Baltika #6 Porter - Baltika Breweries

TheSixthRing

California

3.43/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a near jet black with cola brown edging. The head is a light tan color and 2 fingers thick. Retention is decent, leaving in it's absence a lace that's thin and semi-sticky.

Smell - Aromas are faint; hints of chocolate, toffee, and some dry, euro hoppiness.

Taste - Taste is primarily sweet caramel and toffee, with underlying notes of roasted coffee and chocolate.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied and decently carbonated. Smooth and drinkable.

Overall - Not particularly a strong Baltic porter, but it displays decent balance and complexity. Could benefit from stronger, darker flavors, but it's the smoothest, most drinkable Baltic I've had to date... not that that's necessarily a good thing.

Serving type: bottle

08-23-2012 04:20:11 | More by TheSixthRing

djura

Serbia

3.73/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-Dark ruby color,with coffee foam,lasting few minutes leaving nice lacing. Looks very rich in the bottle.

S-Caramel,coffee,fruits.

T/M-Creamy rich taste,caramel,bitter aftertaste. Almost no carbonation. Very balanced porter.

O-This is good beer,i will drink it often.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2012 08:39:56 | More by djura

rangerred

Tennessee

3.2/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass out of a 22oz bottle.

Pours a rich nearly opaque reddish brown with a one finger brown head. Fairly good head retention and lacing on this beer.

Aroma of coffee, prunes, raisins, and a little bit of smoke.

The fruit really comes through in the taste lending to a sweetness that gets to be a bit much at times. A little bit of caramel is there too but not as much in the way of coffee that I picked up on in the nose. Hops are barely present with very little in the way of bitterness.

Overall, an ok porter but it leaves quite a bit to be desired. The flavors are pretty muted and it is a little too sweet for my tastes. Gets to be a bit cloying after awhile. Glad I was able to try this although I doubt I will pick it up again.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 00:46:54 | More by rangerred

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a clear very dark brown in color (in fact, almost black until you hold it up to the light) with light amounts of visible carbonation near the edges of the glass. The beer has a finger tall creamy tan head which slowly reduces to a medium patch of very thin film with a thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of roasted and dark roasted malts with subtle hints of anise/licorice.

T: Light flavors of dark roasted malts with some lighter hints of licorice and coffee.

M: Light to medium bodied with moderate to heavy amounts of carbonation. Almost prickly from the high amounts of carbonation.

O: Very thin in body for a baltic porter and seems to lack the vinous notes that I expect for the style. The taste of this beer is quite pleasant and the alcohol is well hidden. Easy to drink and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 22:24:22 | More by dbrauneis

metter98

New York

3.7/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear but very dark brown in color. It poured with a finger high dense tan head that quickly died down, leaving a large collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light to moderate aromas of licorice in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and also has some hints of roasted malts.
M: It feels medium-bodied and somewhat thin on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is quite light in body and watery compared to other beers in the style, but this makes it relatively easy to drink. No traces of alcohol are present in the taste.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 20:58:02 | More by metter98

bmwats

Louisiana

3.58/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 500 ml. bottle into a footed tulip.

A: Very dark brown or black. Pours about a 1 and a half finger, foamy, tan head. Settles slowly, leaving a blanket of froth and a sticky ring. Sporadic, but well defined, spider web lacing.

S: Lightly roasted malt tone, with almond, and just a little dark chocolate.

T: Roasted espresso, unsweetened cocoa, walnut and pecan, and a subtle indistinct sweetness.

M: Thick and heavy. Pungent throughout, with a slightly bitter and dry finish. Has a certain synthetic-feeling sweetness that lingers on the palette.

D: Sipping brew, but goes down easy. A bit of an off-putting aftertaste though.

Atmosphere is pretty good. Really nice dark appearance with a dense and substantial foamy head, and some fair lacing. Nose is roasted malt with nutty and chocolate components. Flavor is heavy combination of roasted coffee, cocoa, and nuts. Pungent with a funky lingering aftertaste. Overall, this is a good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 04:01:54 | More by bmwats

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.2/5  rDev -11.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bottle from Hyvee in Council Bluffs, IA
Bottled on 01.08.11, best by 01.08.12
Poured into a tulip glass

Baltika's porter focuses on dark fruit esters and toffee with secretive nods towards roasted malt flavors. The beer itself was fairly average, with few particularly stand-out flavors or changes in interpretation over time; that is, no new flavors developed. I don't think I'd seek this beer out again: that few things stood out to me make it fairly forgettable.

