Black Boss Porter - BOSS Browar Witnica S.A.

Tupperwolf

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I decided to pour the whole over-one-pint beer into a glass at once, so I chose my large, bulbous Gulden Draak tullip to do the job. Despite its size, it took a while to contain the beer, as the frothy tan head kept rising up to the brim each time I poured more in. I eventually got it all in, and the head, having lapsed to a thin covering, leaves curls of lacing down the glass. The brew is solid black, and rather heavy looking.

Definite toffee, treacle, marzipan notes in the nose as it warms - almost a syrupy twist to the slight roastiness of coffee. Actually, I'm reminded heavily of a maple donut. I think this is the first baltic porter I've tried, or most likely the closest to a true representation of the style. It's meaty and sweet at once.

Yes, definitely an interesting, but appealing flavor. There are roasty, woodsy, cedar-y tasting notes that fill the mouth and get things going; Slight dark chocolate notes, prune juice, and then things take a sweet turn - almost, but not quite cloyingly sweet - especially as it warms - that toffee/marzipan/maple flavor comes up in spades, and finishes things out with a syrupy swirl. No alcohol is detectable at all, quite a feat given the ABV.

The mouthfeel is interesting to me, it's definitely a porter, not heavy enough to be a stout (how did they get such a high ABV without getting into stout territory with the amount of fermentable sugars? Double or triple fermentation?) It's smooth as silk, with that cool, solid feeling on the tongue characteristic of porters. The finish has a few moments of stickiness which coincide with the syrupy sweetness of the finish, and then things mellow out; The slight stickiness that remains is lightly bitter and roasty, so the sweetness doesn't get cloying.

For such a high ABV porter, it's drinkable. More than one would be too much, but it's a nice break from lighter beers with less character - not as heavy as a barleywine, not as nutty as a bock, not as dry as a stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2006 04:42:15 | More by Tupperwolf

cyclonece09

Virginia

4.06/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 500 mL bottle into a 14 oz "pint" glass. Pours a red black with an off white head. Smells of raisins and chocolate and coffee. Tastes of raisins and coffee, very nice, balanced and full. Beer is full bodied and goes down smooth. Overall a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 22:51:31 | More by cyclonece09

BeerZack

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

04-05-2013 01:27:59 | More by BeerZack

bashiba

Iowa

4.15/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured a cleary dark amber with some bright ruby highlights and a nice creamy and thick tan head.

The Smell is very sweet and grainy with just a touch of milk chocolate and sweet plum.

The flavor is rich and full with a nice heavy level of smoke that isn't at all apparent in the nose. This smoke and burnt malt flavor mixes nicely with the deep dark fruits and mild malty sweetness.

The mouthfeel is light and creamy.

Very nice Baltic Porter.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 01:11:29 | More by bashiba

Sparky44

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

03-25-2013 00:01:43 | More by Sparky44

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.71/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

500 mL bottle, no date.

pretty dark in color, almost black. thin off-white head, but very good head retention. caramel notes build as it warms. a touch of milk chocolate in the aroma too. slightly sweet taste, just enough roastiness to balance it out. fairly thick, lower carbonation. drinks nice and smooth.
overall - pretty good, no hint of the the higher abv.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 03:09:06 | More by jmdrpi

DruRho

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +11%

03-19-2013 00:55:14 | More by DruRho

foxyaardvark27

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

03-18-2013 18:05:25 | More by foxyaardvark27

weerezboy

Washington

4/5  rDev +4.4%

03-14-2013 02:50:55 | More by weerezboy

moreyswig

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -21.7%

03-12-2013 16:48:34 | More by moreyswig

MiamiRedSkins13

Ohio

3/5  rDev -21.7%

03-11-2013 23:13:08 | More by MiamiRedSkins13

templar316

Pennsylvania

3.34/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Pour a mild cola color, hardly black enough to be called a porter. Paper head is gone quickly and barely a hint is left to show it was there. Burnt malt dominates the nose, there's not alot of depth. It's smooth and easy drinking, cola, burnt toast, chocolate roast. The alcohol is present but concealed. It's awright and at 9.4 if your looking for someting to get your block rocked you could do alot worse.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 05:18:40 | More by templar316

h4ger

Connecticut

3.25/5  rDev -15.1%

03-02-2013 01:59:49 | More by h4ger

augustgarage

California

3.45/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 500mL bottle into my Dogfish Head shaped pint glass.

Burnt umber liquid, dark but clear with a thick finger of soapy khaki up top. Sticky fluffy lacing, superior retention.

Melanoidin rich, yet soft malt in the nose with a hint of toasted oats, light chocolate, and tobacco. Clean but inviting.

Sweet palate entry with a massive kick of sweet malt and alcohol. An explosion of brown sugar with plenty of fusels subsiding to a slightly dry finish full of black bread with hints of rye, wheat, and pepper. Low bitterness though I can almost detect a hint of chive-like hops in there. Maybe just a whisper of diacetyl.

Medium-bodied, creamy, drying, warming.

A bit too alcohol forward which surprises me as this is less strong than Zywiec (my standard go-to Polish Baltic Porter), though not nearly as drinkable. Still a bready meal in a glass, well suited to a night cap or a small meal of sausage, cabbage, etc.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 04:50:39 | More by augustgarage

Mattyb79

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

02-28-2013 00:58:14 | More by Mattyb79

Dannynoonan123

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +11%

02-19-2013 19:23:46 | More by Dannynoonan123

Gluteus_Maximus

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

02-16-2013 01:01:12 | More by Gluteus_Maximus

dvmin98

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

02-14-2013 19:01:59 | More by dvmin98

Dylanjf

New York

4/5  rDev +4.4%

02-14-2013 00:12:06 | More by Dylanjf

beer-miester

Wisconsin

4.26/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Very tasty.. light feeling but that is what makes it refreshing. Very drinkable all year around. And wow, with the beer prices today, this is the best value for a high octane beverage! I pay $ 2.09 for 500ml. This is not a Bells Porter but it's not $ 5 a bottle eather. Enjoy! Oh, the compaion food with this beverage is more Black Boss Porter!

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 00:10:51 | More by beer-miester

TheLevi4000

New York

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

02-01-2013 07:51:06 | More by TheLevi4000

Manannan

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%

01-27-2013 21:18:53 | More by Manannan

KevinGordon

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

01-27-2013 03:37:43 | More by KevinGordon

TLA

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +4.4%

01-20-2013 02:30:44 | More by TLA

swh1972

North Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%

01-19-2013 21:26:25 | More by swh1972