Mahalo! Pia is good.
Field Notes: Beer review by Maxwell Randall
It’s been awhile since my last review, but I’m back! Today I’m reviewing CoCoNut PorTeR from Maui Brewing Company, located in paradise….aka Maui.
Coconut Porter comes in at 6% abv with 30 ibu’s, pretty much the standard for your average porters; but this is not your average porter — it’s brewed with hand toasted coconut.
The appearance on Coconut Porter is definitely black, not quite opaque, but you can’t see through it by any means, there are hints of red around the base of the glass. There’s a nice thick white head that forms when you pour the beer but the head dissipates relatively quickly.
The nose on this beer is AWESOME! Up front you get that typical roasted malt smell that comes with most porters, but then it’s followed by big aromas of coconut, vanilla, and chocolate. The chocolate aroma isn’t like milk or dark chocolate, but more along the lines of Nesquik Coco Powder. This beer really does smell incredibly good (like the Islands themselves).
The taste and mouthfeel are even better than the aroma of this beer. Creamy but not too thick, which is good because this is a porter, not a stout. The flavors match the aromas perfectly but are amplified by your taste buds.
I’m not always the biggest fan of porters, a lot of times when I’m drinking a porter I feel like it’s just a stout that missing something, but I don’t feel that way about this beer at all. Coconut porter is a perfect example of the style, with it’s own unique characteristics.
I would have a difficult time choosing between CoCoNut PorTeR, Deschutes Black Butte Porter, or Black Raven Tamerlane as my favorite porter. I love all three, but CoCoNut PorTeR may stand out more.
Ranking this beer just based on the style, it gets a 5 out of 5 handlebar moustache pints from me. Hipahipa!