Pours a tall (>3cm) head of medium-dark tan color that fades in about two minutes to a thin ring around the glass and a modest island of residual foam atop the body. Head leaves some interesting lacing along the sides of the glass as it descends.

Aroma of toffee, toasted nuts, and dried fruit esters, particularly prunes and black mission figs. Perhaps a bit of roasted malt, but it's subtle and in the background. Definitely on the eastern European axis of baltic porter style, focusing on sweetness and fruit esters rather than roasted malt concepts.

Tip of tongue picks up fairly generic dark malts, a balance between roasted and sweet flavors that seems to cancel much of the two out. Front of the palate picks up dried fruit esters, notably prunes and black figs, along with very mild roasted malt sweetness. Mid-palate of toffee, some bread, and continued fruit esters, though milder. Back of palate mixes roasted malts with dried fruit esters, with a slight ethanol. Aftertaste of lingering roasted, somewhat acrid, malts.

Beer is medium-bodied with medium to medium-low intensity of carbonation. Resulting mouthfeel is generally smooth and slightly creamy. Beer closes out with a semi-dry finish and some mild stickiness on the palate and lips.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 22:29:55 | More by falloutsnow

bark

Sweden

4.3/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The colour is black (100 EBC), the liquid is clear. The very high warm brown head is compact. It sinks slowly leaving no lacing.

The smell got notes of dark chocolate, figs, clean alcohol, roasted malts (no burned flavours) and some clean bitterness. It is quite smooth and dry.

The taste is semi-sweet with discreet notes of dried fruits, figs and raisins. There are soms quickly passing salty notes that gives the beer flavours some depth. The malts are booth roasted and a bit burned. Light refreshing clean bitter notes, no hop flavours. Medium body. The alcohol slowly grown in the aftertaste as well as a smooth raisin sweetness.

The carbonation is mild to medium, the small bubbles smooth. The liquid is semi-dry.

A fine example of the Baltic Porter style: It is not heavy, and the focus is on the malts.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 18:24:58 | More by bark

Jwale73

Rhode Island

3.3/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle served in a standard pint glass. 27.06.11 indicated on the back label. Pours the color and clarity of cola with a 1.5 inch khaki-colored head that sizzles and pops and slowly recedes into a sudsy skim. Nose expresses dark, vinous fruits, lager yeast and a hint of oxidation. Taste follows nose; however, it all comes off a bit watered down with a very assertive German-lager skunk that lingers between quaffs. There's also a trace of toffee and roast mixed into the flavor profile. Mouthfeel is medium-light in body with a pleasant, even carbonation and a slight acidity. Overall, decent and drinkable. Not the best example of the style, but I certainly wouldn't turn one down if offered. I'd like to try this again with a fresher bottle as the label suggests that its best by date is 27.06.12, which is only a few weeks away.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 01:29:48 | More by Jwale73

janubio

Spain

3.43/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

500 ml. bottle, pours a dark colour, brown hints when hold to the light, and a big brownish head that fades quickly. Smell of cofee, chocolate and cherries, though it's not really a strong smell. Maybe too light body for the style, taste of caramel and coffee, with hints of cherries. Too sweet. Not bad, but nothing special either.

Serving type: bottle

05-29-2012 19:44:37 | More by janubio

MammothTarantula

Oklahoma

2.93/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Picked this up at a local liquor store after having it recommended to me by a friend. The bottle is uniquely shaped and looks really cool. Poured it into a Samuel Smith pint glass.

A: A very solid looking beer. Very very dark brown in color, nearly opaque. Towering tan head stuck around for awhile. Moderate lacing.

S: Typical porter scent. Dark roasted malts, hints of coffee. Nothing too special here.

T: Tastes pretty much how it smells. Maybe a little woody elements. As I drank this, it seemed like the flavors were coming together to do something big, but it never materialized. It was frustrating.

M: Really creamy and moderately carbonated. Very enjoyable. Mouthfeel is easily the best aspect of this beer.

O: Average. I'll drink it again, but won't actively seek it. I'd probably recommend it, if not just for the fact that it isn't a bad beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 19:29:10 | More by MammothTarantula

LuthersMug

Virginia

3.65/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark chocolate in color with a large tan creamy and a bit fizzy head. Lacing was good.

S - Chocolates, Coffee, and some oak.

T - Toasted breads, chocolate, and some coffee.

