Baltic Thunder - Victory Brewing Company

Halcyondays

California

4.15/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

22 oz. bomber,

A: Pours a very dark brown, with a 1.5 finger off-white head. Nice colour.

S: Roasted coffee, chocolate, typical porter smell, strong.

T: Roasted coffee again, charcoal, though not overly burnt. There's certainly a sweetness underlying this brew. Hint of soy sauce and molasses as well. The lager yeast fermentation is clearly evident, straight-up, direct flavours.

M: Smooth and full-bodied, robust, moderate viscosity.

D: This is a dangerously drinkable and tasty dark lager. I'm glad they finally brought it out here, I've been wanting to taste this legendary brew for a while, it didn't disappoint.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2009 17:46:21 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours a black color with a 1/2" light tan colored head. Some mild lacing sticks to the glass during the session.

Smell: light roasted malts and soft chocolate tones are pleasant.

Taste: roasted malts, mild chocolate flavors, prunes, a hint of old coffee, and some warming alcohol make up an enjoyable beer.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied but a bit thinner than expected. Lightly crisp at the start, smooth and a bit dry at the finish. Short roasted malt and chocolate filled aftertaste.

Drinkability: a nice version that is easy to quaff despite the alcohol levels. Defintely worth picking some of this up.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2008 12:11:43 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best by Dec. 31, '08:

Pours dark brown with ruby highlights. A thin tan head gently settles, leaving some trailing lace sliding down the glass.

The smell is of lightly roasted dark maltiness (some smoky notes) with an earthy background.

The taste is of chocolate and a hint of coffee with smoky notes and a subtle dark fruit backing. Sweet with some astringency in the finish.

Light to begin with, it reaches medium as it progresses. Quite a bit of carbonation for the style, but it mellows as it progresses.

It's nice overall, but not quite as full as I was hoping. The touch of carbonation and astringency slow it down more than the alcohol, which is pretty well covered for the abv level.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2008 14:37:56 | More by jwc215

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

On-tap at Bocktown Beer and Grill

A nice beer, but I can't say I'm impressed. Maybe the hype just raised the expectations too high, but I rather think this beer just doesn't quite match the other baltics I've had.

At first I got a big, juicy sweet cherry flavor, followed by chocolate (chocolate covered cherries maybe). Then there was a little bit of toffee grains and a bit of alcohol. I also pulled some vegetal DMS aroma out of here and didn't get much of an aftertaste. Overall, I was disappointed, but this found it to be an agreeable beer.

Serving type: on-tap

03-20-2008 14:42:04 | More by tempest

akorsak

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A 650 mL bomber.

A: The porter is dark, a ruddy brown cherry cola color. The red shades that are sprinkled throughout are deep ruby. Three fingers of tan head arose on pour but did not lace.

S: The aroma is very dry and starchy, thanks in part to the beans used in the brew. Sweet rounded cocoa and dark fruits follow the dryness.

T: The porter is darkm full of roasted grains and molasses. Starchy beans, evident in the nose, emerge here as well. They add a dry, full flavor to the ale. Chocolate powder, cocoa and coffee follow the beans. Raisins and figs also appear, adding a dark fruity sweetness. Cocoa is the lasting finish.

M: The mouth is full and quite active. With so many flavors running throughout the beer, its nice to just sit and sip, enjoying what bubbles up.

D: The abv is high but there is no evident of the boozy heat. I could have had another bottle of this.

