Baltic Thunder - Victory Brewing Company

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

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

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

MrVonzipper

California

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

Dark walnut color with mahogany at the edges where light shows through. Decent bubbly tan head with pretty good retention and lacing.

Pleasant nose with nice roasted malt, roasted nuts, faint coffee, chocolate and rum raisin notes.

Nice robust flavor similar to the nose but better. Nice balance with dark roasted malt, mild coffee and roasted nut notes. No bitter or chalkiness and not overly sweet.

Med.+ bodied mouthfeel with medium-high carbonation. Just a touch dry without being chalky or too dry.

Overall a very nice Baltic Porter. Probably my second favorite. Nice robust flavor and balance without the negative tendencies that others of the style sometimes have. I highly recommend this one.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 20:34:32 | More by MrVonzipper

ADZA

Australia

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

Pours a dark chestnut hue which leaves a creamy two finger head that dissapates slowly to leave a layer of cappicino froth and a rim of lacing,the smell is roasted malts and barley mixed with dark plums and milky chocolate,the mouthfeel is between light and medium bodied and has tastes of chocolate coated cherries,roasted dark malts,toffee,raisins,milky coffee and finished with a nice toasty berry finish and overall i quite like this drop as its very sessionable for its style and would buy again definately its one of those dark brews that u could drink all night cheers.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 13:40:52 | More by ADZA

GarrettMD

New York

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark brown, essentially black color. You can still see though the beer near the edges, but it's completely opaque in the middle. Thin layer of off white bubbles form the head, but it's nothing too special and fades pretty quickly even with a fairly aggressive pour.

S - Love that smell. Deep roasted malts with sweet chocolate overlaying them and hints of smoke and leather.

T - Interesting progression. Starts right off with Smoke and alcohol. Quickly brings you to the sweet chocolate malts, then blends in the roasted malts with some dark fruits.

M - Medium to full bodied, little carbonation (which is good). The finish is slightly drying with a bitter aftertaste as well as some smoke.

O - Pretty good. I could do with a little less alcohol bite, maybe a little better balance between the sweet and roasted malts, and then it would be pretty damn good.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 03:26:24 | More by GarrettMD

bum732

Maryland

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

S: Light, pleasant roastiness, some slight dark fruits.

L: Dark brown, slightly hazy, light tan head, creamy with just a bit of retention, good lacing.

T: Dark chocolate mostly right off the bat with just a hint of dark fruits. Medium clean bitterness with more dark chocolate. Finishes with some alcohol head and clean light roastiness.

M: Medium bodied, medium low body.

Solid, really enjoyed the subtle chocolate notes. Creamy smooth.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 01:46:51 | More by bum732

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Got this bomber from kv84 and his mate in the summer. Thanks a lot for the brews gents!

From a bomber into a snifter.
Note: Strong Porter brewed with lager yeast.

APPEARANCE: A thin, transparent brown pour produces a 1+ finger, medium looking, light brown head with good retention. Dark brown and slightly mahogany in color, transparent body, and very active carbonation for the style. Head slowly fades to a good film cap, but only a ring remains and leaves no real lacing down the glass. Could be a little darker and the carbonation could be toned back a little.

SMELL: Dark malts, toffee and caramel, with some dark grapes and raisins. Medium strength nose, but quite nice.

TASTE: Dark malts and very fruity up front. Dark fruits with grapes, raisins and dates, then moves into a very spicy finish. Dark malts, sweet caramel and brown sugar with some bigger spicy notes linger on the palate. Aftertaste is mild yet persistent. Tasty enough, and bordering on a Belgian strong dark ale almost.

PALATE: Medium body with lower levels of carbonation. Creamy on the palate, goes down smooth and finishes with a tiny bite at the swallow. Slightly mouth-coating. A good feel, and surprisingly low carbonation given the look.

OVERALL: The look kind of hurt this one, and it could be a little more forthcoming in the nose, but this one was tasty enough to be interesting. Bigger body helped out a lot as well. This porter uses lager yeast, and from my experience, lager yeast moves an imperial porter closer to the Belgian strong ale zone. This is a style of beer I really enjoy, so I enjoyed this one as well, but it didn’t quench my thirst for an imperial porter brewed with ale yeast, which is the type I enjoy more I think. That said, this is a quality brew in its own right and is worth checking out. Thanks again for the trade kv84.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 18:56:33 | More by Jeffo

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a dark cherry colour with a single finger of lightly brown coloured head. Satisfactory retention and minimal lacing.

S: Chocolate strongest on the nose with some faint dark fruit aromas in there (raisins, plums, cherries). Picking up an alcohol aroma as this warms. Faint but pleasing aromas.

T: Very similar to the smell with smooth and rich chocolate upfront followed by mellow dark fruit notes (plums, cherries, dates). There's also some nice caramel and molasses-like qualities to this. Lovely burnt and dry finish with a bit of smokiness. The dark candied fruit taste is not overbearing at all but subtle and refreshing, and is a welcome quality as I find a lot of breweries put too much of an emphasis into it. Overall perhaps not the most complex, but well executed with the ingredients used.

M: A low viscosity and faint carbonation put this in-line with the style, and better than most.

O: A very smooth and easy-to-drink baltic porter that I would have again. Certainly not the most complex, but nonetheless a solid and tasty baltic porter with a very good taste profile.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 03:27:05 | More by Digimaika2