Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter - The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.09/5  rDev -24.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Black. Some super dark brown at the edges when held to light. Head is tan, bubbly, and loose. Drops to a small bubbly cap and creamy collar. Some notches of lacing. Smooth and slightly heavy pour.

Smell: Roasted malts. Dark chocolate and cocoa powder bitterness. Massively sweet. Some light milk chocolate. Slightly oxidized with hints of sherry and tart cherry. Some leather in the back. Loaded with dark fruit, some fig and plum, and bittersweet chocolate. Caramel, like the real thing. Some underlying hints of citrus and herbal hops.

Taste: Roasted and slightly burnt. Leather and dark fruit. Slightly tart cherry and plum layered over bitter cocoa and dark chocolate. Rich chocolate hits chocolate malt, milk chocolate, baker's and semisweet chocolate, it's all there. Raisins and some backing smoky char...almost. Warming pushes the raisin aspect up a bit too high. Some flat burnt, almost soggy malts.

Mouthfeel: Nice medium to full body with a moderate carbonation. Smooth and easy drinking. Relatively clean finish.

Overall: Impress me.

Not terrible. That's really where it stands.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 03:10:36 | More by Goblinmunkey7

sommersb

Tennessee

4.14/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 03-27-2013
Freshness: There's an 'enjoy by' part of the label but the markings there are not clear
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Snifter
Purchased: Received in a trade

Black and opaque beer, with a small tan head. Retention is low and lacing is almost non-existent. Aromas start with chocolate, then move on to cherries, with somewhat of a sour note to them. Other smells are roasted malts and oak.

The taste fortunately is not sour, but has a bittersweet chocolate flavor, plus cherry wood. It has an earthy character to it, perhaps from the hops, but there is no hop bitterness. Also features some alcohol warming. The mouthfeel is creamy, like a milk stout, with a body between medium and full. Finishes semi-sweet, with flavors of light toasted malt and cherries.

Overall a rich and flavorful beer that is easy to drink. I'd recommend this one.

Thanks to Treyliff for this!

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 04:38:54 | More by sommersb

Darkmagus82

Montana

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a 10 oz chalice glass

Appearance – Served a deep brown nearly black brew with a thick and creamy one finger tan colored head. The head has a nice level of retention, slowly fading over about 5 min to leave a moderate level of lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is big of dark and roasty smells. A sweet dark fruit aroma of cherry and plum are mixed with dark chocolate and a good presence of a roasted malt smell. Along with these are some notes of a light caramel nature as well as a good presence of a boozy smell that overall creates a very warming smell.

Taste – The flavor begins with a relatively healthy amount of dark fruit and a roasted malt tastes. Cherry, prune and raisin are all present upfront and are quickly met with other flavors of a dark chocolate nature soon after the initial tastes. As the flavor advances further the fruit grows slightly less intense with other flavors of some more roasted malt taking its place. Toward the end the darker flavors of chocolate and roasted malt are now most potent and are joined by a complementing smoke and alcohol taste which in the end leave a nice dark but still sweeter more burnt flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the creamier side with a carbonation level that is on the lower side of the scale. The thicker and creamier body are great for helping all the roasted, chocolate and smoky flavors of the brew to really stand out while the lighter carbonation, coupled with the creamy nature and the boozy taste at the end, make it a nice sipping beer.

Overall – A good sweeter Baltic porter that is nice to sit back with and sip over a nice cool evening. A rather enjoyable brew and one to try if you get the opportunity.

Serving type: on-tap

03-22-2013 00:35:47 | More by Darkmagus82

SolipsismalCat

Pennsylvania

4.09/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Dark almost black with one-finger, tan, creamy head that lasted a few minutes and left a nice film. Okay lacing.

S: Raisins and coffee and alcohol.

T: Moderate to high sweetness and moderate bitterness. Roasted malt, then sweetness and alcohol. Finishes with bitterness.

