Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique

In an earlier post I reviewed my favorite Baltic Porter, Olfabrikken.  Recently, I've read that Olfabrikken may be out of business, which is horrible to hear.  Any bottles I see of it out there I'm going to try to pick up and save as there just may not be any made...ever.  The good news is that while this style of beer doesn't have as much depth as an IPA or even a Double IPA, it does have some solid contenders.  

This is my top 5 Baltic Porters:

1. Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique

2. Olfabrikken Porter

3. Carlsberg Sverige D. Carnegie & Co Stark Porter

4. Oy Sinebrychoff Porter

5. Smuttynose Baltic Porter

5a. Surly Smoke (had only a sample size at a tasting)

My new number 1 is one I just discovered recently, Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique from Canada.  Bottles of Les Trois Mousquetaires have been appearing in local stores and I always thought I should try one of their beers.  However, none really caught my attention until I saw this Baltic Porter at Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont. 

The bottle is dark & menacing, the cork literally took all my might to get it out, and the pour was beautiful.  The nose was pretty faint, but I could definitely smell some roasted malts.  I was not expecting much when I bought this beer, but the first sip was a complete surprise of yummy goodness.  After my first sip, I let it sit for a little bit to warm up & open up.  After that I could taste notes of cherry, chocolate, roasted malt, and even some molasses/sugary notes.  Each sip was a bit different, as I got some citrus and dark fruit, and some good moments of heat from the alcohol.  

Absolutely amazing Baltic Porter.  I highly recommend this for anyone that enjoys a very complex beer.  I hope to have it again VERY soon.

Kev Rating: A+
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 10.00%

IBUs: ?
Availability: Just discovered this one @ Craft Beer Cellar.  Did see another at Ball Square Fine Wines in Somerville
Had: 750ml Bottle into Snifter
Region: Brossard, Quebec, Canada

Olfabrikken Porter

In honor of my upcoming trip to a foreign land (Aruba), I am posting my first foreign brewed ale.  This beer was one of the first foreign beers I'd never heard of and decided to try...I know, I know living on the edge!  So just to be clear, I'm not talking about Guinness or Samuel Smith, but a real hidden gem.  To this day, this is the best Baltic Porter I've had - Olfabrikken Porter.   

What makes a porter Baltic, you may ask?  Well, I'm glad you're paying attention as that's a good question!  According to multiple sources, a Baltic Porter is typically brewed in Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Denmark or Sweden; the Olfabrikken Porter is brewed in Denmark.

Being adventurous is the only way to pursue the perfect beer.  So when I first saw this beer at Marty's in West Newton about 5 years ago (or thereabouts).  I was drawn to the fun to say name...Ol Fa Brik ken (that's how I say it anyway) and the fact that it was a Porter that I had never heard of.  After the first sip, I was in love.  You get the normal Porter characteristics, big roasted malt & barley, some chocolate, brown sugar, and a little something else that's hard to identify.  Almost all of the Baltic Porters I've had (Sinebrychoff, Smuttynose, Victory, etc...) have a faint sour or subtle fruit note throughout.  While this sounds strange, it's just part of this complex Porter.  This Porter is deep black and stout like, but doesn't have the typical bitterness of some stouts.  It goes down smooth, especially for a 7.5% beer.  If you like Porters, I suggest taking a dip in the Baltics and going for this one!

Kev Rating: A+
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 7.50%

IBUs: ?
Availability:  Easy to find at a store with a good selection of Foreign Craft Beers
Had: 22oz bottle purchased originally at Marty's in West Newton (many times since)
Region: Denmark