Town Hall Le Baltique Barrel-aged Baltic Porter

This year, Town Hall's Barrel-aged Week started on a Sunday, today, February 14. Not that you could drink any of them in the pub, no, the event that kicked it off was a bunch of dudes (maybe there could have been a chick in line, but, come on, it was all dudes) standing in line in 8 degree weather, with snow falling from the sky, waiting to buy tickets to get a growler of the barrel aged beers. I was actually waking  up around then, but there was no way I was going to go across town and stand outside for that purpose. For one thing, I do not have the available funds for such foolishness. I will, though, drink as many of them as I can on my nights off, if I can afford it. I'll get the flights, and will bring one growler home. There were some left when I got there later in the afternoon, even a few I haven't reviewed yet.

Meanwhile, I have a growler of a barrel-aged beer from last year's festivities, that was released about a month ago. Been sitting on it for just about long enough. They call it Le Baltique, and I stole this description from BeerAdvocate.com: This Barrel Aged Baltic style porter is a rich lager. It has very complex, multi-layered flavors including dark cacao, coffee, raisin or black currant, with hints of licorice/anise, and molasses. It was then entombed in a French Oak red wine barrel from CA. Many many moons later we have this splendid sipper.

Oddly, ratebeer. com says this: Our Baltic Porter is a dark, rich, lager-yeasted beer whose intense color is belied by its clean, approachable flavor. Complex, multi-layered flavors include dark cacao, coffee, raisin and molasses. The dark fruit found in the base beer is intensified by aging in a French oak red wine barrel from California, and the mellow tannins and oak play beautifully with the roasted malts. Alc. by Vol. 8.5%.

And I am now going to say this (writing these notes without having read the descriptions posted above):

Impenetrable darkness, with a swift brown head, gone in a blink.

Aromatics: getting the wine barrels notes first. A little twisted and funky, Slightly vinegar-y. Raisins, dates, port wine. I love it. You don't get this in a beer every day, now, do you.

In the mouth: Weird stuff coming down the pike. Just a little hot and boozy at first, then the oak, then the wine, along come the tannins, dark fruits, cocoa, molasses, ....So, Baltic Porter in a French oak red wine barrel. (I've since peeked up at the notes, to remind me of what I'm drinking here.) Increasingly tasty, and rapidly delicious. Just a little hot, but the right kind of tasty, boozy heat. It's a perfect nightcap, just what I need on a cold February night. Creeping sweetness, continually smooth, evolving complexity...rather rich and decidedly delicious.