Burial "Ulfberht" Baltic Porter

Don't go all floral on me, Burial. The can says it was made with juniper, and I hope it was used sparingly. Definitely used sparingly were vowels in the name of this beer. I tried to pronounce it, and it comes off as a kind of sneeze when I say it out loud. The H and the T need some vowel in there to maintain structure.

The black beer has a light tan head that isn't much to talk about to begin with, and it fizzles right away to a very thin ring around the glass - no lacing for us today. The aroma is all porter. There might be a little highlighted floral scent added to the dark chocolate and coffee with earth tossed in to make it darker and more bitter, but this is about a textbook smell for a porter, and I'm happy to smell it.

First sip is kind of bitter, sweet, chocolate, coffee, oak, earth, vanilla, nuts, and a little black licorice. The juniper is giving it a little highlight of flowers that compliment the deep darkness of the other flavors very well. If I were to sip this beer for the next couple of hours, I suspect I'd be very happy with this beer, but first I must swig.

Tip-in is light carbonation tingle with chocolate, bitterness,  and oak leading the way. The middle reaches into the mouth with a smooth caress of vanilla, chocolate, coffee, earth, macadamia nuts, and licorice. The finish is a goodbye kiss of carbonation followed by bitterness, oak, coffee, and then the trail-off of floral sweetness.

Bottom Line: I officially really like porters.

4.5/5