Baltic Porter: Imperial stout’s vagabond cousin
Baltic porter has something in common with Buffalo wings and Philly cheesesteak – it only includes the name of the place when it’s from somewhere else. If you get an authentic Baltic porter from one of the countries touching the Baltic Sea, it’s likely to just be named “porter.” This is true for most porters; the strong ones from the Czech Republic also carry that name, as do the remaining ones from the UK, and some in other countries.
However, craft brewers in the United States and elsewhere in the world are more likely to use the name Baltic porter to differentiate it from the other types of porters that are produced. Still, they all trace back eventually to the original dark beers called porter brewed since the early 1700s in England, as do stouts (originally, termed stout porter).
Just about every country that borders the Baltic Sea produces a stronger porter that can be called a Baltic porter. While derived from (or inspired by) the beers that were once shipped from England to Russia, Baltic porters have evolved enough to be distinctly different from their forefathers. Most are produced as lagers, for instance.
Flavor-wise, modern Baltic porters often have more in common with doppelbocks than porters. They often have the strength of stronger stouts, but the flavor is sweeter and less burnt. Perhaps tropical stouts can sometimes have a similar balance, but I don’t want anyone to get the idea that Baltic porters are sweetened. They just happen to be richly malty with a restrained bitterness that can give them a sweeter balance.
Just about every country that borders the Baltic Sea produces a stronger porter that can be called a Baltic porter.
Brief geography lessons: The Baltic Sea is the body of water that is north of central Europe, between Denmark and Russia, and south of Scandinavia. It is kind of like the Mediterranean Sea’s baby brother to the north. It touches Germany, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Finland, and the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The Danish Straits provide a narrow entry point to the North Sea, and subsequently the Atlantic Ocean.
The Baltic Sea has been an important trading route since medieval times. The Norse and the Hanseatic League used it for mercantile purposes, as did the British Empire. The oft-repeated story about how Catherine the Great of Russia favored imperial stout? The exported English beer was shipped via the Baltic Sea.
The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) categorizes Baltic porter as Style 9C in the Strong European Beer category, along with doppelbock and eisbock. The category name references beer rather than lager to recognize that some versions of Baltic porter are top-fermented ales rather than bottom-fermented lagers; the other two category members are German lagers. Baltic porter was first added to the BJCP Guidelines in the 2004 edition.
Baltic Porter History
In this article, I’m talking more about the beer than the name, but the term Baltic porter is relatively recent. Michael Jackson wrote about porters in the Baltic region in the early to mid-1990s, and subsequently seemed to stick with Baltic porter or Baltic-style porter to describe them. I created the first beer style description for them in the 2004 edition of the BJCP Style Guidelines. But the beers from the area have a much longer history than the name.
Historically, porter and stout were big export products from Britain in the 1700s and 1800s (and continue to be today from Ireland). The products exported varied over time as the markets evolved, brewing ingredients and technology changed, and wars and taxes had an effect. Strong dark beers were shipped to the eastern markets over many years, not just for Catherine the Great to enjoy her favorite Russian imperial stout. Burton ales were exported, as were porters and stouts of varying strengths like double brown stout — not everything was enormous. And not everything was highly roasted, as the sweet London brown ales that were the basis of original porters didn’t use roasted malt, as that was not invented until 1817.
Wars, tariffs, government protection and intervention, and commercial interests interrupted imports to Baltic countries. Some British immigrants created breweries in Baltic countries (such as Scottish-born David Carnegie, in Sweden), while other countries developed their own breweries to brew similar products. Some of these other countries, such as Poland, began incorporating their own brewing traditions — German malts, hops, yeast, and brewing practices (such as decoction mashes). Later, some of these traditions made their way into the former Soviet states as parts of Poland were forcibly incorporated into the USSR.
