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Baltic porter

swimming

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On the seventh day of Beermas I went and got for me
A taste of one of seven seas
Six alarms a-ringing
A high-powered ring of fire
Four silent moths
Three frisky parrots
A bottle but not two cans
And more than half a liter of perry

As I have said before, there are a damn lot of birds in this song. Although there are quite a few breweries or beers that have a bird on the label, after a few years it gets a little bit difficult to find a new one. Gotta be creative. Swimming, right? Number seven? Everybody’s heard of the Seven Seas and that’s water. It fits! Maybe it’s also kind of an excuse to sit down with a Basqueland, and a Baltic porter at that. Hopefully Baltic Storm wouldn’t sink a flock of swans braving the elements.

Just the stream of it out of the can is tootsie roll brown, but it collects into a handsome near-black beverage in the glass. Head is somewhat scanty but aroma is strong. It has a firepit quality to it, very smoky and nose-tickling. Maybe the wood that could have built a ship, or a plank, is in the background too. The smoke doesn’t quite translate into the flavor, coming out as toasted but still grainy bread. I feel like there’s something chocolatey too, but not bitter baking chocolate and not sweet and rich spreads. Maybe it’s a sugarless mocha that I’m imagining. As always with Basqueland, it’s well-made and a pleasure to drink. If the rum runs out it’s a foolish sailor that would complain about this tempest in a cup.

dark as the new moon

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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

shelved treasure

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Many months ago I searched, unsuccessfully, for a Baltic porter. In fact, I haven’t seen any around for quite some time. Finally, one came into my line of sight as I examined shelves for style, name, and visuals. Not only was it a Baltic porter, it was a whisky barrel aged porter! The appropriately named La Calavera puts Dead Barrel Island in somewhat dangerously colored bottles – maybe the strength of this beer will beat back any sunlight – and lets it tempt all who walk by. Will this be a treasure discovered?

It’s shockingly winey in the nose, given that it’s whisky barrel aged, it reminds me quite a bit of some of the wine barrel aged stouts I’ve had at beer fairs past. I don’t get much head to bubble up on it, but the liquid looks like something dangerous and magical. The first sip has kind of a grape juice jacket, but it quickly gets shed to reveal a rough and raw whisky crust, followed by the earthy black beer center. It has more of a stout feel than porter, but that is kind of the nature of the Baltic style. I feel like there’s a little bit of sweetness there, but I can’t tell if it comes in from the beer or the whisky. While easy enough to drink, it feels like there’s a ghost remaining behind, fuming alcohol or something. It’s almost strange how easy it is, since it is really not a light beer at all. Still, if this was all that was left behind in a pirate’s treasure chest, it would be more than worth the trouble.

Supplier: La Buena Pinta
Price: €6.50

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