Solid Baltic Porter/ India Pale Ale hybrid (not far removed from a Cascadian dark ale) brings pine-fruited hop spicing, latent wood burnt bittering and earthen herbal respite to sweet mocha molasses sugaring. At its center, tangy grapefruit-pineapple-melon-cherry conflux contrasts dark chocolate malting. Clandestine hazelnut-chestnut-walnut conflux and mild maple molasses nuance fill out backend. Well-balanced medium-full body introduced in 2012 just after trendy Black IPA fad settled down a tad.

Worthy 2012 limited edition Baltic porter hybrid plies cocoa-dried chocolate malting and black coffee bittering to subtle blood orange peel bittering that’s pleasingly overwhelmed by peaty mulch composting. Dark chocolate-roasted cocoa nibs influence fortifies dusky mocha finish.

On tap, soft-textured dry porter relies more on soy-sauced dried fruiting than expected mocha malting. Sun-dried fig, plum, and pomegranate illusions inundate soured frontage. Mossy peat-smoked earthen dewing nabs stove-burnt coffee and flaked chocolate subsidy.

Peculiar medium-bodied Baltic porter loses initial black chocolate-kissed coffee roast to oily hop-charred walnut sharpness and trifling dried fruit sourness. Closer to a precarious schwarzbier with its musky caramel-malted creaminess, dry cocoa-powdered piquancy, and tannic black cherry tartness. Ashy cardboard backdrop fades abruptly to buttery soy cocoa finish. Perplexingly meandering.

‘Hardwood smoked malts’ waft through bottle-conditioned Baltic-styled porter endorsing Winston Churchill (on label). Bittersweet black chocolate richness relegates roasted coffee bean severity and hop-charred walnut harshness. Sticky blackstrap molasses backdrop brings out cacophonous cocoa cusp, minor espresso tinge, and latently, vinous cherry-grape souring.

This moderate porter doesn’t hit you over the head with chocolate and coffee overtones, just a few well chosen malted grains, simple ingredients that combine for soft-toned irresistibility. Brewery defunct: 2001.

Despite 7% alcohol heft, mahogany-hued moderate body maintains light port appeal as ethereal prune-raisin register, sour cherry proxy, and barren currant-grape trickle soak dry wood-smoked tone. Roasted nuttiness saturates caramelized barleymalt foundation and lurking dark chocolate-y maple sugaring infiltrates amiable Black Forest cake finish.

Murkily defined Baltic porter retains acrid dark chocolate malting over soured prune-raisin subsidy. Milky dark amber hue result of ‘mellow’ caramel malting, sweet honeyed molasses dip and mild fudgy creaminess. Barley-roasted mocha mildness puts this closer to brown ale than heavier porter. Too light and watery up-front, though medicinal-to-chocolate liqueur finish retains richness. More peculiar than unique.

Chalky mahogany-hued tan-headed Baltic porter with concealed 9.4% alcohol thrust mires candi-sugared lactose malting and sour chocolate blur with harsh hop char. Dry cocoa astringency, weak burnt caramel jot, and frail anise blot weaken earthen walnut-pomegranate trail, disrupting thin port-barleywine illusions.

Black as Texas gold, here’s a fab Finnish porter in a cozy 11-ounce bottle contrasting rich coffee bean affluence, sharp cola nuttiness and creamy sweet-sour chocolate milking against massive oily-hopped Blackstrap molasses bittering. Fudgy burnt caramel snip and recessive anise blot speckle ancillary ashen cedar char. Acidic port notes sneak by mossy bottom. Label accurately insists it’s ‘high gravity, bottle conditioned, strong, aging like fine wine.’ But its soft-tongued effervescence makes it go down easy. Fully formed though a bit abstruse and in need of better flavor specificity.

Sambuca-like hue and black chocolate aroma perk up bittersweet mocha malting and lingering coffee overtones to lasting creamy finish. A fine Texas find. Brewery defunct: circa 2006.