Lots of
countries have a number of very good beers to their credit. Perhaps Frank
Zappa put it best when he said, “You can't be a Real Country unless you have
a BEER and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team or
some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a BEER.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself. So, when I set out to take a tour
around the world in eighty beers, all of them bottled mind you, you can
imagine that at times the decision on what beer best represents a country
could be difficult indeed. At times, it has been, but when the choice came
for Lithuania, it was a simple one: Utenos Porter.
Lithuania is not generally regarded as one of the world’s great brewing
nations. Yet, I would submit to you that Utenos Porter is a world-class
brew, and one that is certainly worth seeking out. This is not porter in the
classic sense, at least as the style is defined in England where it was
born.
Nay, this is a Baltic Porter a unique interpretation of the style
that is bottom fermented rather than top, meaning this is a lager rather
than an ale. Thus, the fruity notes one might expect are absent here (other
than raisin), though the rich malty notes have a magic all their own.
Utenos is a bit stronger than your average porter, too. At 6.8% alcohol by
volume, the beer has a bit more kick to it, fitting to keep one warm on a
cold Baltic night. This is a brew any Lithuanian can be proud of. Descended
from such stock myself, this beer holds a special place in my heart.
Utenos Porter pours to a decidedly rich looking caramel brown color
with a towering head of creamy tan foam and a soothing treacle and caramel
nose. On the palate, Utenos Porter is wonderfully rich and complex with
thick notes of molasses and raisin, nutty dark sweet malt, chocolate,
vanilla, and caramel. The beer is smooth and luxuriant, full to the
mouthfeel, and glides right over the tongue.
In some respects the dark malty flavors call to mind a decocted double bock.
The slight alcohol warmth in the finish reinforces that impression. The
finish is certainly on the sweet side, with just a trace of hops that do not
even pretend to contest the malt sweetness. A wonderfully warm and rich
nutty chocolate sensation is left on the tongue after sipping.
Truly, Utenos Porter is Lithuania in a bottle.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
(G)=Growler