is of the style, but its pretty damn tasty overall. My only other experience with porters has really been Bell's and Founder's - and in that sense, this beer is nothing like those. It's got a very unique smell and taste profile.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 00:32:53 | More by MudDrinker

RyanLigeia

Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Not sure what the date on this one is but the code is E8 1705 S.

Appearance-4 Pours a completely opaque jet black with a decent sized dark brown head.

Smell-4.5 I could smell this one as soon as I opened the bottle. Chocolate, strong sweet malt, hints of fig, touch of caramel.

Taste-3.5 A sort of bitter chocolate, roasted malts, a bitter semi burnt coffee flavor, slight hint of alcohol in the end.

Mouthfeel- Moderate to low carbonation, slight alcohol warmth, somewhat silky smooth.

Overall- This is not a bad BALTIC porter by any means but the bottle dubs itself plainly as a porter. With that being said, I was sort of torn while judging because sometimes the specific style a beer is given on this site is decided by anyone who cares to change it. For example; were the overly roasty, bitter flavors intentional to try and re-create the style brewed in the 1700s? Who knows. Either way this is a great beer. Maybe not a 93/100 or 95/100 IMO but none-the-less worth a try if you like porters/stouts and haven't had this yet.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 00:58:22 | More by RyanLigeia

keithmurray

New York

4.7/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance - jet black body with fluffy mocha head

smell - chocolate malt balls, mocha, expresso

taste - mocha, chocolate malts, expresso, hazelnut

mouthfeel - medium bodied, although it is coming in light/thin for the style, low carbonation, flavors linger on the palate nicely in the finish

overall - this is a good baltic porter, although a bit pricey. My only qualms with this was that the body came in thinner than other entrants of the style

Price Point - $4.69/11.2 oz bottle

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 22:36:20 | More by keithmurray

brentk56

North Carolina

4.48/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Coal black with a very dark stout-like head that leaves strands of lace

Smell: Ashes, burnt black toast, chocolate and a hint of licorice

Taste: Dark chocolate verging on burnt black toast; brewer's licorice arrives in the middle along with a vague sourness that develops further into the finish

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with moderate carbonation

Overall: A really fine beer; not as fruity as other Baltics but the ashen flavor adds a really interesting dimension

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 22:37:06 | More by brentk56

gleemonger

California

4.4/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pretty much pitch black with just a little brown coming through. Thin, beige to brown head that dissipates quickly and leaves a little lacing. Definitely dark for a porter - looks just like a heavy stout.

Smoky roasted malts, with just a touch of chocolate and a hint of fruitiness. Not a super outgoing or complex aroma.

Very complex taste of roasted malts, chocolate, caramel, some fruitiness, and just a touch of hop bitterness (but no flavor or aroma really). The standout here seems to be roasted chocolate. Pretty much no alcohol presence, despite the strength.

Nice and thick, like a stout. Mildly carbonated. Fairly creamy. Again, more like a stout than a porter, but I guess the lines sometimes blur on this one.

Really nice one. I can see how one could say it's a thick, strong porter instead of a stout, I guess. But apart from all that, very nice, complex, roasty treat. Would definitely pick it up again.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 03:59:06 | More by gleemonger

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.95/5  rDev -6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Into a snifter. Blackest black body with three fingers of tight tan head. Amazing looking.
Roasted malt, licorice and chocolate smell.
Taste starts slow and builds to a grand crescendo. Light taste, then black licorice, coffee, dark chocolate, biting bitter at the end.
High viscosity, almost sticky, low carbonation.
A definite winner in my book.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 00:52:11 | More by Fatehunter

BrownAleMale

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

11.2oz bottle poured into a Gulden Draak tulip glass.

Appearance- Black motor oil like color with about a 1 finger mocha colored head. The head fizzles down into about an 1/8 inch lining but still leaves real nice lacing.

