I don’t know why this beer’s called Angry Fish, but the decal shows one of those terrifying deep sea creatures that mankind was never supposed to see. Anglerfish? Giant isopods? Sea cucumbers that look like the spawn of Sauron and an Eldritch horror? I say leave them in the dark abyss where they belong.
Thankfully, Angry Fish Baltic Porter isn’t impenetrable to all light and goodness. Lift your glass and you’ll see plenty of red shining through; unlike the crushing blackness of the Mariana Trench, this beer allows for a glimmer of hope in the world.
The nose offers up plenty of roast and coffee with an earthy note it’s hard to put your finger on: forest floor, unlit cigar, savoury musk. And once you start to drink, you begin to descend to an even darker place; granted, it’s not the deathgrip void of the ocean floor, but it’s not for the faint of heart, either. Angry Fish swims in the intense flavours of dark bitter chocolate, dark roasted coffee, and a hardwood log edged with char. Don’t be fooled by the measurement of 21 IBUs; the hops may not bring much bitterness here, but the flavours from the roasted malt certainly do. Luckily, there’s just enough sweetness to balance the heavy bitterness that could otherwise overpower you in its mighty jaws.
Noisy Minor brewed this beer for GABS, but don’t expect any Biscoff, sweet potato, or camel dung. This is a straight Baltic porter – even if it does almost drag you down to a place of no return.
Now, who’s up for a night swim?
Mick Wüst
Angry Fish is tap-only, and is available at Fortitude, Ballistic and Catchment venues.
Published June 28, 2024 2024-06-28 00:00:00
