Beer of the Weekend #565: Baltika #4 Dark Lager

To dull the sting of Iowa’s loss at Minnesota last night, I drank the last of my Hartig Drug Russian haul: Baltika #4 Dark Lager, brewed by Baltika Breweries in St. Petersburg, Russia.


Serving type: 500 ml bottle. The “PRODUCTION DATE” is “25.06.13” and the “BEST BEFORE” date is “25.06.14.”

Appearance: Poured into a pint glass. The color is ruby amber. A finger of ruby-tinted, tan, buttery head dissipates slowly and leaves a skim and ring around the edge.

Smell: A big dose of candy caramel is complemented by toffee, toasted malts, dark fruit (mostly cherry), and grassy and floral hop characters.

Taste: Not as sweet as the smell leads on. The grassiness is prominent at first but makes way for toasted malts, candy caramel, toffee, cherry syrup, and a touch of alcohol.

Drinkability: Good stuff. Light and smooth but also flavorful.

Fun facts about B#4DL:

-Style: It is classified on BA as “Euro Dark Lager.”

-Price: $2.29/bottle at the Hartig Drug on Mormon Trek Boulevard in Iowa City.

-Alcohol content: “[N]ot less than 5.6% by volume,” according to the beer’s webpage.

-An alternate name for the beer is Baltika #4 Original.


The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.

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