M - A very smooth and creamy porter, that felt good going down. Carbonation was good.

O - Enjoyed very much.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 14:18:53 | More by LuthersMug

waldoiverson

Texas

2.83/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

bottle into nonic

A: large pillow of a dark brown head, quite black and ample carbonation

S: quite fragrantly sweet, a bit of carob on the nose, lots of CO2

T: laffy taffy sweetness, bit of a burnt sugar taste, a little bit of grassy astringency

M: clean, light body with a bit of CO2 tingle

O: This isn't bad but it also isn't good. it is just too sweet for this guy.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 22:46:16 | More by waldoiverson

thekevlarkid

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Out of a bomber allll the way from Russia this beer was a nearly opaque brown color with one finger of short-lived, tan head. The aroma was of macro grains, toasted malt, a little brown sugar and carmeleized sugars as well as some slightly roasted elements. I instantly thought it an odd beer upon tasting because it seemed to walk that line between a macro brew and a good homebrew. I tasted a strong amount of adjunct grains, corn and rice in particular, but behind that the more complex elements of nuts, toasted and roasted malt, some extra sugars (sucanat? molasses?) and bread. The finish of roasted malt lingered pleasantly upon my tongue. The mouthfeel was so-so, the body medium/full and the carbonation a bit high for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 22:49:06 | More by thekevlarkid

ckollias

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a Belgian tulip glass.

A: Pours a dark black hue with mild amber highlights Has a thick, 4-finger, tan head that slowly dissipates into a solid lace, leaving a nice trail down the glass.

S: Sweet roasted malt aroma with hints of chocolate and mild hops.

T: Dark roasted malt aroma which is much more sweet than bitter. Hints of chocolate and mild coffee in the background.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation. Pretty strong but masked nicely

O: This was really good porter. Very smooth, well balanced, and tasty. Lots of alcohol but went down easy.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 03:14:31 | More by ckollias

Immortale25

Florida

3.11/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a snifter. Label says production date 14.04.11 and best before 14.04.12. Just in the nick of time.

A- Pours a solidly opaque black color with a 1/2 inch off-white head bearing little retention before dropping to a thin ring around the edge of the glass and a large patch of foam in the center of the surface. Spackled lacing.

S- Quite boozy and glassy. Some roasted malt finds its way through to the nose but is bland and uninspired. Maybe the flavor will put things into perspective.

T- Nope. Not as boozy as the aroma and there's more malt present but still pretty average. Hints of oxidation and skunking here and there (which isn't surprising since it's in a clear glass bottle) make for a wet cardboard taste. Not bad, just very standard especially for an import.

M- Slightly creamy, but not really. Full body with medium carbonation.

O- I bought this expecting to get the feel for what a true Baltic Porter is. Obviously, I was mistaken.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 02:14:26 | More by Immortale25

smakawhat

Maryland

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

A real snapping cola sounding head off the pour. Head is a nice faint milk coffee brown and chocolate, but settles very quickly. Body is incredibly dark and very black, there is zero lacing with this beer, it settles into nothing.

Faint banana bread on the nose, and a powder chocolate, fairly simple but alright for a whiff and smell.

Taste is very fleeting in the palate. A sense of rich malt seems to come with it's darkness, bringing banana like character, but then manages to disappear rather quickly. Finish seems to have a good char angle, even perhaps a tinge of hop. Body seems to give a good backbone here all things considered.

Still overall though it doesn't seem to be that desirable to me in terms of others of the style, or just other beers available. It's certainly not that bad and you could do a lot worse. In a worse case of also ran beers in your typical establishment, if I had this as a choice I would have it.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 00:04:00 | More by smakawhat

hustlesworth

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- deep dark reddish brownish black with a nice dense creamy well retained lace dropping khaki colored head.

S- roasted, chicory coffee, cocoa, slight fruity tartness. Full and roasty aroma with some milk chocolate sweetness. Notes of soil, stone, pipe tobacco, leather, vanilla and cedar.

T- a bit cardboardy right off the bat. Chocolate and coffee move right in with some brown sugar and milk chocolate sweetness. Cardboard sticks around however. Balance leans heavy on the roasted sweet side with little to no detectable hop flavor. Earthy vanilla and raisin on the back side. Sweet roasted grain in the finish.

MF- nicely full and chalky with perfect carbonation and a slight cooling menthol feel. Roasted residue on the cheeks feels like roasted vegetables.