Smell- Bakers chocolate, pine, citrus and sweet malt

Taste- Again your really dark roasted chocolate with a very bitter chocolate hops. Just a bit to hoppy for me in a porter. If this was the west coast of the USA, I would expect it. Throws me off that this is so hop forward.

Mouthfeel- Nice and silky like chocolate milk. Carbonation a little on the high side but nothing to bothersome to the pallet.

Overall- Not bad, but I can go out and get other porters or shouts that are hop forward for a much better value. It's good, but would go out of my way to purchase it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 19:32:39 | More by BrownAleMale

ThePorterSorter

New York

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

The beer pours black with an inch of tan head that settles to a thin quarter inch blanketing (with the occasional bald spot). The beer's nose has a caramel sweetness and bitter roastiness. The taste has layers of flavor including an initial sweetness followed by a residual burnt sugar, bitter roastiness, and crisp hoppiness. The finish is dry and leaves my mouth watering in anticipation of the next sip. This full bodied beast of a porter reminds me of founder's porter (American) and flying dog's gonzo porter (Baltic), but is still different (slightly).
As far as Baltic porters go, I still prefer smuttynose, but this is still quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 00:51:43 | More by ThePorterSorter

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours pitch black with a fine light brown head with great retention and lacing. Aroma of roasted and sweet malt, chocolate, dark fruit, light oxidation. Flavor is dark roasted malt, sour cherry, chocolate and hints of burnt coffee. A rich taste approaching a good stout. All the element I expect from a good Baltic porter with the sour fruit element nicely balanced by roastiness. Finishes with toasted malt and coffee. Heavy bodied and creamy. An excellent, tasty Baltic porter.

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2012 03:24:00 | More by LiquidAmber

mikeg67

New Jersey

3.6/5  rDev -14.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.2 OZ bottle. Pours black with a brown, foamy, long lasting head and a lot of lacing. Aroma is of toasted malt, bread crust, coffee, and hints of chocolate. Body is medium and smooth. Toasted malt, burnt grain, coffee, prunes and dark chocolate fill the mouth. Finish is medium and slightly bitter. Easy drinking porter.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2012 16:02:12 | More by mikeg67

beergoot

Colorado

3.93/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours out an opaque black with a thin and persistent brown head.

Roasted grains with currant, figs, and dates predominate the aroma. There is a soft cocoa sense in there. A rich, nutty mustiness, too.

Taste comes across with toasted malts and semi-sweet chocolate in the fore. A slight acidic character. A bit of alcohol presence. Bitterness is almost hidden within the sweetness of the gains, but shines through in the aftertaste along with a bitter coffee and slight chocolate tinge.

Mouthfeel seems medium bodied. Slick and wet with a tinge of sugary heaviness.

A nice enough Baltic porter. Fairly complex and pleasurable overall.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 23:14:29 | More by beergoot

kc44

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Damn fine looking dark beer with a remarkably deep shade on its head, which is short but dense. Just a pitch black brew here, speaking to no lack of roasted malts. Smells kind of earthy, kind of bready, a touch of caramel sweetness to it, but nothing real roasty about the nose. The nose doesn't lie either, not any roast on the palate either and hey, that's alright, this is a real porter after all, not some stout masquerading as one. Comes on nice and sweet, almost reminiscent of the dark fruit and licorice flavors of big English styles like barleywine or old ale. Definitely a caramel kind of sweetness, but it slides gracefully to the bitter end of the spectrum for the finish, certainly a hops kind of bitterness more than a roast type. Would never have guessed that this has as much booze as it does but for the flavor comparisons to other strong styles. Mouthfeel comes of as kind of thin, very little carbonation but i neither expect or want that out of this beer. The body is alright though, and it resists being too sticky or viscous. As a package, definitely a remarkable example. If someone asks you how a porter is different than a stout, this would be a lovely example for demonstration of the distinction, which I personally claim is the roast malt character being stronger in stouts. There simply isn't another way to categorize this beer - it is a porter, and a profound one at that.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 03:37:16 | More by kc44

JayQue

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Really good Porter. Purchased at Grape and Gourmet in Virginia Beach. Poured a dense black color into a pint glass. The head is brown, thick and with excellent retention. Leaves thick lacing on the glass.