M: Medium bodied with fizzy carbonation. Smooth and dry and warm going down.

O: You really feel this Baltic Porter. Not much to look at, but smells and tastes pretty good, and has a smooth, warm, alcoholic feel.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 02:04:57 | More by SolipsismalCat

chinchill

South Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -12%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle, with no notch on date strip, poured into a Avery nonic.
A: The beer is a deep dark brown color, with a moderate tan head that fades slowly. Thick lacing is left on the glass at first, but only spotty lacing after the head dies down.

The aroma has a very pronounced dark chocolate note, plenty of dark roasted malts, a little hops and coffee, and some dark fruit. It also has a faint but unfortunate hint of something like a cross between sour milk and rotten fruit; I suspect this could be an unfortunate artifact of the particular hop-malt combination.

T: The taste has a slight bit of sourness, but otherwise the off-note is much diminished. Otherwise, the aromatic components are repeated in the flavor, with the addition of a little smoky and earthy tint. The bitter-sweet and slightly smoky after-taste ;ingers for a good while and features chocolate, coffee and dark malts.

M: Full bodied and smooth, with somewhat high, medium carbonation. A light harshness and warming from the high ABV.

O: Rich and distinct version of this style will not appeal to all baltic porter fans.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 22:26:22 | More by chinchill

acsprouse

South Carolina

4.84/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

A: black, dark strong looking brew here. Held up to the light you see some ruby red tones around the edges.

S: sweet, alcohol is there. You get a creamy smell, mixed with alot of dark fruits. Chicolate an maybe some anise. Kinda odd dark fruit

T: chocolate, creamy, dark fruits straight forward. Malty sweet well balanced. Maybe some milkiness

M: thick, full bodied beer. Crramy, silky

O: great baltic. Well balanced. Exceptional beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2013 08:17:12 | More by acsprouse

inlimbo77

Delaware

3.73/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

12oz, enjoy 10/14
Riedel tulip

A: Pretty much pitch black. See some reddish hues on the edges and bottom of the glass. Initially some tan head. Fades into a ring around the edges.

S: Getting really dark chocolate in the nose along with some dark fruit. Strangely getting some dark raspberry. Roasted malts.

T: Tight dark fruit and chocolate on tip of the tongue. Pretty tasty. Creamy dark chocolate. Definitely some fruit character is there. Fairly dry finish.

M: Full bodied. Creamy. Some oxidation.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 14:20:10 | More by inlimbo77

Boski

4.45/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

A: Black with minimal head that quickly dissipates. Not a lot of head retention either.

S: Smells sweet and rich. The alcohol is very present in the nose.

T: Very full bodied dark fruit flavors. Kind of a caramel sweetness from the malts. The alcohol is definitely not hidden.

M: Thick and syrupy... sticks around for a while.

O: I love this beer. I would say it is one of my top 2 I have tried from Duck Rabbit. It is a hot beer not for the faint of heart... but the complexity of it is fascinating. My only complaint is the alcohol is not well disguised... easier said than done though.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 02:20:45 | More by Boski

Daktah

North Carolina

4.83/5  rDev +18.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

An almost perfect beer. Pours deep brown, almost black, with a tan head. Low carbonation and a little lacing. The smell is almost all dark fruit, with a touch of chocolate or something else sweet. Taste is more dark fruit and a richness that doesn't overwhelm. Delicious dark cherry notes. This beer is exactly why I love Duck-Rabbit. Intense flavor in perfect balance.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 21:43:55 | More by Daktah

axeman9182

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle, allowed to warm before being poured into my Dogfish Head signature glass.

