We checked out Fortuna Brewery’s Komes Baltic Porter at our meat-filled bash on a Polish farm.  It was the highest rated thing we could find in the Polish grocery store.

Why hello table full of alcohol.

My tasting notes are… scattered.  You may see the table full of beers behind the Komes Porter Bałtycki. Or perhaps the straw poking out from one of the Gold Rushes I was making for our hosts. You may even see a bottle of jäger prowling in the background. No I’m not that kind of lush; there were 8 other people there. Most of them Polish.  And honestly I’m pretty sure I didn’t touch the master of hunters. But there was enough else going on and it was long enough ago that it’s fair to say I am an unreliable witness.

Here are the things I remember:

• Lots of dark roasted malt flavor. I’m usually not a fan of especially malty beers, but I did like this guy.
• Rich dark fruits and chocolate.
• Not overly sweet or cloying. This surprised me; usually high ABV dark beers are borderline syrup.
• Well hidden alcohol (9%, but you’d never know it).

It’s not a style of tried much before, but I thought it was a really well put-together beer. I would buy it again, and it’s worth checking out if you have the chance. Bring some friends. Or a sleeping bag.