Big Eddy Baltic Porter - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A: Dark cola pour emmitence from the bottle with a high contrast black coloring in the vessel. A one finger high khaki colored head is creamy in texture and slight in retention. Golden effervesce beads up along the inner walls of moderate density while a light and spacious speckling remains for window dressing.

S: Very light aromatic appeal, earthy soil, dry licorice, oak wood, with some light chocolate roast.

T: Boozy licorice and burbon soaked dark fruit (prunes) for flavor. Sweet toffee and vanilla add highlights to a deep chocolate base that is creamy with mentions of sweetened dark coffee. A bit of caramelized-toffee alcohol occurs on the swallow.

M: Good tingle of carbonation, full bodied and viscose. A bite of boozy dark fruit is appreciated on the fade.

O: Creamy, rich darkly sweet and an unusual departure from most of thier offerings (thankfully). Theres not much from Leinenkugel that impresses me, this is a good start along with thier RIS, unfortunately thats where things end as well (Up next is thier IPA so maybe three for three). A good but some may say overly sweet baltic porter but may be worthy a single purchase to give this brewery some redemption.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 23:46:33 | More by beerthulhu

beergoot

Colorado

3.39/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Solid brown beer poured from the bottle and had a thin, light brown head. The smell proved rich, sweet, and malty, infused with vanilla and caramel notes. The flavors reinforced the sweet notes in the aroma with additional hop bitterness toning things down a bit in the sweetness department; additional hints of ripe, dark fruits; boozy quality is also noticeable. Mouthfeel comes across medium in body, vinous.

This is a tasty little sucker that triumphs over a rather weak appearance and feel. The flavor balance is a tad out of whack, too, but not so much as to be unacceptable. I just would have liked a more robust malt character to bring about more balance and to tame some of the rough edges.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 21:54:44 | More by beergoot

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.64/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Trying the Big Eddy porter following a surprise soirée for my Cuz's 40th. The Big Eddy is opaque in color with thin ecru head that is not lacing much. The scent carries peat/earthy tones with touches of coffee/espresso. The taste starts crisp and slightly bitter, them a healthy peat malt, semi sweet kicks in through the finish to make this a decent porter. The mouthfeel is medium in body with subtle carbonation. Overall it is a decent porter. If I were to change anything it would be to add a little more body and a touch more of caramel and roasts malt.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 04:38:25 | More by WoodBrew

Wildeman

Michigan

3.18/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

Nice dark, Mohogany color poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass with a 2 finger creamy head.
Nice flavor, nothing to write home about but still not bad.
Medium to light body and mouthfeel.
Not a bad beer, but it wouldn't be a go to for myself.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 04:35:45 | More by Wildeman

Tone

Missouri

3.79/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Pours a clear, dark brown color. 1/5 inch head of an off-tan color. Slight retention and slight lacing. Smells of alcohol, sweet malt, slight roasted malt, hint of dark citrus, hint of yeast, and hint of pale malt. Fits the style of a Baltic Porter. Mouth feel is sharp and crisp, with an average carbonation level. There is also a hint of tartness. Tastes of oak, sweet malt, alcohol, slight roasted malt, hint of hop, and slight dark citrus. Overall, weak appearance, good aroma, and good body.

Serving type: on-tap

01-13-2013 21:09:52 | More by Tone

Quackershnoc

Michigan

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

Appearance: fairly dark, black; turns ruby when held to the light; almost no head
Aroma: smells quite nice; chocolate; malt; dark fruit/wine like; coffee; burnt brown sugar; hint of toffee; a bit roasty as well; I swear I get some soy sauce in there…
Taste: it’s very rich, more so than I was expecting; sweet all the way through; caramel, toffee, and maltiness up front; moves into some great port/wine/dark dried fruit flavors; finishes with bread and a good hit of chocolate; the roasty flavor comes in right there at the end and a touch of sweetness and roasted nuts; the aftertaste is a pleasant mix of wine and roasty, maybe a little woody
Mouthfeel: it’s got a nice creaminess to it; very smooth, kind of velvety; fairly light carbonation, but the bubbles are a bit prickly right at the start
Overall Impression: this is a nice beer, I am very pleasantly surprised; very drinkable and really quite tasty; there is quite a bit packed in here, but it is balanced very nicely-it isn’t overwhelming, but isn’t boring; a nice drink that I will probably buy again, especially in the fall/winter as an alternative to the spice beers

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 05:01:30 | More by Quackershnoc