Duck Rabbit's Baltic Porter pours solid black, with just a hair over a finger's worth of mocha foam capping the beer. Head retention is alright, and lacing is minimal. The nose features aroma of cocoa powder and black licorice, and while the former is dominant, the latter definitely has its fair say as well. The dark chocolate that leads off the flavor profile is exceedingly smooth, I actually find myself wishing there was just a little bit of a roasty edge to it. The star anise that follows is joined by a light earthy hop presence to form the finish. The body is surprisingly not heavy for a big porter, and that combined with the lack of appreciable alcohol makes this one impressively drinkable. The modest, understated carbonation just completes the picture. Baltic Porter is just another entry in a very solid lineup from Duck Rabbit. Now, if they would just bottle The End of Reason...

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 07:41:41 | More by axeman9182

brentk56

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours dark as a stout, with a creamy tan head that lays upon the liquid, leaving a few strips of lace behind

Smell: Plum and black raspberry, with chocolate undertones

Taste: Dark fruit flavors forward, with the dried plum and black raspberry elements dominant; subtle chocolate tones add some depth, but the sugary malt flavors really take over in the middle and through the finish

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: A little too one-dimensional on the sweet fruity side; would prefer to see more chocolate and other flavors adding depth and balance

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2012 22:00:40 | More by brentk56

TheDinger

South Carolina

4.13/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Growler fill that my neighbor let chill for about 6 weeks. Still lots of action when we cracked it. Very nice deep brown/light black pour with generous 1 +finger mocca head. Smell is a bit tame with some notes of coffee, carmel, roasted malts and some earth tones. Subtle on the nose. Taste was where this brew hooked me. A very balanced porter that hides the 9% quite well. Initial coffee and chocolate that fades to earth and nuts with a hint of hops. Pretty complex and smooth. Comes off a bit more like a stout than porter. Feel was a bit of a letdown. A touch watery and thin. It did have a silk feel on the tongue and perhaps the 6 weeks had something to do with this. Adequate carbonation, but a little light on the feel. Overall- I really enjoyed this beer. Solid blend of malts, coffee, chocolate and earth. Well hidden ABV and tough to set down. A nice sipper for a winter evening. Again, this comes off as a stout to me, but it's a damn good beer and I will be trying one out of the bottle soon-

Serving type: growler

12-06-2012 12:38:40 | More by TheDinger

jaasen64

Massachusetts

3.35/5  rDev -18.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle thanks to jmarsh123. Poured into Founders snifter.

A- Pours a dark reddish brown almost very dark red mahogany color that is pretty much black. A very thin layer of slightly reddish mocha brown head forms that quickly recedes to leave no head. Slightly above average carbonation. Leaves some very spotty lacing that slowly recedes back into the glass.

S- Dark fruits, raspberries, cherries, chocolate, some lightly roasted malts. Pretty well balanced, about average aroma strength, a lot more dark fruits then I was expecting- kind of interesting and a little bit complex for a baltic porter.

T- Grapes, raspberries, cherries, some light chocolate in the background, finishes with cherry cough syrup and raspberries. Interesting flavor that was decently balanced, but just finished way too syrupy for me and didn't have the traits I usually like in porters.

M- Fairly smooth, abv well hidden, goes down easily, decent carbonation, maybe slightly over-carbonated.

O- This was an okay baltic porter. It reminded me way too much of cherry cough syrup though more then anything which I didn't particularly like. Overall interesting to try, but definitely not my favorite baltic porter and not something that I would go back to right away.

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2012 00:50:08 | More by jaasen64

buschbeer

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle
Served in a perfect pint glass

A - It is very dark brown. No light permeates this libation. About three inches of cocoa head is perched on top.

S - I get some roasted malt. There is some dark chocolate and dark fruit smells.

T - The first thing that strikes me is the taste of tart cherry. The roasted malt flavors come into play at the end and in the aftertaste.

M - Moderate.

O - It is a different taste experience from what I initially expected. The tart cherry taste was a nice surprise. You would never know that this is a 9% beer. The alcohol is hidden.

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2012 16:53:36 | More by buschbeer

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Once again, I am reducing the backlog of inventory laid upon me by my most excellent local beer trader, tone77. He loads me up every time he stops by and I am incapable of keeping up at times. Many thanks!

