In the 1700's, London porter was the most popular beer in the world--hard to imagine for the generations raised on light lagers and American IPAs--and after Peter the Great opened up trade between czarist Russia and the west, the Russian imperial court took a particular liking to the stoutest ones they can get their lips on.  But the story of Russian imperial stout is a well told tale.  This winter we turn our attention to the repercussions of this trade as they reverberated across the Baltic Sea and into Europe.

The trade ships not only stopped in St. Petersburg, but called on ports all along the Baltic from Copenhagen to Helsinki.  It should come as no surprise that anyone who got a taste of the fine English porter along the way developed a taste for it themselves.  Smaller breweries stepped up along that route to supply porter to their local markets, brewing their own interpretations of the style with the supplies at hand.  As these beers worked their way inland--even as far as Poland--the recipes continued to evolve, mutating more toward the local ingredients and processes and further from the English inspiration.  Some remained ales, some became lagers, some retained the intense roast character, some rounded out into a softer product, some weighed in around 5% ABV, some climbed as high as 9.5%.

Our entry in the Solitary Series this winter is our own re-interpretation of the forces that gave rise to the Baltic porter.  We take a hefty malt bill loaded with dark malts characteristic of a porter and pair it with our signature Kölsch yeast.  Like the style itself, our Kölsch yeast toes the line between ale and lager, giving the beer a lighter body and clean, crisp finish when compared to its English cousins, with subtle dark fruit esters not found in lager fermentations.  We also swapped out the black malt for a de-husked version malted in Bavaria, that allows the beer to retain its deep black color, while rounding off the harsher bitter aspects of the roast flavor.  With this malt bill and yeast, the beer is just as much a bigger brother to our upcoming schwarzbier, the Blackjacket, as it is a porter errant.  We then layered in dark crystal malts to contribute sweeter notes of chocolate, toffee and dried cranberries and bring out the decadent side of its heritage.

As you swirl this 9% ABV beast in your glass, it becomes clear that it represents more than just a healthy dose of holiday cheer.  It is the heir to an entire continent's worth of brewing tradition, and a fitting continuation of the Solitary Series.  We hope you grab a glass while you can, and have a merry Christmas!