Baltika 6 Porter
July 19, 2007 – 8:17 pm
I tried the Baltika 6 porter for the first time tonight. It was actually a birthday gift I received almost exactly a year ago. It’s been “aging” in the fridge since then. I’m not exactly sure what that does to a beer. But I figured it was worth making known before I offer my review.
This porter pours an opaque black, as dark a black as I can remember seeing from a beer. It has a very thin white head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is of roasted coffee. It’s a heavy bodied beer with a creamy mouthfeel. The carbonation is very active on the tongue. I was most surprised by the taste. For the most part, it’s just dry and moderately bitter. I couldn’t pick up much in the way of roasted coffee or dark chocolate or hints of cinnamon in the taste. In fact, I’d describe the taste as boring.
But I’m worried that keeping it in the refrigerator for a year muted the taste. I’m not sure it did, though. I’ve had similar porters that were equally bland. I’ve spoiled myself on the porters that try to achieve something in the way of complexity, and I’m very rarely disappointed. So while I did not dislike this beer, it’s a bit boring, and I’d prefer something a bit richer on the palate.