From the bottle: "Proudly hand made in small batches"; "The Dark Beer Specialist".

Wow, but the head looks more like a stout! I got a finger-and-a-half of bubbling, deep-tan head with limited retention. Color was a deep, dark-brown allowing ZERO light penetration. Nose had a dried dark-fruit scent, like prunes, raisins, dried blueberries, you get the idea. Mouthfeel was medium and the alcohol heat was the first thing that was evident on the tongue. Getting past that, it was really like a fruitcake with lots of dried fruit flavors like the aforementioned as well as cherries plus a nice maltiness. Finish was literally breathtaking as the alcohol burn really led the way, followed by all of the fruitiness. I would only need one or two of these to get where I am going. Nicely done.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2012 02:57:18 | More by woodychandler

jmarsh123

Indiana

2.28/5  rDev -44.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours black with a small tan head fading into just the edges.

Smells of roasted malts, a bit of smoke and raisin.

Some roasted malt up front along with a touch of smoke. Intense dark fruit flavors on the back end create a horrible clash of tastes.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

This one went to the sink. There were some good things up front, but the dark fruit flavor at the back end did not mesh well with the other flavors at all and ruined it for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2012 00:01:47 | More by jmarsh123

ThickNStout

Georgia

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

12oz botte. Served in a Founders snifter. Bottling info is vague on Duck Rabbit's offerings but my brother said this was from 2010. 

Pours near black brown with a thin half finger tan head. No lacing to speak of. 

Smells of subdued raisins, malt and smoke. 

Dark fruits are the dominant flavor. Figs and raisin followed by bitter cocoa, leather, smoke and an almost coffee creamer note. 

Medium bodied with a a nice zest of carbonation. Only a tiny alcohol burn at the end of each swallow to remind me that this is 9% abv. Long bittersweet aftertaste. 

This was an enjoyable brew. I'll need to try a fresh one for comparison but this drinks like a "light" Russian imperial stout. Many of those same dark fruit and cocoa flavors but with a smaller body and still pretty high alcohol. Well done. 

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 15:20:43 | More by ThickNStout

Dope

Massachusetts

3.23/5  rDev -21%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Pours black with a bubbly light brown head. Leaves just a smattering of lacing after a quick fade.

S: Dark fruit and anise. Hints of roasted malt.

T: More dark fruit. I get prunes, raisin, fig, grape, you name it. Fairly tart too. A little bit of chocolate afterwards. Leather and a little smoke.

M: Medium bodied.

O: Huh, I wonder if I got a bad bottle. Almost no roasted malt, just tart fruits. I'm unsure as I've never had this before. Some of the descriptions list similar aspects though so I really can't discount this. Odd beer and not that tasty.

Serving type: on-tap

06-19-2012 05:26:22 | More by Dope

tobelerone

New Jersey

4.15/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Another fine offering from this underappreciated brewery. Very dark brown, nearly black body; totally opaque. One finger tan head that settles slowly, lots of creamy lace.

Rich and complex in both aroma and taste. Ample roasted malt character with a trace of subtle smokiness. Dark fruits; plums and raisins; brown sugar and toffee; bittersweet chocolate. Hints of floral hoppiness noticed in the aftertaste, which lingers a bit with a pleasant mix of sticky sweetness and bitterness.

Medium full bodied with moderate carbonation and a smooth and creamy overall feel. A delicious and nuanced brew with a ton of flavor; one of the very best of the style.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 16:43:36 | More by tobelerone

Arborescence

Finland

3.48/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance: Completely black as far as I can see. Pours a rich and thick, lively head, with a brownish tint.

Aroma: Interesting mixture of alcohol, light chocolate, and cream. But there's also a not so nice side aroma that I can't quite put my finger on.