D- decent porter, aside from the stale malt flavor which could be from any number of things. Alcohol is imperceptible.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 21:29:07 | More by hustlesworth

mjurney

Texas

3.38/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance:
Dark brown to black color. Thick creamy head.

Aroma:
Mostly molasses and sugarcane.

Taste:
Sweetness up front, molasses, sour green apples, toasted malts, hint of black licorice, dry nutty aftertaste.

Body:
Medium-heavy bodied. Dry palate. Very light on carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 19:41:02 | More by mjurney

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

3.48/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

500ml bottle.Pint glass.Enjoyed on mar´12.Very dark amber in color,ruby to the light.Creamy froth,beige in color.Medium bubbles.Some spots & lacing rings.Earthy hops,toasted malts,hints of chocolate & dark fruits to the nose.Licorice touches,grassy aromas.Intense toasted malty upfront. Smooth toasted malty palate.Full body,medium carbonation.Dry & malty ,slightly vinous with choco notes,finish.Apple skin,soft warming aftertaste.Not suggested as a session beer,ABV is felt.Eventhough shows a good drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 21:19:16 | More by GONZALOYANNA

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Very, very dark brown. Opaque and almost black. A big head receded to a centimeter.

Roasty and salty aroma. Musty with saltwater, whole-grain cereal, and malt sweetness. Hint of watery coffee.

Sweet dark grains, light syrup, red apple skins, and a near absence of hops. Very cereal in taste, as well. Not bad.

Light on carbonation, medium on body. Certainly drinkable. Decent feel.

Solid example of the style, if not a little too sweet. Enjoyed revisiting, but I don't ever have to have this again.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2012 05:13:17 | More by thecheapies

videofrog

Texas

3.45/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 1pt .9oz bottle into a Chimay goblet. Production date is 30Sept11 with a Best Before of 30Sept12.

A: Dark brown, nearly black with a nice 2 finger tan head. Dark reddish hue on the edges; beautiful pour. Little lacing to speak of.

S: Not a whole lot going on here: Sweet malts, but nothing I can discern. Vague roastiness.

T: Roasted malts and cocoa up front; hops in the middle and finish, which were a tad more pronounced than most porters. Dark fruits in the aftertaste.

M: Very crisp and refreshing for a porter. Easy to drink and smooth. Body is a bit light.

O: Didn't find it quite as sweet as most; I consider this one to be better than average for the style and definitely worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 00:29:58 | More by videofrog

endovelico

Portugal

4.33/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a brown brew with foamy dark tan head that holds well. Theres some lacing but unperceived effervescence. Different reddish hues as you swirl.

Aroma: The aroma is a bold medium-high aroma of chocolate, honey and some vegetable character from the hops. Cocoa on the back. Theres a fresh and clean quality to this brew that is intense, refreshing and interesting.

Taste: Medium high intensity. Chocolate, cocoa and coffee aswell as some ash from the black patent. No hop flavour. Develops caramel and fig notes as it warms up. Fits the guidelines and is very tasty despite not being truly unique.

Palate: Low carbonation. Watery finish. Medium heavy body. Medium low bitterness. Low astringency from the black patent.

Overall. Fits the style guidelines and while not the best Porter i've had its still a great traditional style Porter. Can't understand the relatively low scores to be honest, since it has alot of soul and quality (to style and subjectively speaking.) I think the fact it comes from a pretty mediocre brewery makes for a strong power of suggestion effect.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2012 21:21:56 | More by endovelico

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

3.9/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Baltika no. 6 Porter Beer has a pretty thick, khaki-colored head and a dark, ruby appearance with lots of lacing. The aroma, while faint, does give one a whiff of dark cherries and alcohol before it dissipates. Taste is of dark-roasted malt, dark chocolate, dark coffee, black cherries, and it has a bitter back taste and smokey after taste. Mouthfeel is medium, and Baltika no. 6 Porter Beer finishes refreshing and pleasant. Overall, this is a smooth and very nice beer.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 21:16:55 | More by RonaldTheriot

gtermi

Texas

3.53/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours an extremely dark brown, with a nice dark tan head. Looks pretty good.

S: I am getting a lot of chocolate and a slight earthy smell. It almost smells like a chocolate bock.

T: Has a typical porter taste. Has roasted malt, coffee and chocolate.

M: The beer is very smooth and drinkable. Really not much crispness or carbonation.

O: This is a pretty decent porter,nothing special, but above average.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 05:06:57 | More by gtermi