The Einstök Icelandic Toasted Porter is an award-winning, Baltic-inspired porter with 6% ABV from Einstök Ölgerð in Akureyri, which unfolds a depth of flavor through an artfully composed malt blend of lager, Munich, and chocolate malts, Bavarian Northern Brewer hops, natural Icelandic glacier water, and the distinctive coffee from the local Akureyri roastery Kaffibrennsla. This combination earned a silver medal at the 2014 International Beer Challenge in London and gold at the 2015 L.A. International Beer Competition. In the glass, it presents itself in an almost impenetrable deep black with reddish reflections and a creamy, beige foam crown, while a rich bouquet of roasted espresso, dark chocolate, toffee, and a hint of licorice transitions into a medium-bodied, surprisingly smooth and balanced palate. The use of lager yeast – in the Baltic porter tradition – gives the beer a characteristic cleanliness and freshness, finishing in a long, dry, and slightly bitter roasted malt aftertaste with lingering coffee and chocolate notes. The Einstök Icelandic Toasted Porter is the perfect choice for those seeking a high-quality, dark-aromatic, and surprisingly accessible Icelandic Baltic porter, which impresses as a meditative enjoyment on cool evenings, as a companion to chocolate desserts and aged cheeses, as well as an impressive proof that Iceland’s pure glacier water imparts a distinctive Nordic cleanliness and elegance even to the darkest beer styles.