ChiPool

Illinois

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

Poured into a snifter. Pours a dark brown color, which does allow some light through. I small amount of cream colored head does arise, but dissapates quickly. It smells of molasses, raisins, and other dark fruits (figs/dates). Tastes like you are drinking a Fig Newton, with well hidden booze. It is enjoyable & quite smooth: drinks more like a Belgian strong dark ale. Tastes somewhat similar to Chimay Blue, from my recollection.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 21:49:18 | More by ChiPool

bonkers

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a tumbler, dark pour with a slight tan head, decent lacing. Lots of coffee on the nose, very malty. Nice mix of coffee, port and dark fruits, lingering finish. The carbonation is medium, no detectable booze, dangerously drinkable. I really enjoyed this, good flavor and great drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 13:28:52 | More by bonkers

LtCracker20

Connecticut

3.7/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Pours a black body with reddish hues. Nice 3-finger coffee colored head sits on top. The head doesn't last too long, but leaaves a decent cap with some all right lacing.

S- A little muted, but... Bitter chocolate, burnt coffee, oak, vanilla, with some milk chocolate following it up. Nothing really stands out, but they're there.

T- Just like the aroma, the taste is muted and short. The flavors are nice, though. Slight milk chocolate, burnt coffee, vanilla, and oak.

MF- Nice full body, especially when this warms up. Not too much carbonation, but just right.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 22:45:12 | More by LtCracker20

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours an effervescent ebony with 1 thumb of mocha colored head. Some head retention & near zero lacing

S: Dark fruit & faint carob & chocolate, some leafy hops as well

T: Dark fruit, carob, black currant, leafy hops & dryness, plus a touch of iron up front. More dark fruit, especially figs & prune; leafy & earthy hops as this warms, along with some Baker's chocolate. Finishes with slight medicinal notes, dark fruit, leafy hops & more carob

MF: Medium bodied, low carbonation, somewhat sticky

A decent Baltic Porter, worth a shot, but don't set your sights too high

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 04:45:20 | More by russpowell

jeranbrews

New York

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

A - surprisingly low head. Perhaps this glass wasn't dry yet. Small tiny bubbles gradually lazily creep up. Dark like soy sauce but clairity is high.

S - meaty hearty tobacco and horse blanket. Smoked pork and mossy oak. Potent but not pungent.

T - bitter slightly sour. Wet cigar and and a bit of nutmeg. Strong. Not for the weak.

M - thick And buttery. But so bitter it's almost repelled from your tongue.

D - a hearty drink for a hearty meal. This needs to be paired with something a bit greasy.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 03:23:02 | More by jeranbrews

Mitchster

Michigan

4.05/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2012 release. $2.99 for a 12oz bottle @ BevCo. Brewed with a blend of two- and six- row Pale Malts, Munich, Crystal Rye, Roasted Barley, Special B™, Chocolate Malt and licorice root. Hopped with Cluster and Mt. Hood. 8.5% ABV.

Pours out to a clear deep brown, near black, forming a decent light tan with yellow accented head with poor retention and minimal lacing. Moderate carbonation, ~2.5 carbs. Nose of figs, dates and subtle soy sauce with no appreciable hop aroma and a clean ferment. Mouthfeel is clean with a medium dense syrupy body. The taste is a recap of the aroma...figs, dates, soy sauce and a touch of cola with a mild bitterness to add some contrast to the syrupy sweet malts. Slight touch of methylbutanols. Slightly tart finish.

A decent example of the style. Not as smooth or clean as Okocim, Sinebrychoff, Carnegie or Zwyiec, but still pretty tasty. I would buy it again, but at this price, why not just get an Okocim.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2012 00:02:26 | More by Mitchster

jmdrpi

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle, label indicates 2012.

beer appears a real dark brown, not quite black, with ruby color highlights. tan head that fades fast. nice aroma of bitter chocolate, caramel, and slight licorice. taste hits the same notes as the smell. no real hops detected, all dark malt complexity. lower carbonation. medium body, a little oily of a mouthfeel.

overall - not quite as good as the Big Eddy RIS.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 04:25:13 | More by jmdrpi

Mora2000

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a dark brown color with a white head. The aroma is full of alcohol and some dark fruit notes. I also get a little bit of brown sugar. The flavor is similar. I get a lot of raisin and prune notes, as well as some molasses and roasted malt. I also get the slightest hint of smoke. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2012 03:28:57 | More by Mora2000

MattyG85

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep dark brown with hints of ruby red. Lots of rising bubbles and a big four finger tan head with good retention. Leaves a decent amount of lacing around the glass.