The point is that modern Baltic porters don’t have a single point of origin. Yes, they tended to be derived from English beers originally, but different export beers were the source. And in different countries, local brewing traditions at the time helped modify the styles. And the transformation process was repeated several times, and not the same in all countries. So the result is a collection of beers with a somewhat similar profile that form a style, but that don’t have a common history. When talking about commercial beers, the country where the beer was produced is important to note since that helps the understanding of their interpretation of the style.
In the craft-beer era, there has been a bit of a resurgence of the style in Europe, and it remains quite popular in Poland. Many American craft breweries make seasonal versions but they are often more roasty and bitter than their European counterparts. Some of these are probably best thought of as imperial porters, under the American craft beer nomenclature — they are like sweet, scaled-up American porters more than the imported modern versions.
Since the style definition and name came well after the commercial examples, it’s best to remember that beer styles are a modern invention to categorize beers that are already being made. So in this case, a group of modern porters from the Baltic region that had a similar profile were grouped together to create a style for competition purposes. Judges of these beers should likewise remember that there are many different interpretations, and that modern Baltic porters may only have a passing resemblance to any historical beers.
Sensory Profile
Baltic porter is a strong, dark, malty beer that has many different variations throughout the Baltic region. It is not an easy beer to characterize since there are so many different examples, all of them quite good. My caution is to avoid trying to generalize about the style because there is almost always a counter-example. I know, because I’ve tried to describe them this way and it doesn’t work.
If I did try to generalize by area, I would say that those from Scandinavia tend to be a bit closer to the English origin of porter than those from further east. Carnegie Porter from Sweden was brewed with ale yeast for a long time before switching to lager yeast recently. Those from Poland tend to be higher in alcohol. Those from the Baltic States tend to have a more caramelly flavor. And those from the Southern Baltic area tend to have more of a German malt influence. But these are rough generalizations that cannot be used as rules.
Modern Baltic porters are most often made as lagers, so they tend to have a smooth character; even if made as ales, they tend to be cold-fermented and conditioned to maintain this profile. While lagers, they have a fruity character from malt more than from yeast — the same kind of fruitiness sometimes found in doppelbocks and stronger beers. The roasted malt character should not have a sharp, acrid, or burnt quality. The base malt flavor is often more rich and malty than bready. These are the main qualities that define the style.
Most examples are in the 7–8.5% ABV range — Sinebrychoff is 7.2%, Okocim is 8.3%, and Baltika is 7%. Some of the Polish porters are stronger, with Zywiec weighing in at 9.5%. On the lower end, Carnegie is somewhat of an outlier at 5.5%. In the past, the range went down to allow this beer, but it was so much of an anomaly that the lower end of the range is set at 6.5%. A warming alcohol level is desirable, but the beer should never seem hot.
The body of the beer is fairly full, but the lager smoothness, aged alcohol, and medium to medium-high carbonation keep it from seeming heavy. The beer is dark but not often found to be black – commonly they vary from a dark reddish copper to a dark brown. The head should be thick and persistent, with a tan color. Clarity is good, although you shouldn’t be able to see through darker versions.
The malt flavors are complex and varied. A rich malty base supports character notes of caramel, toffee, nuts, toast, or licorice. Darker malt flavors provide a rich chocolate, coffee, or molasses flavor, but should never have burnt notes. The malt character is sensed in both the flavor and aroma. The beer can be a bit chewy and sweet, but the darker malts and alcohol tend to balance the sweetness. The beer can start malty and sweet but should have some dryness towards the finish. Hops provide bitterness balance but rarely much more in flavor or aroma.
More than many descriptions, I find myself describing Baltic porter as containing flavors from several other styles. It has the body, maltiness, and richness of a doppelbock, the darker malt character of an English porter but with the roast of a schwarzbier, and the alcohol and fruitiness of an old ale. While related to an imperial stout, its flavor profile actually has less in common with this style than with many of the others mentioned.