Smell is just a bit better than average,,,roasted malt and some chocolate.

Taste is really good and complex. Roasted malts, chocolate, sweet dark fruit up front, some coffee and hops bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel is smooth and rich, a little alcohol bite is present but it still goes down very easy.

All in all one of the better Porters I have tried.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 01:24:26 | More by JayQue

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.35/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

11.2oz bottle poured into a Duvel tulip.

Appearance: As black as a moonless winter night in Lappland, even right out of the neck of the bottle; the head on top of the ebony body is a perfect two fingers thick, and consists of dense brown foam. Retention and lacing are both superb. Porter perfection.

Smell: Rich and balanced, with brownie batter, dark chocolate, and faint coffee providing roasty sweetness up front, and some more piquant undertones of herbal hops and minerality sneaking in behind. Some dark fruits, as well. Excellent.

Taste: Opens with some raw malt, followed by chewy chocolate, some almost tart raisin notes, and finishing with clean bitterness and a hint of coffee on the aftertaste. The slight sourness is throwing me for a bit of a loop, but at the same time I think it goes terrifically with the other flavors. I do wish it had as much punchiness as the aroma, but I’m still a fan.

Mouthfeel: Quite thick, chewy, and possessed of the perfect amount of soft, creamy carbonation. Decadent.

Overall: I can’t think of a beer that delivers so much body with such a clean finish – that’s got to be the combination of lager yeast with the porter malt bill, and it’s absolutely superb. There are a couple things going on flavor-wise toward the back end of each sip that keep me from totally falling in love, but I’m really, really impressed. This one is a must-try, if only so you can experience a hallmark of the style and tick Finland off your list of countries.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

03-01-2012 22:36:24 | More by woosterbill

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.73/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this porter on-tap at Sanctuary.

Appearance- The beer was delivered having only a ring of brown sugar-colored foam with a few bubbles on the lid. The body itself is completely black.

Smell- The nose is quite nice with some dark fruit, mainly dates, some tobacco, and malt sugar.

Taste- The leathery smokiness is much more prominent on the palate and hits right away. The middle of the drink is slightly acidic from the roast and sweet with dark fruits, more of a fig character now.

The finish of the beer is very roasted and has a coffee grounds acidity. A good profile, but the finish is overpowering.

Mouth feel- The body is a decent medium, but the beer feels slick and a little flat. A beer with such a slick feel is not as appealing when the finish is so caustic.

Overall- This intense roasted and smokey beer with subtle notes of dark fruit and brown sugar sweetness is one I would visit again. However, it would take much consideration because of the intense finish.

Truly a porter for the stout of heart.

Serving type: on-tap

02-18-2012 02:27:50 | More by Pintofbrown

dbrauneis

New Jersey

4.08/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours midnight black with a two finger tall mocha head. The head reduces a bit over time but leaves a half finger head long into drinking the beer. There is quite a bit of lacing.

S: Aromas of dark roasted malts, dark fruit, chocolate, and burnt toffee. Very bold in the aromas.

T: The flavors start off with the dark roasted malts followed by dark fruit and hint of bittersweet chocolate. Overall slightly sweet then slightly bitter. There is a very subtle hint of coffee when the beer warms.

M: Medium to full bodied with low to moderate amounts of carbonation. Quite creamy and a nice dry finish.

O: A great baltic porter and my first Finish beer that I have reviewed - this beer came highly recommended and did not disappoint. The alcohol is well hidden and I could definitely enjoy more than one of these, though not too many with the 7.2 ABV.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2012 14:19:03 | More by dbrauneis

soju6

Missouri

4.15/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a black color with a big tan head that fades to lots of lacing.

