Moon Lark Brewery

Ever since being denied on International Baltic Porter Day I’ve been on the lookout for them when I go beer shopping. It seems like they used to be a little easier to find. Well, I have had a few recently, and now I have an Imperial Baltic Porter, which has to be a step beyond. The can has a minimalist but artistic look, with a shining full moon over a desert. What could that have to do with porter? Well, this one comes from Polish brewery Moon Lark and contains Ugandan vanilla. Actually, I don’t know if Uganda has US Southwestern-like desert landscapes…I’m shamefully ignorant of African geography. I’m pretty sure it’s not supposed to be Ceylon (or Sri Lanka), but maybe Poland has some rugged terrain that reminds one of Arizona. Eh, probably not. Must be somebody’s dreamscape.

It pours out very calmly, little fizz or head, and kind of a red highlight to the blackness. Although it’s not overpowering, there is definitely vanilla aroma there, perhaps a little more subtle than, say, Vanilla Coke. The taste is a lovely mix of luxurious sweetness, vanilla, cocoa, the smooth feeling of a high quality hard candy. I don’t get cinnamon right away, but it starts to come out after a couple of sips. The texture is interesting; like I said, it’s glassy like a good candy, but obviously liquid, with a syrupy, mouth-coating feel. It definitely is a fancy beer, with a fancy feel and nothing but deliciousness about it. Maybe it isn’t specifically Christmas-y, but it’s a gift that anybody would love to find in their stocking.

Supplier: Más Que Cervezas
Price: €6.26