Smell: A rich malt driven aroma with big hints of dark fruit. Dark malts with hints of caramel, toffee, chocolate, and toast. Also some hints of port wine, molasses, and anise spice. A mix of dark fruits including raisins, cherry, prunes, and fig. A pretty sweet aroma with very minimal hop presence.

Taste: Like it smells, although kind of lighter than expected. Dark roasted malts with notes of sweet caramel, toffee, toasted bread, and chocolate. More sweetness comes from a taste of port and molasses. A little anise spicing. Taste of dark fruits with notes of cherry, prune, raisin, and fig. Hops are pretty faint. A sweet taste but it isn't cloying.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy, slick, and very smooth. A little thin for the style. A little alcohol is felt.

Overall: An interesting and decent tasting take on a Baltic Porter. Dark fruit flavors are good. Could of had some more body and smoke.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2012 08:46:36 | More by MattyG85

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Where I've found many Leinenkugel beers to be severely lacking, I had hoped that the Big Eddy series would have rendered better results. And they do! Fully malted and robust in taste, their Baltic Porter endorses coffee roast, supple fruit, and smooth texture throughout.

Dark bark brown in color, the beer carries a masculine austere hue that's mainly clear with mirror-like sheen. Capped by a sturdy foam stance of mocha-stained colors, the beer retains and laces well.

Rich maltiness fills the nose with the rich scent of toffee, chocolate, starch, coffee, and nuts. Light fruity tartness lurks closely behind with notes of raisin and red grape. Wrapped with the thin scent of rum, the fruit and tart character rounds the char with wonderful results.

Smooth malt taste comes at the palate from a few different directions. Columbian coffee, toasted walnuts, cocoa, lightly burnt toffee, cola nut, and mild smoked bread all fit the bill with bold and mellow taste. Mild fruity notes of red grape, raspberry, and sherry-like tartness and savory character all complement the roast elements.

Medium-full in body- the beer's roasty sweetness and woven carbonation keeps the beer feeling robust and mildly viscous. It's smooth lagerish taste prevents the beer from becoming absolute full bodied. But a finish of alcohol warmth, roasty dryness, and fading sweetness signals closure to the session.

The Big Eddy Baltic Porter does all that Baltic porters prescribe, but the smoothness is met with the abrasioin of light char, the alcohols are slightly less refined, and the middle palate leaves holes in the flavors and textures that are expected. It's a good beer, but the Baltic Porter taste is so specific that this beer has difficult achieving.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 06:54:57 | More by BEERchitect

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.7/5  rDev -26.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

12 ounce bottle - $3.49 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Vintage 2012.

Appearance: Pours a clear, very dark brown body with a smallish, light mocha-toned head.

Smell: Dark malts with notes of cheap cherry cola, nuts, and other stuff. I say "other stuff" because it doesn't matter as it all yields to displeasing notes of soy and less-than-clean loose change.

Taste: Dark maltiness replete with store-brand cola, roasted nuts. Slight touch of rum raisin. Also, some coffee and licorice. Some metallic hints within, too. Maybe even a modest whisper of soy sauce. Eventually the other flavors fade away leaving the soy and metallic accents until the finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus body. Medium carbonation.

Overall: Well, let's just say I preferred the other members of the Big Eddy crew. By margin wide enough to chuck some dirty nickles and a bottle of Kikkoman's through.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 22:17:05 | More by ChainGangGuy

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Baltic Porter, Leinenkugel's Brewing Company, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. 8.5% ABV.

Dark brown coloring, with plenty of ruby highlights shining in through the edges and bottom, smallish dark head on it.

Aroma: Molasses, anise, port wine…a blend of dark fruit and spices. Rich and dark malty porter, with notes of cocoa and caramel.

Taste: Floods the mouth with an array of flavors, Washes over the shores of the palate with a blend of dark fruit, rum, cocoa and cola. Medium bodied, not quite big enough to be full. Mid-way through, though, a fresh flush of flavor rises up, a bit more of that anise pulls up on the palate, a blitz of spice on top of dark, delicious malt.

Let's see what they wrote on the label. "A rich, malty brew with toffee, port and chocolate notes and a dark fruit finish." Short, succinct, truthful. I like wording like that.

