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Name: Baltik Nut Porter
Brewer: The Marc’s & Tony Brewing Co. (Philippines)
Style: Mixed-Style Beer (Base Style: Baltic Porter)
ABV: 9%
Review Year: 2020
Tony Sindayen of The Marc’s & Tony Brewing Co. returns to the dark side with two new dark beers: a Baltic Porter and an Imperial Stout. This Baltik Nut Porter is a Baltic Porter that brings together rich fruit tartness and complementing dark roast malt characters– a proper follow up to his Butter Nut Porter in 2019.
(Read More: The Marc’s & Tony Brewing Co. “Butter Nut Porter” Baltic Porter)
STYLE GUIDELINES
This beer is being evaluated as a Mixed-Style Beer (34B), combining Fruit and Spice Beer (29B) and Alternative Grain Beer (31A), with Baltic Porter (9C) as the base style in the context of the 2015 Beer Style Guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The most current version of the guidelines can be found on the BJCP website.
TASTING NOTES
Baltik Nut Porter pours a semi-opaque amber-brown beer, almost black under less light. The beer has a foamy light brown head. The nose has a distinct nutty and toasted coconut character. These are then complemented by faint hints of plums and mangosteen, some choc-nut candy, and low notes of alcohol. No acrid or acidic notes.
This Baltic Porter has a medium body and a carbonation level a notch higher than medium but softens down after a while. The overall palate sensation is dry. In terms of flavor, the balance is quite complex and overlapping but it feels like the malts have contributed to the bulk of the flavors.
The flavor has prominent fruit tartness akin to raisins, purple grapes, and mangosteen with light toasty cocoa-like character to balance. A light bready character is noted but gives an impression of slightly toasted bread when combined with the other flavors. The perceived bitterness is moderately low and manifests as toasty just enough to give a sense of robustness to this beer.
The palate is left dry and puckery, dominated by the familiar dark fruit flavors mentioned. Some cacao maltiness and toasty tones come through.
THE VERDICT
The coconut and oat additions may have contributed to the nutty and toasted coconut aromas, while the vanilla appears to be nonexistent in both the aroma and flavor. The oat addition may have also enhanced the mouthfeel of this beer but we can only infer.
Even without these additions, Baltik Nut Porter is a pretty solid Baltic Porter that brings together a complex blend of tart fruity esters and complementing dark roast malt characters. However, slight sweetness could improve further the flavor balance of this beer. Maybe keeping it longer to condition would allow for the flavors to mellow and blend further. Regardless, very good.
Tip: enjoy this beer at a slightly warmer temperature.
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