Brewing Ingredients and Methods
I think there are two basic ways to make a Baltic porter: One is to start with an English porter, and scale it up with some additional crystal malts and ferment it with lager yeast, and the other is to start with a doppelbock, and boost the darker and fruitier flavors. Or you can take elements from both methods and combine them. Just try to avoid burnt and hoppy flavors, especially New World-type hop flavors.
The base malt can be Pilsner, pale ale, or Vienna malt — the flavor profile of the other malts will tend to dominate the base. Munich or dark Munich malt can provide richness like in bock beers. Caramel malts, including German types like Caramunich®, can add some sweetness and fruitiness. Darker malts such as chocolate or debittered black malts can give darker flavors. If trying to play up the English origin, adding brown or amber malt can bring in complex toast. The balance of these malts will give the beer its complexity, especially when used to make a stronger beer.
Adjuncts, especially sugars, can be used to increase the flavor complexity and color. Using something like molasses or treacle can have a large impact on the flavor, so try to use a light hand. Some of these flavors can overlap darker crystal-type malts, so be careful of doubling up on those flavors (similar advice to what I tell people for brewing darker Belgian styles).
Some recipes can be quite complex (as mine is), or some can be simplified. Sinebrychoff is said to be made with four malts — I’m assuming a base malt like Pilsner or Vienna, a richer base malt like dark Munich, a caramel malt like Caramunich®, and a chocolate malt for color and flavor. Balancing the percentages of these malts gives the beer its flavor profile, and can take some tweaking to meet your personal taste preferences.
When using a complex grain bill, I think a single infusion mash will work well. I don’t think a high mash temperature is necessary since the quantity of specialty grains will tend to provide the beer with body and residual sweetness. If the grain bill is simple, then a more complex mash program like decoction mashing can increase the malt flavor complexity and darkness.
Continental-type hops, often Saazer-type, are appropriate, as are Polish hops. Using a clean bittering hop like Magnum will produce good results. The hop character is often subtle so the so-called noble hops that give a floral, herbal, or spicy character provide compatible flavors. The citrusy, piney, dank, or tropical flavors from New World hops are inappropriate in this style, as are any bittering hops that give a harsh bitterness.
German lager yeast is a good choice, especially something that produces a malty profile such as the W34/70 yeast — available as dry yeast from Fermentis, or as liquid yeast from Wyeast 2124 (Bohemian Lager), or White Labs WLP830 (German Lager). I would also consider White Labs WLP833 (German Bock) yeast. There used to be a Swedish porter yeast available from Wyeast, but they discontinued it when it was discovered to be the same as their Ringwood strain (Wyeast 1187). Any clean-fermenting yeast that doesn’t overly attenuate the beer should work well, however. I think a cold-conditioning phase helps the flavor profile develop and also allows the alcohol to smooth out.
Homebrew Example
My version is somewhat of a hybrid, taking inspiration from the Swedish Carnegie Porter, but making it as a lager and scaling up the strength. Specialty malts and sugars provide much of the flavor profile, while lagering provides the smoothness. I blended this beer with a blackberry melomel – a flavor combination I still love – to win a gold medal in the Fruit Beer category at the National Homebrew Competition (NHC) in 2009.
I’m using English pale ale malt as the base, which can add some breadiness. I amplify this character while adding maltiness by using both dark Munich (Munich II) and British brown malt — a combination I love. I develop complexity by using three crystal malts and three dark malts or sugars. Yeah, you can simplify this. But I do like layering flavors in complex beers, and this is a way to achieve it. As I suggested, a complex grain bill can support a simple mash program so I just use a single step.
I use a combination of English and German hops as an homage to the dual roots of this style. Bittering is kept at a modest level, while the final gravity is at the high end of the style. The darker malts will add some dryness to the finish so the sweetness won’t be extreme.
Perhaps the most unusual aspect of my recipe is my choice of California Lager yeast (like you’d use in California Common), which was done so I didn’t have to maintain quite as cold a fermentation temperature. If you switch to something like W34/70, be sure to lower the fermentation temperature to a normal (colder) range for that yeast.