Very good for a Baltic Porter. Not up there with the best, but not a bad attempt, either.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 06:49:05 | More by feloniousmonk

ncketchum

Wisconsin

3.93/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

served slightly chilled, in a Tyranena snifter

A - pours a dark brown, no head to speak of

S - quite sweet, malty, little bits of chocolate and some bitterness

T - like the nose, sweeter than I'd expect with caramel and chocolate, followed by roasted malt and some hops to round it out

M - fairly thin, not much carbonation, little alcohol burn

O - sweeter than I'd expect for the style, but another good offering from the Big Eddy series

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 02:36:19 | More by ncketchum

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.83/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz served in a Southern Tier tulip.

A - Yellowish tan head on top of a dark garnet brown body.

S - Prunes, toasted cereal, molasses, caramel, leather, very faint charred malts, very sweet aroma, cherry fruit, some sweet rose aroma. When it warms molasses dominates everything.

T - Tangy molasses, sticky raisins and caramel, roasted malts, hints of baker's chocolate, has some bitterness as well as a slight sour note. Some leather around the edges. Finishes with a a roasty bitterness.

M - Medium body, low to medium carbonation, thin but sticky at times.

This is actually pretty good. If this was in a blind taste test I think this would get better reviews. Very robust flavors with a balanced bitter roast. It's a tad sweet but it's a big beer with tons of sticky flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2012 02:26:07 | More by StaveHooks

NoLeafClover44

Delaware

3.88/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle poured into standard pint glass.

A - Pours a molasses brown color with no head, despite an aggressive pour. No halo, no lace, no apparent carbonation whatsoever.

S - Roasted malt with a touch of coffee and char. Simple but good.

T - The flavors, like the nose, are very mellow. Lots of roasty grains and oak. Some coffee and chocolate on the back end with a clean finish. No alcohol presence.

M - It is a bit thin, but drinkability is remarkably high for a beer of 8.5%. Carbonation is light, but it does exist despite my pretensions of flatness.

O - This is beer is pretty nice. None of the flavors are in your face, like many imperial porter/stouts. It has a simple aroma and flavor profile and it is easy drinking. I wouldn't trade it in for some of my favorite big stouts, but I think it represents the Baltic Porter style nicely. Pretty cheap (I think, I paid around $2 for the single) and definitely worth a try if you are a porter purist.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 03:03:16 | More by NoLeafClover44

motorhed

Minnesota

2.8/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Color is super dark brown, almost black. Pours out with two fingers of head and keeps well. Moderate lacing throughout the consumption.

S - Sweet dark fruits, chocolate, and malt.

T - Big sweetness immediately, followed by dark fruits, slight toffee, chocolate, and lot of malt. Could definitely detect the alcohol on the finish.

M - A nice mouthfeel overall, rather viscous yet a medium-high level of carbonation balances that out nicely. Just enough bitterness as well to balance the malt and alcohol.

O - Not a bad example of a baltic porter but i've had a lot better examples. I think maybe it's just a tad too sweet for me overall. Not sure i would seek this out again.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2012 01:10:10 | More by motorhed

aasher

Indiana

2.58/5  rDev -30.1%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

This beer pours a medium bodied dark cola brown that gets darker as it pool, minimal head and light carbonation. The nose is malty and sweet with little to no roast. It sure doesn't smell like a Baltic. The flavors too, light for a Baltic with too much of a cola flavoring and no roast. It has some scotch ale attributes to it, also odd. It is also too light in body for the style. Overall this is a pretty bad representation of the style. It really is more like a Wee Heavy than a Baltic Porter. It just needs to be bigger and have more to it.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 03:30:20 | More by aasher

tdm168

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

On tap at Wine 101.

A - very dark brown with some red around the edges; huge, brown head that is thick and dense; great retention and lacing

S - roasted malts and caramel

T - intense roasted malts up front followed by sticky, sweet caramel, and finishes with bitter coffee and alcohol

M - full bodied, warming alcohol, well carbonated

This was a bit disappointing. The flavor was a bit weird to me. The caramel was more prevalent than I would have expected. It seemed at odds with the huge roasted malt presence. In any case, this is probably worth a try.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2012 12:23:26 | More by tdm168

vette2006c5r

Wisconsin

3.75/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Big Eddy Baltic Porter pours a black color with a nice sized tan head. There wasnt a strong aroma, but their were hints of coffee. The taste had a nice bold coffee flavor, all on a smokey malty backbone. A bit watery, but not of surprise from Leinenkugel. Overall this was an enjoyable beer, a little watery, but full of nice flavors.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2012 03:52:06 | More by vette2006c5r