It’s Saturday evening, far warmer than usual in the Chicago area. My windows are open, and I’ve been typing on my newest manuscript on and off most of the day. I’m currently recovering from the Swine Flu, which didn’t hit me very hard.
Anyway, I decided it’s time for a break, and so I’m going to crack open this Baltic porter and do a quick review.
I pop the top and take a sniff. It smells sickeningly sweet and yeasty. Suddenly I wonder if I should be drinking a beer while coming down from the Swine Flu. Hmm. Oh well, here goes nothing.
Zero carbonation, but the flavor isn’t bad. It would be better if it didn’t seem so flat. Seriously. It’s like it’s been open in the refrigerator for two weeks. Not stale, mind you, but utterly devoid of carbonation.
The taste is fruity and oddly light while at the same time as being dark and heavy. Hard to verbalize. I taste a strong molasses and coffee mixture, with a hint of wheat bread. There’s a dark chocolate aftertaste that I really like.
It’s not bad. Give it some fizz and it would be even better. I’m not going to proclaim it as a groovy brew, but I won’t steer you away from it if you like Baltic porters. It’s worth a try.