The strength of the beer is right in the middle of the range for the style, about 7.8%. So while it has flavors similar to those from a Carnegie Porter, it has strength more similar to those from the Baltic States. I’m not trying to produce a clone beer, just one that will seem interesting and complex. I think it makes a great cold weather alternative to imperial stout.
Baltic Porter by the numbers:
OG: 1.060–1.090
FG: 1.016–1.024
SRM: 17–30
IBU: 20–40
ABV: 6.5–9.5%
Baltic Porter Recipe
Baltic Porter
(5 gallons/19 L, all-grain)
OG = 1.083 FG = 1.024
IBU = 30 SRM = 54 ABV = 7.8%
Ingredients
7 lbs. (3.2 kg) Maris Otter pale ale malt
3.5 lbs. (1.6 kg) German dark Munich malt
1.5 lbs. (680 g) UK brown malt
1 lb. (454 g) German wheat malt
1.75 lbs. (794 g) German Caramunich® II malt
1.25 lbs. (567 g) UK crystal malt (90 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian Special B malt
12 oz. (567 g) UK chocolate malt (450 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) Carafa® Special III malt
1 oz. (30 mL) black treacle
9 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.) (2 oz./57 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
1.75 AAU Hallertauer hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (2 min.)
Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) or White Labs WLP810 (San Francisco Lager) or Mangrove Jack’s M54 (Californian Lager) yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Two or three days before brew day, make the yeast starter (2-qt./2-L starter), aerating the wort thoroughly (preferably with oxygen) before pitching the yeast.
On brew day, mash in the pale ale, Munich, brown and wheat malts at 151 °F (66 °C) in 26 qts. (25 L) of water. Hold at this temperature for 60 minutes. Add the three crystal and two chocolate malts, then raise mash temperature to 170 °F (77 °C). Hold at this temperature for 5 minutes then begin to recirculate the wort. Run off wort and sparge with water hot enough to keep the grain bed around 170 °F (77 °C). Collect 6.5 gallons (25 L) of wort. Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Ferment at 62 °F (17 °C). Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for 12 weeks.
Baltic Porter
(5 gallons/19 L, extract with grains)
OG = 1.083 FG = 1.024
IBU = 30 SRM = 54 ABV = 7.8%
Ingredients
6.6 lbs. (3 kg) Maris Otter liquid malt extract (15 min.)
1 lb. (454 g) extra light dried malt extract
1.5 lbs. (680 g) UK brown malt
1.75 lbs. (794 g) German Caramunich® II malt
1.25 lbs. (567 g) UK crystal malt (90 °L)
8 oz. (227 g) Belgian Special B malt
12 oz. (567 g) UK chocolate malt (450 °L)
6 oz. (170 g) Carafa® Special III malt
1 oz. (30 mL) black treacle
9 AAU Fuggle hops (60 min.) (2 oz./57 g at 4.5% alpha acids)
1.75 AAU Hallertauer hops (10 min.) (0.5 oz./14 g at 3.5% alpha acids)
0.5 oz. (14 g) Hallertauer hops (2 min.)
Wyeast 2112 (California Lager) or White Labs WLP810 (San Francisco Lager) or Mangrove Jack’s M54 (Californian Lager) yeast
3/4 cup corn sugar (for priming)
Step by Step
Steep grains in 3 gallons (11 L) of 158 °F (70 °C) water for 30 minutes. Remove grain, add dried malt extract and enough water to make at least 3 gallons (11 L) of wort. Boil wort for 60 minutes, adding hops at times indicated. Keep some boiling water handy and do not let boil volume dip below the 3-gallon (11-L) mark. Add liquid malt extract in the final 15 minutes of the boil. Chill wort, transfer to fermenter and top up to 5 gallons (19 L) with cold water. Aerate wort with oxygen and pitch yeast. Ferment at 62 °F (17 °C). Lager at 34 °F (1 °C) for 12 weeks.
