Who'd have expected a porter this intense from a bunch of sun-starved Fins? According to the Sinebrychoff website, porter-style beers were the most common brews made in Finland up until Prohibition and they've been brewing the stuff since 1860.
Tasting this, it makes sense. This is a hefty, syrupy brew loaded with chocolate, coffee and cream flavors, substantial enough to carry a young man through the 11 and 1/2 months of deep winter. One of the perennial problems with porter are roasted flavors that are too pronounced, but Sinebrychoff has enough richness to carry the few bitter high notes, with some bright hops to finish the trifecta. It is an exceptional porter that's almost a meal, especially at a big 7.2% alcohol.
Sinebrychoff Porter – 4 stars
This article appears in Sep 5-11, 2007.