7.8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

The Bruery's take on Baltic porter was never going to be straightforward I suppose - so they added maple syrup and fenugreek seed, two decidedly non-Baltic ingredients, for good measure... Bottle from Etre Gourmet shared with Craftmember. Regularly shaped, densely moussey, pale brown-beige head over a black beer with waferthin mahogany edges. Aroma of burnt brown sugar, lots of toast, indeed fenugreek seed piercing through here and there, fondant, roasted walnuts, wet leather, minerals, dried porcini, dessicated blueberries, hints of nutmeg, beef stock, bayleaf, gum and only very distant maple syrup. Dryish onset even, dried prunes and blueberries with a dash of beef stock umami but restrainedly so, some background sweetness from the maple syrup but also quite restrained contrary to what I was expecting; very active but fine-bubbled carb, paired with a pleasant, limestone-ish minerality stretching through the whole. Supple, smooth toasty maltiness, with the maple syrup coming to fruition only further on, when it adds slickness and spiciness - the latter of course connecting with the fenugreek, which behaves more herbaceously and is - if you know it well - easy to recognise without dominating. Toasty, drying, bittering malts fill the finish with glimpses of coffee and pure chocolate here and there - but the emphasis lies very much on the toast, even in a 'charred' way, more so than I was expecting from an American postmodern interpretation of this style, which admittedly is very roasty in its traditional eastern and northern European form. Dry finish, peppery hops and ongoing roast, but also, in the final stage, a Côte du Rhône-wine-like astringency and fruitiness adding to the experience. More roast-forward than I was expecting, as said, but kept elegant and smooth by minerality, spicy elements and this slick maple syrup effect, which refrains from downright sweetness - a true exercise in balance, because both the maple syrup and the fenugreek could easily have ruined this beer. Unusual, in a sense, but balanced and gracious. It does not happen very often anymore that a craft beer truly surprises me, but this one did it.

7.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5

Aroma of herbal, spices, caramel, chocolate, maple syrup, raisins, plums, figs. Original and quite intensive. Taste of spices, herbal, sweet chocolate, toffee, figs, raisins. Medium sweet. Low bitterness. Little sourness. Very original baltic porter.

7

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

750ml bottle. Jet black colour with average to huge, thick, creamy, moderately lasting and lacing, dark beige head. Spicy, roasty, dark malty aroma, notes of liquorice root, lovage, dark caramel, some toffee a touch of coffee surrogate, celery. Taste is sweet-ish, spicy, dark and caramel malty, notes of caramel, dark caramel, some toffee, liquorice root, lovage, celery; minimally sour-ish, woody finish. Oily to viscous texture, smooth, soft, silky, minimally cloying palate, fine and soft carbonation. Lacks body for a better integration of all the spiciness; somehow like a perfectly decorated gateau without flan case - forgotten substance due to too much thoughts about accidents.

7.4

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5

Dark brown color with a medium khaki head that diminishes steadily to a film. Small patches of lace. Aroma of malt, chocolate and maple. Medium body with flavors of sweet maple, chocolate malt and dark fruit. The finish is sweet and roasty with a maple and malt aftertaste. Above average overall.

7

EB from this Saturday

8.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

750 ml bottle into snifter, bottled on 8/30/2016. Pours opaque dark brown/black color with a 1-2 finger dense and rocky khaki head with fantastic retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Thick foamy lacing clings on the glass, with a moderate amount of streaming carbonation retaining the cap. Fantastic appearance. Aromas of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, maple syrup, caramel, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, and dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of licorice, raisin, prune, cherry, fig, date, smoke, charcoal, leather, tobacco, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of dark/roast/bready malts, maple syrup, fenugreek, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop notes; with big strength. Taste of huge milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, maple syrup, caramel, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, and dark/brown bread/crust; with lighter notes of licorice, raisin, prune, cherry, fig, date, smoke, charcoal, leather, tobacco, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness. Mild herbal, grassy, spicy hops; and roast/char bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of milk/dark chocolate, cocoa, coffee, maple syrup, caramel, toffee, molasses, brown sugar, toasted biscuit, dark/brown bread/crust, licorice, dark fruit, smoke, charcoal, leather, tobacco, herbal, grass, pepper, and yeast/roast/toasted earthiness on the finish for a while. Fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, maple syrup, fenugreek, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; with a great roast/hop bitter/sweet balance; and no cloying/acrid/astringent flavors after the finish. Very clean lager flavors, not overly fruity/yeasty. Lightly increasing dryness from lingering hop/char bitterness. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full body; with a very smooth, creamy/silky/velvety/bready, and lightly slick/sticky/chalky mouthfeel that is great. Minimal warming alcohol for 7.8%. Overall this is a fantastic Baltic porter. All around fantastic complexity, robustness, and balance of dark/roast/bready malts, maple syrup, fenugreek, and light fruity yeast/earthy hop flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV, with the mildly bitter/drying finish. Fantastic balance of clean/rich malts, maple syrup, and fenugreek flavors; with solid earthy hop presence/balance, and restrained yeast notes. Not overly sweet/heavy from lingering dryness. A highly enjoyable offering, and outstandingly spot on style example.

8

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

Bottle shared at Kingsday Tasting 2019. Opaque black color, average to medium sized beige head. Smell and taste malts, dark malts, bitter, nutty, caramel, light toffee, brown candy sugar, brown malts. Full body. Quite nice. 8-4-8-4-16

7

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7

Benzai’s Biertuin, 2016 version, Black, bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, sweet, sugary, a bit thin texture, maple syrup, dry finish, some coconut, caramel, fudge.

7

Black, bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, sweet, sugary, a bit thin texture, maple syrup, dry finish, some coconut, caramel, fudge.

7

2016 versie. Maple syrup in geur, zwaar fenegriek in de smaak