Appearance

The Põhjala Öö Cassis pours with a satisfying viscosity that I love to see in a stout. The head is much darker than other stouts I’ve had.

Aroma

The Öö Cassis has a wonderfully crisp and sour blackcurrant aroma. The aroma is so intense that my mouth is watering.

Flavor

The blackcurrant on the Öö Cassis hits you immediately and then transitions into a thick, intense, malty flavor that coats the palate. The malty flavor is very full bodied. As the Öö Cassis warms up, the fruity blackcurrant becomes even more intense, pushing the malty flavors aside. I found the mouthfeel quite satisfying and coated my palate as I would expect a good stout to do.

Balance

The balance on the Öö Cassis is all over the place. Sometimes the malt flavors dominate the tasting profile, and then out of nowhere the fruit notes take over the flavor and the finish.

Finish

The finish is a syrupy malt profile with some hints of coffee. As the beer warms up, the blackcurrant starts to bleed into the finish with an intense sourness.

Overall

The Põhjala Öö Cassis was a really interesting flavor profile. Although the balance was fairly average, the overall beer experience was very good. The blackcurrant is prominent, so this isn’t a beer you would have more than one of in a session.

John McTavish

SCORE

7.92

Cost/Point

$0.81

Scoring System

Personal Beer Review: Põhjala Öö Cassis