Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Sampled at the Savor DC event. While I was waiting in line to try this someone in front of me asked what style of beer this was. The head brewer himself replied, "it’s a Baltic stout." So I asked him whether is was a Baltic Porter or a Stout, he again repeated, "Baltic stout." What the hell does that mean? Anyways, pours a deep, oily black with a thick, creamy white head. Slight roasted, chocolate aroma. Flavor has licorice, chocolate, nuts, toasted grains and some dried fruits. I don’t want to pigeon hole a beer, but maybe they should decide whether they are brewing a Baltic Porter or an Imperial Stout.
Appearance - 10 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Growler generously shared by Gregis. Poured into a snifter. Pour is mostly black with a nice one inch head. Very pretty in the glass. Aroma of soft roastiness, with a faint approachable sweetness - maybe dried cherries? Some vanilla notes present as well. Nice, not as bold and in your face as others I have had, though certainly in a good way. Taste is really mellow and soft, great roastiness, sweet dark cocoa, and woody vanilla oakiness. Great flavor, everything is nicely blended together. Nice drying finish. This was really excellent - great stuff. Thanks for sharing this one Greg!
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
Growler generously shared by Gregis. Pour is clear orange amber with an off white 1 inch head. Some pretty lacing on the glass. Aroma of malty, earthy, floral hop with some distant sweetness - brown sugar. Taste has the smokiness from the nose, but none of the sweetness. Some bitter, almost ear waxy hoppiness to the body / finish. This was interesting, nicely made. Thanks for bringing this one over, Greg!
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 10 | Overall - 7.5
Growler, shared by csbosox at his tasting on 3/7/08. Pour is deep brown, with mahogany notes. Head is khaki and fades fast. Aroma of some floral sweetness, nuttiness. Taste is nutty, sweet, caramelly. Really nice body / palate. Really nice balance between the nutty malt and floral hops throughout on this one. Very drinkable Bock. Another nice one from Free State, thanks for sharing Chris.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
Draft, served with Dessert at the Free State 19th Anniversary Beer Banquet. Pour is a hazy dark yellow, with a nice white head. Aroma of malt, earthiness and sweet-candy yeast. Taste is really nice, solid malt backbone with highlights of spicy earthiness and the faint sweet candy flavor. Medium palate, that had the nice grainy Saison body. I probably could have done with this being a touch drier, and bit less sweet, but that’s my personal preference in Saison. This one was really well done.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Pint pour @ brewpub. A clear amber beer with a sticky head. Aroma is astringent, spiky, light but icky sweet malts. Taste is similar with light cherry as well. Eh.
I had this again tonight, no astringency but just like a bland and blah ESB, there really isn’t another way to describe it.
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7.5
Hey they made an Oatmeal Stout and forgot the oatmeal. Pint pour @ brewpub served way too freaking cold. A completely black body with an off-white head. Aroma is thick grassy herb matliness. Taste is a bit astringent mineral and root plant. Not sweetness at all, no oatmeal, very basic and uninteresting.6/3/6/3/13
Re-rate: Much better this time. Aroma is lightly sweet and slick tobacco with light burnt roast. Taste is lightly ashy with a bitter hop finish. Much better, basically a different beer than the first time. I will change the rating to this. 7/4/7/3/15
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8
Growler from brewpub dragged from KS to NY for a gathering, spent less than 24 hours in a suitcase. It pours a clear dark amber color. Smell is light sweet malts with warming brown sugar highlights. Taste is soft, chewy, dark sweet malts with a hint of bitterness, and a short aftertaste of dark wood. Very soft on the cheeks.
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7.5
On tap at the brewpub. Pour is a clear brown, with some ruby highlights. Topped by a very thin tan head. Aroma of nuttiness and some maltiness. Taste is some nice nutty caramel maltiness with a clean snappy finish. Also some light smokiness to the finish. Medium to full bodied. Nice.
theisti (5540) reviewed Big Sea ESB from Free State Brewing Company 18 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 7
On tap at the brewpub. Pour is a clear brown-red with a thinnish off-white head. Aroma of sweet caramel malt (pretty faint, this was served WAY too cold). Taste is some sharp sweetness, faint malt and a somewhat astringent finish. This one was just OK. Much better as it warmed. Would have probably preferred this one on cask.