OEC “Obscura” Baltic Porter

Oxford, CT - 8% abv

Baltic porter, smoother and more expressive than its British cousin, is a rare style of beer these days.

True cold-fermented porters, lighter in body than stouts, held in open-top vessels are not exactly in high demand. Upon drinking this example from Oxford’s OEC, it becomes clear that this style of beer should be increasing in popularity!

These local brewing wizards and champions of obscure European beer styles have already firmly established their roots in CT sour beer fame, and now set out to make just-as-complex clean beers. With this interpretation, their expertise shows. The beer pours jet black, with a foamy brown head. The dark fruit on the nose centers around raisins and plums, with hints of bitter chicory.

On the palate, the fruit, bitter and chocolate aspects of this beer combine and sing together to create a symphony of delicious flavors appropriate of drinking with any sort of winter stew or deeply flavored dishes. This beer is savory on the nose as much as it is on the palate.