Serving type: bottle

08-13-2008 13:04:34 | More by akorsak

WVbeergeek

Ohio

3.23/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This is a great example of why hyping up a beer can be a bad thing. The amount of beergeeks excited to try this was insane due to the brewing press release, big news to see Tom Baker teaming up with Victory. Then the wait with all the legal bullshit, and what follows is a blend of trying to get this one right before the big release. Well, they didn't get much right in my eyes and I'm going to try it again. Had it thrice on tap and I will be investing in a bomber, but I'm weary. No many gripes with appeaance except for head retention, poured pitch black in body much like I recall the Hammer forming a thin tan head leaving thin scant speckled lacing. I remember the Perkuno's to have texture all day with lacing throughout each pint. I think the change of the beans altered the protein count therefore affecting head. Aromatics I'm getting sweet dried fruits with some tart acidic mild offensive tones going on, chocolate roasts play nice with figs and plum fruitiness. Some mild booziness with lingering herbal hop notes comes late. Flavors insert ripe or dried concentrated fruit flavor whether it comes off plum, fig, or raisin I'd definitely call it some what vinous. Dark dry roasted malt lacking the complex mix of flavors the Hammer always provided but my point is that fruit and dark chocolate with a mildy cloying dark chocolate syrup comes off one dimensional in the flavor. Mouthfeel is full bodied assertive carbonation a bit unnatural with words like thin and blah entering my brain. Drinkability, no doubt any brew from Victory is going to be a solid player, good dark beer but never try to relive a classic craft brew like Perkuno's Imperial Hammer if you're not going to truly bring it to the table. Definitely not our beloved Hammer but Baltic Thunder I'm sure will be getting better with some age, right now it really lacks complexity.

Serving type: on-tap

03-17-2008 19:08:27 | More by WVbeergeek

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours pitch black with a tan head. Thick malty nose with tones of coffee. Just loads of malts in there. Flavor is thick. Very full body. Easily noticed malt presence that keeps a firm control over things. Minor coffee tones. Thicker earthy edge. Mild tar going on. Very smooth on the liquid. Very easy to drink. It's definitely good, but I have had a chance to sample a lot of the eastern European baltic porters and there are several others that shine a bit brighter than this one. Still a damn tasty beer though.

Serving type: on-tap

01-31-2008 12:04:16 | More by RblWthACoz

smcolw

Massachusetts

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark brown color where light shines through...barely. Solid two-finger finger that dissipates slowly and leaves nearly no lace

Mild aroma of soft semi-sweet chocolate; reminds me of fudgesickle.

Smooth, nearly perfect body. The carbonation is spot on and the brew is creamy. The flavor has all of the classic porter flavors--coffee, cream, dark chocolate. Great aftertaste of unsweetened espresso. Despite the abv, this has no alcohol warmth in the taste. That might give you an idea of the level of flavoring.

This is another great offering from Victory.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2008 21:33:08 | More by smcolw

Wasatch

Utah

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks goes out to davide169 for this brew.

Pours a nice dark brown/black color, nice carbonation, little fizzy off-white head, minimal sticky lacing follows. The nose is malty, nice little touch of toffee/chocolate/caramel. The taste is sweet on the lips, malty, slight bitterness, with the nice tones of toffee/chocolate/caramel. Medium body. The alcohol is hidden very well with this one. Drinkable, this is a pretty tasty brew, recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2008 23:55:31 | More by Wasatch

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a snifter)

A-This beer pours a jet black body with a lot of little tiny bubbles stuck to the sides of the glass. There is a rocky tan head that fades to a thin film that slides back into the beer with each sip.

S- The smell of dark roasted quality is smooth with a rye bread note and dark toffee hints get stronger as it warms. There is a faint dark chocolate quality that adds to the richness of the aroma.

T- This beer has a soft dark chocolate malt flavor blended with some dark roasted black malt notes and a bit of cream. The finish has a nice red wine tannin quality with roasted dryness finishing each sip.

M- This beer has a medium mouthfeel with a slippery texture and no alcohol heat noticed.

