343. Sinebrychoff Porter
I picked this beer up at Columbia Deli & Market in NYC. The "Bottled in 1998" sticker caught my eye. I made the assumption that if the bottling date were being prominently advertised then the beer must age well. I let this warm up to about 55ºF, and served it in a small Kirin Beer glass. I had this with a slice of Three Berry pie from Cafe Lalo.
Sinebrychoff Porter is a Baltic Porter. As far as I know this is my first encounter with the style, though I could check my database to be sure. Baltic porters are typically higher in alcohol than other porters. According to BA these porters were brewed for shipping. The beer traditionally comes from countries bordering the Baltic Sea. BJCP Style Guide.
Appearance (4.0): Pours an opaque black with fluffy brown head that recedes to a thin layer.
Smell (4.0): The smell is predominantly sweet with notes of raspberries and raisins. There are also more subtle notes of chocolate and coffee.
Taste (4.5): Sweet flavors are evident at the front of the palate. These include raisins and caramel. There is a light tartness at the center of the palate, along with sweet and fruity flavors that carry over from the front. There are roasted bitter flavors of chocolate and coffee in the finish. Hop presence is low overall.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Mouthfeel is smooth and medium-bodied with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very smooth and easy to drink.
Overall (4.15): This is a very nice and flavorful porter. I'd be interested in doing a side by side comparison with different vintages.
I picked this beer up at Columbia Deli & Market in NYC. The "Bottled in 1998" sticker caught my eye. I made the assumption that if the bottling date were being prominently advertised then the beer must age well. I let this warm up to about 55ºF, and served it in a small Kirin Beer glass. I had this with a slice of Three Berry pie from Cafe Lalo.
Sinebrychoff Porter is a Baltic Porter. As far as I know this is my first encounter with the style, though I could check my database to be sure. Baltic porters are typically higher in alcohol than other porters. According to BA these porters were brewed for shipping. The beer traditionally comes from countries bordering the Baltic Sea. BJCP Style Guide.
Appearance (4.0): Pours an opaque black with fluffy brown head that recedes to a thin layer.
Smell (4.0): The smell is predominantly sweet with notes of raspberries and raisins. There are also more subtle notes of chocolate and coffee.
Taste (4.5): Sweet flavors are evident at the front of the palate. These include raisins and caramel. There is a light tartness at the center of the palate, along with sweet and fruity flavors that carry over from the front. There are roasted bitter flavors of chocolate and coffee in the finish. Hop presence is low overall.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Mouthfeel is smooth and medium-bodied with low carbonation.
Drinkability (4.0): Very smooth and easy to drink.
Overall (4.15): This is a very nice and flavorful porter. I'd be interested in doing a side by side comparison with different vintages.
Labels: Baltic Porter, Oy Sinebrychoff Ab, Reviews
