Grand Baltic Porter
From the large Garrison bottle into a Chimay goblet. Visual (4.5): Extremely dark, black opaque color. No clarity at all. Head is a nice tan color made of small spherical bubbles, lasting due to a consistent film of active carbonation. Aroma (4): Caramel malts prevalent. Sweetness is subdued by alcoholic lingerings and hints of fruit includes dates, prunes and fig. Not overly complex with no real yeast or hop scents. Really shines more when its a little warmer. Taste (4): Mild roasted flavours dominate with alcoholic flabours that linger in the mouth. Sweetness from the malt is mild and dark fruit flavours touch the pallet before the swallow. Flavours are slightly understated despite being a "big" beer. Decent warming capabilities. Mouthfeel (3.5): A medium body with a nice creamy feel. Alcohol floods the pallet. Prevalently dry but compliments the taste and feel of the style nicely. Could be chewier. Overall (4): All together Baltic Porter by Garrison is a well crafted offering. Fantastic appearance coupled with an interesting nose and complimentary taste gives this Garrison beer great marks. I feel like the 9% ABV dominated a bit and flavour complexities could have been increased to balance the big alcoholic taste and mouthfeel. Overall, a great beer for a cold Canadian night.