Left Hand Fade to Black, Vol. 2—Smoked Baltic Porter

*Note: Fade to Black is a series; each year the bottle is the same, but the contents change. Each year's beer is noted in relatively small type on the neck label.

Left Hand Brewing Company
Longmont, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2/3
Deep mahogany color. Opaque. Nice espresso head that faded fast, tiny bubbles.

AROMA: 3/4
Roasty–subtle smoky nose, burnt coffee, dark chocolate. No discernible hop aroma.

TASTE: 7.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 2.75/4: Hop bitterness at front. Malty. Chocolate, subtle prune. Could use more hop bitterness.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Sourness that fades to a roasted, nutty finish. Smoky.
Mouth-Feel: 2.25/3: Full mouth. Noticeable sour tones, but not puckering.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: A mostly standard dark porter, though the sourness gives it a twist. One quibble with the branding–it's not well expressed that this is part of a series, something that changes from year to year. If you miss the type on the neck label, you might overlook that this isn't last year's beer.

TOTAL: 14.5/20–I'll Try A Pint

NOTES:
Matt: I like it as much as any porter I've had recently, but it's not mind-blowing (admission: I'm not a huge fan of the style).
Ben: A good porter, could use more smoky flavor. This was a disappointment after last year's excellent stout.