Porters are slowly becoming one of my favorite styles of beer. Not only are they in the stout family, but they have a smokiness that I love as well. The Ølfabrikken Porter from Roskilde, Denmark is a prime example of what I love about porters. Though it’s actually classified a Baltic Porter. These beers started out much like the imperial stouts in that they were brewed to ship across the Baltic Sea. They were also very strong by beer standards at that time. Needless to say, they are on the weaker side of the extreme by today’s standards. But what I really love about them the most is the unique flavors they provide. Most of these porters contain aromas like smoke, caramel, and even licorice. Then, you start to get bits of chocolate and coffee like you would normally get from an imperial stout. The most enjoyable element of these beers to me, though, is how drinkable they are. Bigger stouts can become too cumbersome once you start hitting about 10% ABV or more. The Ølfabrikken Porter clocks in right at 7.5% which is a lot more manageable for me these days. By the way, did I mention RateBeer and BeerAdvocate both name this the best porter in the world? It’s damn good – that’s for sure.
Check out all sessions of The Hopry here.
This beer can be found in these states.
On the iPod: Godspeed You Black Emperor!
Brewery: Ølfabrikken
Beer: Porter
Style: Imperial Stout
Location: Roskilde, Denmark
ABV: 7.5%
Rating: 94/100
Posted by Michael on March 8, 2010 at 9:07 AM
Fantastic! Coincidentally, i just picked this up over the weekend. I’ll wait to watch your video review for when I have a pour. Very excited, as I have fondness for big porters.
Other interesting beers I sampled this weekend:
Stone Vertical Epic 09-09-09: Good porter, but no real complexities or unexpectedness worth remembering. Belgian character is restrained. Spicy hops are evident. An unpleasant, ashy, charcoal flavor is more forward than expected.
Lost Abbey’s Angel’s Share: Wow. This is carbonated wine. Literally. Completely dominated by the Port/Sherry, lots of dark fruits, and a not-quite-sourness. Very forward nutty aftertaste that I actually wish was present in some other brews… loved that part. This is truly the most unusual beer I’ve had to date, but in the end, not worth the cost.
Posted by thehopry on March 8, 2010 at 4:34 PM
As luck would have it I will be sharing an Angel’s Share with a friend of mine tonight. I’m very excited to see what it tastes like as I’ve not had one yet. I’ve heard about all the carbonation issues, so I’m hoping it’s not too bad.