Alaskan Baltic Porter

Beer: Alaskan Baltic Porter
Brewing Location: Juneau, AK
Beer Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 9.8%


One of my favorite styles that I've only really began to love over the past year is the Baltic porter. It gets its influence from English porters and Russian imperial stouts. What is unique about a Baltic porter is that it can be made using either cold fermenting lager yeast or warmer ale yeast and still fit BJCP guidelines. I am not really sure what brewers are and are not using lager yeast, but I am going to assume that this one was made using an ale yeast.

I got this beer in trade recently, but you can order it from Liquid Solutions as well right now.

Appearance: Pours an obsidian black color, but when held up to the light pecan shell highlights show themselves around the edges. There wasn't much of a head on this beer, and it left minimal lacing on my glass.
Smell: There is plenty of molasses, vanilla, oak, dark cherries, and other dark fruit coming to life. As the beer warms I get port wine and chocolate as well.
Taste: The chocolate comes to life upfront with the dark fruits (dominated by cherry) round initial flavors out. In mid-drink I get more grassy hops and vanilla finished by a dry roasted malt flavor.
Mouthfeel: This beer is thick and smooth with a decent amount of carbonation, and the alcohol was well hidden.
Drinkability: This beer is quite delicious, but is quite heavy and is really only a sipper. I would certainly buy this beer again.

I enjoyed this beer quite a bit. It isn't the best of the style that I've had, but is a very solid offering from Alaskan Brewing. I've got another bottle to age, and I am curious about the cherry and vanilla flavors that this beer has fresh, and I hope with some age the malt will come out a bit more. Either way I think this was damn good fresh, and could be even better with a bit of age on it.

Cheers!
Matt