D- This beer has a very smooth fresh flavor with great dark malt flavors but still keeping it to the porter flavors with not that char of a impy stout.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2009 15:48:43 | More by rhoadsrage

jdhilt

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a one finger light tan head that fades quickly and leaves a little lace. Deep amber almost mahogany color. Strong carbonation and medium bodied. Malty nose. Flavor is almost burnt, sweet coffee, slight bitter finish. Decent Baltic porter. $6.20 for a 22oz bottle from Colonial Spirits Acton, Ma.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2008 22:15:48 | More by jdhilt

Billolick

New York

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

22 ounce bomber, "enjoy by Jan. 2 '09" (almost 2 years away) dating on the label. Pours very dark, near black, under a dark tan head, showing retentive powers and leaving thick ringed sheeting and respectable lacing. Nose of sweet malt, powdered sugar and a hint of cocoa. Smooth and tasty on the tongue, with notes of dark grains, mild coffee, chocolate and hints of vanilla. Very easy drinking and enjoyable porter, the label calls it a lager (?) hmmm. Well worth getting a few bottles and enjoying.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2008 00:26:47 | More by Billolick

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle obtained via Growling at the Moon from EGledhill. Thanks for the opportunity... Bext by Jan 02, 09.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 2 1/2" light brown head over the clear burgundy brown brew. Dense head gradually transitions from foam to liquid, with sticky lacing. Aroma is moderately of dark grains and fruitiness. Taste is dark maltiness upfront, intensifying in the middle coupled with some light fruitiness, and goes bitter for the close. Mouthfeel is alright, but seems a bit thin, and drinkability is pretty good. Not as hearty as I'd expect for the style, but not a bad brew by any stretch.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2008 22:42:59 | More by ppoitras

weeare138

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this bottle after a bottle of Baltika 6, and HW Perkuno's Hammer...
Appears a near black, dark brown with mahogany tones on the outskirts of the beer when held to the light. A small beige head of fluff slowly fades into a mild cap. Scattered spots of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of obvious cocoa, caramel, nuts, gentle smoke, with a hint of coffee...some green grass in there too with a touch of white grapes.
Taste is of the mentioned aromas with some sweet chocolate milk coming to the forefront followed by some roasted espresso beans, cream, and grassy, florally hops that seem to be in the way of that chewy Baltic goodness that was there for the Baltika 6, and the Perkuno's.
Mouthfeel is medium-full bodied, creamy, softly carbonated, with a somewhat odd, herbal, semi-dry finish.
IMHO, just a close relative of Perkuno that isn't as attractive and doesn't have the charm, or personality. I've heard that this particular bottling was a bit of a mix-match of a few different batches that the brew house ran. Perhaps future bottles will be more to my liking...not that this is that bad but when lined up side by side with the other aforementioned Baltic Porters, this one fell short of the mark.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2008 18:34:13 | More by weeare138

Zorro

California

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Sampled through ClockworkOrange and CA - PA BIF.

Clear deep brown colored beer with lovely ruby color when held up to the light. Medium sized light brown head forms but doesn't last.

Smell is sweet and malty with licorice, grape, fig and chocolate scents. The spicy sensation is from the ethanol but it isn't really peppered to the nose in this case.

The taste starts out sweet and chocolate with a good malt roast after taste, it is quite different from the smell. Malty yet light on the tongue there is a faint mint taste here. Definite Italian Coffee soda flavors here.

Mouthfeel is good.

Quite easy to drink, if it has one flaw the taste could be a bit more complex. Still this is a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2008 03:21:30 | More by Zorro

Kegatron

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap @ the VBC on 6/27/09. 10 oz or so pour into a stemmed glass.

Pours a deep, deep, (yet clear) amber, with a near finger of smooth tan head. This stays pretty frothy, leaving back some rich lacing on the sides of the glass. The aroma smells like an even mix of roast, hops, and malt. Herbs & spices, chocolate, toffee, pervasive dark roast, some dark fruits, and a maybe a touch of licorice in there. It's complex enough I guess, as I could pick up a bunch of flavors, but it is overall just lacking a certain pop and deepness to it.

The taste is pretty roasty feeling, with darkened malts, a bit of coffee, and some aggressive hopping giving this a bitter feel throughout. This is tempered somewhat by some sweeter notes of cocoa, toffee, and ripe fruits. A fairly spicy and firm bitterness runs the profile like a spine, with the other flavors hanging off of it. Tang and hops pull up the back. Once again, and much like the aroma, the flavors are there but they just aren't standing out and being assertive enough. The mouthfeel is medium to fuller bodied with a sharper feel up front and then a thicker feel underneath. There's only a touch of alcohol to this and actually drinks pretty darn good for a nearly 9% beer.