Taste: Whoah, pretty rich stuff, chocolate, malt, alcohol. There's not much in depth to it though, and the aftertaste is disappointing. Initially very promising though.

Mouthfeel: Creamy, heavy bodied.

Overall: Not quite to my taste. It's a little bit different, but it's lacking in the roast department, and the high ABV comes through too much.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 16:59:38 | More by Arborescence

Jimmys

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into tulip. best before either 05/12 or 12/12.

A: definitely opaque. definitely dark brown. head is tan and comprised of tiny bubbles. starts big, retreats to a rim. lacing is minimal.

S: caramel, toffee. lots of toffee. cigar wrapper. port. dark fruits include prunes and currants. a little bit of alcohol comes out at the tail end of a deep wiff.

T: grapes. black cherries. the bulk of the body is more dark fruit sweet, rather than roast. a lingering blend of tobacco, roast, and coffee comprises the finish. i cant get over this finish, very unique, very tobacco. i can almost a hint of smoke.

M: a fine carbonation on a full body.

D: big, without being RIS big. and the abv/flavor certainly could play with the RIS's. glad i was able to try this brew from duck rabbit as it can be a little more difficult to find than some of there other offerings.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 01:03:08 | More by Jimmys

SLeffler27

New York

3.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A huge, three-inch, dark chestnut foam glistens as it slowly turns to seafoam over a dark brown, almost black, beer with brown highlights. The cascading action on pouring is long lasting in a Harp pint glass.

The aroma is rather muted with roasted malt and fusil alcohol and some coffee.

Black coffee with some light chocolate and well balanced. This is a nice beer with no “wow” factor.

A light body that is almost flat with well-controlled alcohol.

An easy drinking beer, reminiscent of a brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 21:29:35 | More by SLeffler27

Friskybeerrapist

Florida

4.7/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I want to start and say this is a very good beer from Duck-Rabbit, like most of the other reviews this brew is true to style and all the flavor notes are there. This beer is so well balanced and drinkable than lesser baltic porters, it deserves to be cherished. Saying you're "The dark beer specialist" is a bold statement but, they get it right with this one!

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2012 19:09:06 | More by Friskybeerrapist

avalon07

South Carolina

4.43/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Poured from a growler to a pint glass. Had a jet black color and a thick texture. There was an inch of foamy, tan-colored head that didn't last very long. Average lacing.

S: Interesting aroma of dark fruit, malt, and some coffee.

T: There's a lot going on here: Coffee, chocolate, malt, dark fruit (plums, figs), and a slight hoppiness in the finish. A big flavor that's almost more like something in a stout. A complex taste.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a surprisingly dry finish. Medium-bodied.

O: One of Duck-Rabbit's best creations. Very tasty, very likeable.

Serving type: growler

04-14-2012 12:29:44 | More by avalon07

Phelps

Arizona

4.15/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Duck rabbit baltic porter

Bottle sent by tobelerone, poured into my Bell’s tulip.

Burnt brown-black, with nary a ray of light visible. One inch of oaky head is fuzzy and dense, descending only slowly. When it gets to half an inch tall, it resembles a fleece blanket and would probably last as long as one if I let it.

There’s a reason Baltic porter is my favorite style, and it’s the complexity displayed here. Milk chocolate, prunes, yogurt raisins and smoke exist in perfect proportion and harmony.

The flavor begins a little too tangy for me, with the raisiny/pruny dark fruit character taking over the front of the flavor, along with a sweet cola note. As it warms up, however, savory chocolate and roast rises up and balances the tang. The swallow smooths things out, adding to the chocolate touches of vanilla and smoke.

The mouthfeel is, in a word, fluffy. It’s light and creamy as whipped cream, with a soft tingle of carbonation and a little alcohol burn in the nose. Very nice stuff.

Duck Rabbit has themselves a nice example of the style here. The flavor’s solid and the mouthfeel is out of this world. Glad I got to try it.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 05:33:42 | More by Phelps