Baltic Thunder - Victory Brewing Company

falloutsnow

Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle from Friar Tuck's in Savoy, IL
Best by January 7, 2012
Poured into a tulip glass

Victory has an excellent recipe for their baltic porter, able to merge the roasted, chocolate components with the fruit esters of the two major versions of this style. Neither component is over-pronounced in regards to the other, and they both work well together. This is one to seek out and enjoy when available.

Pours a 1.5cm head of dark tan bubbles, small to large in size (small on bottom, large on top) that rather quickly fades to a thin ring around the glass and a small island of foam atop the body. Head leaves no lacing in its decline. Body is a transparent dark amber brown, nearing black. Active carbonation is visible streaking along the sides of the glass.

Aroma has mild roasted malt and mocha scents along with some more subtle nuances of toasted nuts and mild dried fruit (blackberry, blueberry) esters.

Tip of tongue picks up delicious, dessert-like, dense (flourless) chocolate cake with dried blueberry and blackberry sauce. Front of tongue still picks up the dessert chocolate berry cake, but also adds some roasted malt acrid sweetness to the mix. Mid-palate continues to pick up roasted, charred malt, chocolate, and dark, dried berries along with some mild ethanol. Ethanol presence becomes more noticeable towards the back of the palate, but isn't ever too strong as it sits alongside fruit esters and mild chocolate. Washes out with a flash of ethanol, leading to a lingering flavor of semi-acrid roasted malt.

Beer is medium bodied with medium intensity carbonation that creates a slightly foaming sensation on the palate. Resulting mouthfeel is primarily smooth and a bit creamy. Ethanol presence becomes noted by mid-palate, with warming sensation in the nostrils and later in the back of the throat: it is never particularly boisterous or annoying. Closes out with a slightly dry finish, not particularly so, and with a bit of stickiness on the tongue and lips.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 20:58:51 | More by falloutsnow

confer

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From a 22 oz bottle. Deep brown in color not black but close. Tan head of tiny bubbles fades quickly.
The smell is on the weak side. Toasty almost roasty malts.
Taste is wonderful starts with a little roastiness and finishes with a sweet fruity aftertaste. Lingering bitterness after taking a drink.
Thick on the feel but very smooth going down.
I'm sorry I waited so long to try this beer, next case will come along shortly.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 22:40:13 | More by confer

kylehay2004

Florida

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: single finger head with poor retention on a deep murky brown body.

S: light on the nose with dark chocolate, mild roasted malt.

T: lots of chocolate, only minamly smokehy. Some roasted malt.

M: medium body and moderate to high carbonation

Overall: very drinkable and perfect degree of sweetness

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2012 00:58:32 | More by kylehay2004

AgentMunky

Alabama

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 22 ounce bottle into a St. Bernardus goblet. Best before 27 December 2012.

A: Creamy off-white head. Darkest brown, with a hint of translucency. Good lacing.

S: Sweet milk chocolate malt. Not much else.

T/M: Oh, my, this is nice. Perhaps the best I've had since Alice Porter. Fruit -- blueberries? -- and chalky bitterness. Light chocolate, medium, a touch of...chicory? Creamy, mostly smooth (with a kick of spice and/or carbonation just before I swallow), and full-bodied. Rich and complex. A highly rewarding beer.

O: This is an excellent beer. Drinkable, delicious, and excellently balanced between fruity and bitter. Utterly delicious.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 03:33:23 | More by AgentMunky

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Enjoy by Dec. 28, 2012.

Poured into a 12oz mug.

Translucent dark brown with a stiff little lip of head.

Rich roasted malts with slight acidity from an implied hint of black cherry and some alkaline chocolate. Toffee note mixes in with some sweetness to the nose.

Roasted grains, chocolate malt, black cherry, wet soil, and a pleasing acidic finish. A little leathery. Prevalent hopping with earthy tones and bitterness. Exactly what you might expect from a decent Baltic Porter.

Low carbonation keeps the body smooth. Not much heft, however. Just a medium viscosity. Well-disguised strength.

Pretty decent brew. Not the showiest of styles, and this one keeps it on the straight-and-narrow. But, it’s well executed.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 02:16:35 | More by thecheapies

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.28/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 22 oz bomber into pint glass

Appearance – Pours a deep brown color with a small tan head. The head fades fast to give almost no lacing.

Smell – There is a big presence of roasted malt with toffee and chocolate infused within. These are mixed with a lighter dark fruit aroma, overall giving the brew a nice sweet brown bread smell.