Good but not great, this offered a solid drinking experience but just doesn't compare to some of the better Baltic Porters out there. I was a bit disappointed in this, considering the pedigree that it came from.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2009 16:23:36 | More by Kegatron

Viggo

Ontario (Canada)

3.1/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

22 oz picked up in Buffalo a while ago.

Pours a clear dark reddish brown, quite nice held up to the light, very thick light tan head forms, drops some decent lacing on its way down, sticks to a solid layer and ring around the glass, nice retention. Smell is neat, caramel, dark fruits, raisins, light chocolate, very malty, cake, bit of vanilla, some floral, almost a light smokiness, aroma is subdued for its strength though. Taste is not too pleasant, a bit nutty, caramel, roast, bready, raisins, iron, a bit of floral and a light sourness in the finish, malty but really bland. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with light to medium carbonation, goes down easy for 8.5% but I was expecting a lot more considing how genius Perkuno's Hammer was, quite a let down by Victory. I was going to do a side by side with Perkuno but Baltic Thunder is not worthy of that.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2008 02:45:46 | More by Viggo

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.65/5  rDev +20.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Clear and dark tone of burgandy. Big ol whipped crop of brown froth on top. Retention and lacing are outstanding. Big aroma of baltic goodness....chocolatey, roasty, bready. Nice. Flavor is very, very good too. Nice toffee roast malt base. Clean dark malt flavors intermingle with some dark fruits and a little black licorice. Velvety smooth mouthfeel. Creamy and easy going. And for 8.5% a/v, the alcohol is not detectable. It is integrated so finely into the fabric of this beer it is reduced to nothing. This is an excellent baltic porter.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2010 05:21:07 | More by Bighuge

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

First had: on tap at Mugs, Brooklyn, NY

Poured a dark cola brown with a dense crown of tan bubbles. Good head retention and decent lacing. Roasty malts in the nose, tones of coffee, chocolate and leather. Taste of dark, roasted malts, dark chocolate, licorice, plums, coffee, and some smokey leather. Very nice and complex. On the heavier side of medium-bodied, and very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-01-2011 21:49:30 | More by Rifugium

corby112

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on-tap at Zot in Philadelphia, PA.

Pours pitch black with a huge frothy beige head. Aroma of roasty malts, chocolate and coffee. A ton of oatmeal up front followed by roasted coffee and chcolate maltiness. Hints of caramel and toffee with a sweet yet bitter dry finish.

Serving type: on-tap

11-28-2008 07:27:20 | More by corby112

DoubleJ

California

2.7/5  rDev -30.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

November is here! And so is Baltic Thunder. On to the beer:

At the bottom of my weizen glass, it has a dark cola color, while further up it creeps to...a darker cola color. The slightly beige colored head, which is an inch thick and holding up well. The aroma is low on intesnity and excitement. Random cereals hit the nose in an unpleasant way....it's like....badly mingled hops with dry husky dark malt.

The body is big and smooth. That's the highlight to this beer. And the alcohol is hidden well too. That being said, the flavors seem very shallow. It tastes like some of the malt was left out of the fermentation. Very dry tasting malt. Dry unsweetened chocolate and a touch of charcoal are as exciting as it gets on the palate. The alcohol shows itself as each sip draws to a close.

I love porters, I enjoy baltic porters, and I have enjoyed baltic porters poured into weizen glasses. Baltic Thunder must have gotten lost during the storm, because this beer is not working for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2009 05:47:22 | More by DoubleJ

glid02

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Got this from Capital City in Atlanta.

Pours a dark brown color with ruby highlights. The head is tan and about one finger and is like the carbonation from a cola- it dissipates quickly into a thin ring around the glass. Almost no lacing, although the beer itself sticks to the side pretty well.