S: Aroma of roasted malt some coffee and hint of chocolate.

T: Taste of coffee, roasted malt and bittersweet chocolate. It has sort of a coffee bitterness and a dry finish.

F: Full body, smooth and creamy. No hint of the 7.2% ABV.

O: Very enjoyable. Goes down easy. Nice late evening sipper.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2012 12:49:44 | More by soju6

WillCarrera

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

11.2 oz bottle poured into a pint glass. The bottle says "Best before" and then "E93655K," which is probably the most incomprehensible dating code I've ever seen in my life.

A- Pours totally black with a nice finger of creamy mocha head, leaves great lacing.

S- Roasted malt, chocolate, a whole lot of sharp lactic acidity as well.

T- Big roasted malt up front with a bit of dry astringency, opens up into roasted coffee and dark chocolate with raisins and figs behind them, alcohol towards the finish, which ends with roasted coffee and malt sweetness.

M- Medium to full bodied, smooth feel, semi-dry finish.

O- A delicious beer, very drinkable, definitely gonna have to pick this one up again.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 08:48:53 | More by WillCarrera

Thads324

Connecticut

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

A : pours an oil black. A thick and hearty dark tan head that sticks very well. Dissipates slowly with a wall of lacing.
S: aroma consists of dried fruits and mild chocolate. Some dark sugar sweetness, burnt toffee and no hop at all.
T : Starts right off the bat with a sweet dried fruit flavor. Mild roasted malts, like weak coffee and some caramel flavor that is very subtle. The caramel flows slowly throughout the remainder of the beer. There is a hearty multi grain bread flavor at the end which mixes with a mildly bitter grass flavored hop. A bit of fruity gelato sweetness on the end.
M : no astringency. Smooth. Full bodied and well balanced. Medium carbonation.

Lots of lacing. Great head and retention, especially for an import. Smooth, full bodied, rich and decadent. Sweet but not cloying. A gem of a beer that I'm glad to have tried. I'd gladly purchase this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 21:16:56 | More by Thads324

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -20.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This one was recommended by a friend of mine, he said that he loved it and that if I hadn't drank it before I should give one a try. So I ordered one up and poured it out. The beer was black as night and had a thin brown colored head on top. The smell of the beer was heavily roasted, it had some light chocolate aromas too. The taste of the beer was almost like charcoal at first. It was burnt tasting and not all the good to me. The aftertaste sort of gave off this odd creamy flavor. Not sure how it works but that was what I kept getting. The mouthfeel was thinner than I expected it to be. Overall I wasn't a huge fan of this beer but it must strike good with some people it seems. Maybe worth trying again.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 01:49:29 | More by Knapp85

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4.25/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Finally getting around to reviewing one of my favorite Baltic porters.

A: Pours an opaque very dark brown/nearly black with a tan head and some minor lacing.

S: This beer smells fantastic and rich - dark malts, chocolate and some spices.

T: Taste is very much akin to a dark chocolate bar, a little sweet and a little bitter like dark chocolate, but not overwhelmingly bitter like a coffee. It's not too heavy though, has a certain lightness in the flavor that gives it some similarity to a doppelbock as opposed to an American porter.

M: Very smooth and fluffy with good carbonation.

O: This is probably my 2nd favorite Baltic porter out there, behind only Okocim. The European beers of the style have more of a lightness to them that I love, and combining that with the dark malts that typically define a porter really make this a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2011 01:49:26 | More by starrdogg

vande

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a - deep, dark black pour..very cola-like...evidence left in the form of a nice thin layer of lacing..

s - coffee, chocolate, malt oh my.. a nice, rich smelling porter!

t - a bitter beer with a pleasant level of coffee and chocolate intertwined in a lovely dance here...yet, hidden nicely is the slightest touch of sweetness.. great tasting...

m - medium bodied smooth drinking baltic porter...

o - one of the better porters I've had...and I would have never guessed it could have come from Finland...

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2011 05:27:51 | More by vande