Taste – A big wallop of sweet toasted malt flavor meets the tongue. This brown bread flavor mixed with a toffee sweetness forms the base for the remaining flavors of the taste to mingle with. Toward the middle, the fruits that were detected in the nose came to be tasted; being of a lighter plum and cherry taste. As the taste went on to the end, the fruit seemed to fade, but a light cocoa flavor took its place. This cocoa, when mixed with the toffee and sweeter malt, created a sweeter roasty flavor. The finish to the taste was also complemented with a smooth increase in alcohol flavor, leaving just a little bit of a pleasant dark rum like flavor on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – A nice and creamy body gives all those sweet, dark and rum like flavors a chance to soak into the tongue. The body when coupled with it’s just below average level of carbonation (accentuating the taste penetration of the flavors) makes for a very nice mouthfeel.

Overall – This is a very nice example of a porter in my opinion. Nice robust sweeter and darker flavors with hints of fruits and booze. It makes a great drinking experience overall and is a beer I would recommend.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2012 22:38:14 | More by Darkmagus82

BuxMontBeerLover

Pennsylvania

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

Enjoyed a couple beers with my wife at the new Victory Beer Hall at Xfinity Live! in Philadelphia before a Nickelback concert. This beer was one of many Victory beers available on-tap.

Served in a clear plastic solo cup

A - A very dark, deep amber/reddish, brown color. A thinnish, beige-colored head when served.

S - A nice aroma of roasted malts with a caramel-like sweetness.

T - A really nice brew. A mix of roasted malts along with a distinct toffee-like sweetness. As the beer warmed up, a bitter chocolate taste is also noticeable. Very creamy and quite tasty. The alcohol is barely noticeable.

M - A smooth creaminess coats your mouth. A medium consistency. Light carbonation.

O - This is my first Baltic Porter so I can't say how close this is to style but based solely on taste, I would recommend that you give this brew a try. Good job, Victory!

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2012 18:07:25 | More by BuxMontBeerLover

jifigz

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer appears dark brown with ruby highlights when held up to the sunlight. The head died rather quickly and was off-white. The beer smells very malty and chocolatey with tiny wisps of alcohol in the aroma as well. The taste is big and full of bitter chocolate and cola. It is heavy and flavorful on the palate, rich and creamy. This beer is a delicious dark brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 17:32:53 | More by jifigz

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

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

22 oz. bottle poured into Weyerbacher cuvee.

A - Pours a dark brown, nearly black with ruby highlights in the light. A two finger almond head settles to one finger then stays put. Great tiered lacing.

S - Smells like oats, black coffee, toasty malt, very nutty. A little bit weak for an imperial porter.

T - Much more robust than the smell. Strong flavors of dark fruits, coffee, and toasted malt. A caramel/toffee sweetness rises above the traces of bitter coffee and burnt toast flavors on the finish for an impressive complexity. No alcohol.

M - Medium bodied with average-low carbonation. The flavors really hold this one up so no complaints in this department.

O - I was very impressed by the full flavors in this beer. In my experience Baltic Porters have left something to be desired in this category. Great sweetness, while not being overwhelmingly so. I bump up the overall category a half a point for the $5 bomber price. Unheard of in PA for a beer this good with 8.5% ABV. I highly recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 02:14:19 | More by NoLeafClover44

bnes09

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Milk chocolate color. Weak head and poor retention.

Dark, rich aroma. Figs, nuts and a slight alcohol spice.

Dark fruit sweetness is the predominant flavor. Mild roasted flavor of almonds. Enough earthy hop bitterness to balance. Alcohol burn in the end.

Medium, bordering on full bodied. Creamy in the middle and drying in the end from the alcohol. Good carbonation.

Descent. Less roasted flavor and hop bitterness than expected. Tastes a lot like a wee heavy. Still good though.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 01:01:02 | More by bnes09

Labeerfinder

3.78/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark mahagony color. The malt aroma is light, has a hint of cookie, and caramel. The hops are lemony, and the yeast has a tinge of cheese. The body is medium, the texture is thick, no carbonation, and the flavor’s duration is long; sweetness is light, as is acidity and bitterness. Perhaps a hint of coffee in the taste as well.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2012 03:56:39 | More by Labeerfinder

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter.

A: Pours an extremely dark ruby red which appears transparent black. Has 1 finger of tan head that dissipates quickly revealing webbed lacing. Moderate carbonation with some sediment settling at the bottom of the glass.

N: Coffee with cream, toffee, sweet roasted barley and maybe some dark fruit.

T: Watered down coffee, roasted barley and overripe plum. Mid-palate brings in roasted sugars along with notes of toffee and molasses. Finishes with bitter dark roast coffee and hints of charcoal.

M: Medium bodied, silky, smooth, sticky and dry.