Smells good. Lots of roasted and bready malt up front that gets sweeter with toffee notes as it warms.

Tastes good. Much like the smell there are big roasted and bready malt flavors up front. As it warms it gets sweeter with some toffee and chocolate flavors. There's an ending and aftertaste that's equally sour and bitter throughout the life of the beer.

Mouthfeel is very good. It's got a great thickness for a lager that has a smooth carbonation. Very nice.

Drinkability is good. All the flavors work well together throughout and I had absolutely no problem downing the bomber. I could certainly drink a few more of these.

Overall this is a solid Baltic Porter. Victory does nothing but impress me time after time. Definitely give this one a shot.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2008 03:30:01 | More by glid02

beerthulhu

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured a rich reddish-brown with a 1+ finger micro bubbly tan head that quickly dissipated.

S: light caramel malt, dried cherries, and a rich nuttiness.

T: sweet toffee and caramel, dried fruit (plums, raisins) with a dry oaky woodiness. There were some dark cherries, and a good carbonation presence in the middle of the drink. For the finish there was rum raisin grist, a rich sweet roasted caramel and toffee notes, along with a spicy alcohol bite. A slightly roasted caramel flavor and rich nuttiness definitely ends this beer on a very good note. The substition of black eyed peas for roman beans is not noticeable as the rich malt palate truly makes this beer stand out as a winner.

M: medium with some slickness with a nice carbonation bite on the swallow. Leaves a rich, dark roasted caramel and toffee lacing on the tongue.

D: A very clean brewed and flavored beer with a very good drinkability and a very good example per style. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2008 00:39:23 | More by beerthulhu

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I grabbed a case of these from Victory on release day and I've been drinking them on and off for the past few weeks. Poured a clear, deep brown with a thick cap of brown/beige bubbles. Good head retention, thick lacing to start, becoming more spotty towards the end. Nutty aroma, some caramel and cocoa, light roast with a hint of grassy hops. Same in the flavour, but with more sweetness, milk chocolate, more grassy hops (surprisingly), and a bit more roast. Nicely balanced, with bitterness and faint tartness lingering, along with a delicate spicy warmth. The body was just above medium, carbonation was moderate, decent texture. Alcohol is well hidden. Highly drinkable, especially given the abv. It's definitely nice having (part of) a case kicking around the house.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2008 00:43:13 | More by DrJay

biegaman

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Despite a wash of cola and glints of russet brown, the beer decidedly settles on wearing black. It's a wonderful looking inky tone with the gloss of new, finely polished marble. Even more colour is revealed to the light. Its walnut stained head is fully capable of covering the top in entirety but seems insistent on residing only around the perimeter.

Victory seems to have captured all the eccentric peculiarities of the Baltic Porter style. Its full bodied aroma is complex with a very rich malty sweetness and notes of bitter smoked chocolate. With further traces of dark caramel, roast toffee, black licorice, nuts, cold coffee and dark currants you can pick your favourite feature and sniff it out all you like.

All these wonderful scents arise from the flavours that lay beneath them. An identical cast of ingredients can be tasted even more vividly than they are smelt. A bunch of thick, syrupy blackstrap molasses, a dash of roast coffee, a touch of black licorice, hazelnut and brasil nut, hints of cocoa coated dark caramels and a trace of dark fruits and currants. Sound good?

Although a few pats on the back are well deserved already by this point, I commend Victory most for hitting that delicate - but necessary - level of roast just right. It's a deep, deep toast rather than a sweltering, full out fry and it adds just a perfect amount of caramelization and nutty character. Oh, and those hops didn't go undetected either - again, nice touch!

One last kudos to Victory for putting this into bombers, a decision which I could not be happier about. With plenty of flavour (but still no alcohol) coming with warming, this sized serving is perfect to cuddle up to on a cold, rainy night. I'm a big fan of Baltic Porters and this is not only true to style, but also one of the best examples I've come across.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2008 23:05:25 | More by biegaman