Maui Brewing CoCoNut Porter
It seems that the past couple of months have seen a good deal of hype for Maui Brewing Company’s CoCoNut Porter — at least in Virginia it’s been highly touted. Perhaps, that’s due to it finally having a wider availability here. At any rate, this 6% ABV porter has been winning awards since 2006 and if the four cans I enjoyed are any indication, it will continue to do so for years to come.
When it comes to coconut, I’m usually not its biggest fan. When it comes to coconut in beer, I believe I’ve only ever had one brew (so far) that was made with it. That would be Kona Brewing’s Koko Brown Ale, a wonderfully tasty brew that utilized toasted coconut within its depths. Lucky for me, Maui Brewing also toasted its coconut before incorporating into this rich and tasty porter. Would it be just as tasty?
Appearance
CoCoNut Porter pours black with a creamy, mocha head that faded to clinging lace.
Aroma
Dark roast malt, espresso, toasted coconut and subtle cocoa all come together nicely in this clean smelling beer.
Taste
Wow. This brew is quite deserving of the hype it’s been getting. A more pronounced dark chocolate character arrives with espresso notes, roast malt, an appropriate level of sweetness (meaning not overly so) and just the right amount of that toasted coconut. An earthy hop character arrives late in the finish. The brew is full-bodied with a smooth feel on the tongue.
Overall
While I’m not a big fan of coconut on its own, this is the second beer that I’ve had that utilized it toasted — I thoroughly enjoyed both brews. Kona’s product was good, but with the darker malt and fuller mouthfeel, I’ve gotta give the nod to Maui Brewing Co. Then again, I am a big porter fan so maybe that has something to do with it.
Rating:4.25/5