O: Not too complex and is overall a collection of roasted sugars and coffee. What is does have going for it is its easy drinkability. The 8.5% abv is hidden extremely well.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 01:37:29 | More by justintcoons

DarthKostrizer

California

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

Bottle shared with Alucard4

Look: Black with red highlights and totally opaque with a 1/2 inch tan head and just ok retention

Smell: Roasted malt cocoa nibs and slight coffee notes

Taste: Almost identical to the nose this beer is. The only difference is it has a bit of a vanilla sweetness mid palate

Mouthfeel: Medium body and mild carbonation

Overall: Pretty damn good beer will drink again

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 18:32:33 | More by DarthKostrizer

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

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

Nearly black with a creamy tan head.

Smell contains a unique ripe fruit/berry quality followed by roasted smokiness and coffee.

Smoked, caramelized malts..dark fruits, mild coffee, somewhat syrupy sweetness.

Chewy, oil, smooth with light carbonation. Very nice.

Pretty good!

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 05:14:31 | More by TheMultiYeast

velosuds

Oregon

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

Poured from a 22 oz bomber into a clear pint glass. Enjoy by April 06 2012. Paid $5.99 at LifeSource Natural Foods.

A-Pours a chestnut-dark brown hue with a one finger, thin, creamy tan head with weak retention and scant lacing.

S-Predominantly toffee and bready with some faint fruit as in figs.

T-Toffee sweetness balanced will by the hop bitterness. As it warms, the taste definitely improves as coffee, chocolate and dark fruits manifest. Can't taste the alcohol, which at 8.5% ABV it is masked well.

M-Very smooth, with a medium body.

O-This is decent. Taste and aroma is more like a normal porter. Expected this to be more robust and complex, but it improves as it warms.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 04:56:38 | More by velosuds

mattbk

New York

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

A: Deep brown choclate color. Rich, creamy thick head. Looks fairly thin at this point. Inviting.
S: Malty, bready, definitely chocolate. Maybe some slight hops in the background lurking.
T: Rich malt all the way up front. Buttery in the middle. The finish has some light chocolate followed immediately by drying alcohol and warming going down. It is very cold outside, and this is nice.
M: The mouthfeel on this beer is very good. Definitely has a good sense of body, but not too filling. The carbonation is just right as well, just a bit prickly but overall smooth.
o: This is a nice beer. I haven't had many baltics and I can't say this blew me away, but definitely made well. I would have preferred a bit more chocolate taste and a little less alcohol burn.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 01:30:35 | More by mattbk

tone77

Pennsylvania

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

Poured from a brown 22 oz. bottle. Has a black color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is of roasted malts, a bit sweet. Taste is malty, sweet, some smokiness, a touch of chocolate. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall this is a quality brew worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 14:24:05 | More by tone77

laituegonflable

Australia

3.75/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very dark chocolate colour, brown at the edges when held up to the light. Head is off-white, nice and fluffy when poured, dissipated to a thin cloud with a pleasant rim of lace. Slight trickle of bead. Nice.

Smells chocolatey and grainy. Quite sweet, with a mildly bitter cocoa edge to it but largely caramelly and a touch of wet mash aroma to it, giving a fairly underattenuated sense. Touch of espresso at the back, but largely sweet. Not bad, expected more.

Taste is quite similar, quite sweet with a very noticeable freshly malted grain flavour. Touch of caramel and chocolate grain. Yeah very chocolatey really, with a touch of cola, some lemongrass, berries and peanuts, almost peanut buttery late with a touch of saltiness. Not as dark as it could have been, but it's a porter so even though I'm craving more stouty bitterness, I forgive this for its pleasant, lightly roasted-grain flavour and sweet but dry finish. Quite enjoying this.

Bit thinner than I maybe expected for 8.5%, comes across as really quite dry. There's a presence but it's not very thick or malty.

I've had better baltic porters especially from the US, but it's a nice inoffensive drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2011 23:26:28 | More by laituegonflable

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

22 ounce bottle into snifter, best by 04/20/2010. Pours crystal clear very dark brown color with a fairly dense 1 finger tan head with good retention that reduces to a thin lacing cap. A fair amount of lacing clings to the glass as well. Aromas of big roasted malts, toasted bread, caramel, nuttiness, and some light chocolate. Some good aromas with nice strength and balance. Taste of caramel, toasted malt, bread, nuttiness, light chocolate, light smokiness, and some spicy hops. Fair amount of bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of nuttiness, caramel, and light chocolate on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy and smooth mouthfeel. Alcohol is well hidden with only a slight warming after the finish. Overall this is a really enjoyable Baltic Porter with nice flavor complexity and balance.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 04:15:48 | More by superspak

azorie

Florida

4.22/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

From Bomber bottle. I almost feel bad about reviewing this beer, not a big fan of victory at all. Its also got a strike against it as its somehow supposed to be a reinvention of Heavyweight Perkuno's Hammer. Lets clear the last point first, its not the same beer period. I drank every beer victory bottles and sends to Jacksonville and a few on draft and I guess I am the odd one out but there stuff blows in general.

ok my notes out of the way: lets try to give this a fair review on the old STYLE. first off porter/stouts I think there are all the same in theory. Again my notes only but If then to like what brewers call porters now days over stouts.

A: Dark black, tan head, some lacing. re poured from warmed up bomber in to mug not much head, sounds like normal around here. ;.) to style.

S: about all I can get is licorice and booze and dark malt/sugar. No hops of course, as expected. its all malt at the time. letting it hit 55f. humm black currants or blackberry jam? the alcohol meows at near 61F. to style

T: humm stout porter it is. HEHE joke there. more of RIS profile in modern standard framework of a TYPE? Sweet burnt malt, is the first and last thing I taste. booze is there but not too bad. not bitter, very sweet, very malty. mild acidic. Molasses and toffee and some coffee is there. To style.

m: smooth, creamy, rich, thick, low carbonation. fails here on style.

o: drinkable, not very refreshing, its a sipper, or night cap I guess. on style by BJCP standards. I liked it and would have again.
was it the best in this class no, for one I think the BJCP is full of shit. but I used their scale and this beer pass on that, except on 1. Even then I think is a decent beer not much to say, cheers! oh I may be overrating it cause I like boozy beers.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2011 21:20:45 | More by azorie

charlzm

California

3.15/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Consumed November 9th, 2011 at Boho, Hollywood, CA.

Beer is a very deep but crystal clear brown with a smooth one finger off white head.

Aromas of nuts and dashes of smoke.

Flavor is mostly a somewhat sweet, nutty smoked malt affair with traces of vanilla. What's lacking is the promised chocolate and/or coffee flavors. Perhaps the keg had been on too long? Some bitterness on finish, but fairly minimal.

Mouthfeel is slightly thicker than standard for a porter; again, falling somewhat short of my expectations.

I finished the pint faster than I thought I would, but I am not in a big hurry to have another pull off this keg. Would like to try it again sometime, though.

Serving type: on-tap

11-10-2011 16:49:06 | More by charlzm

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

650 mL bottle poured into a chalice. Best by 1/27/2011. Oops.

Appearance - A fairly transparent brown body with a small head and no lacing. It's red in the light and definitely doesn't look like a porter to me, especially a big porter.

Smell - Sweet caramel malts and some fruitiness. It has a hint of coffee and roasted malts, but it honestly smells like a baby barleywine. Looks like a barleywine too.

Taste - Sweet caramel malts, initially, but then it hits with a roasty bitterness. It finishes with a dose of coffee and the bitterness lingers. Not a good finish, but the other flavors are ok.

Mouthfeel - It's very astringent in the finish and it doesn't leave a pleasant flavor around. Low carbonation, but light in body so that it's still easy drinking. Too easy, maybe.

Overall - It tastes good, but it's not what I expected at all. Not a lot of porter character. In between a porter and a barleywine, without the best characteristics of either.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2011 22:31:08 | More by Alieniloquium

Mora2000

Texas

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

Thanks to 5000 for sending me this bottle.

The beer pours a dark brown color with a tan head. The aroma if full of coffee and roasted malt with some dark fruit mixed in. There is also a little bit of alcohol in the aroma. The flavor is more of the same. I get a lot of coffee and chocolate up front, with some roasted malt and dark cherries and prunes in the background. There is also some nice mint characteristics in the flavor which I really enjoy. The alcohol is present but doesn't hinder the drinkability. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. A very nice Baltic porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2011 02:38:04 | More by Mora2000

dgilks

Australia

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

Clear mahogany colour with a small, creamy, tan head. Poor head retention.

Smooth, caramel and light ester aroma with a touch of roast. Plenty of sweet chocolate.

Sweet malt with a slightly earthy note and some esters. Not overly roasty. Classic Baltic Porter.

Medium body with moderate carbonation. Good.

A nice, smooth, malty ale with good, appropriate flavour for style.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2011 07:29:25 | More by dgilks

irishevans

Alaska

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

A-Mahogany brown pours a finger thick head that quickly settles to a film atop the liquid. too dark to see through, but gets a rubyish tint near the bottom of the glass when held to the light.

N-toasty, malty as hell, caramel. maybe even a little smoky touch as well.

T-Malt bomb, caramel and toffee, some dark fruits too. drys out just the slightest bit toward the finish, but doesn't leave you cotton mouthed.

M-creamy but still nicely carbonated, and has a quick crisp pinch in the middle.

O-drinks easy as can be for it's size, tastes great, and pairs well with my favorite Alaskan foods (smoked fish, Salmon, Halibut, Game meat like moose, etc.) and being that it's on sale up here now, I may grab a few and see how it does with a year or 2. I really like this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 02:48:00 | More by irishevans