With my yet to be named honey porter bubbling away in (the fermenter in) the bathtub, I am inspired to post a review for a porter today. Granted this one is enhanced with coffee instead of honey, but I enjoy both so it works. Coffee in porters (and stouts) has been a bit of a learning process for me. At the beginning (like this evaluation was) I expected some stronger coffee flavors than I was getting. Once I moved past the word coffee on the labels and started evaluating them as I would any other beer, I found myself not being as disappointed by unmet expectations.
Sometimes I think I shouldn’t even look at the labels before reviewing the beer. Using that thought I have preliminary plans to do some blind tastings and reviews in the future. Should be an excellent learning experience!
Brewery: Kona Brewing Company (Hawaii)
Name: Pipeline Porter (Limited Release with 100% Hawaiian Kona Coffee)
Style: Porter (Brown? Robust?)
ABV: 5.4%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a mug/stein.
Aroma: Roasted malt aroma with a slight burnt note. Some coffee noticeable, but not heavily aromatic overall.
Appearance: Black (opaque), but can see dark brown when held to light. Slight light brown (café au lait) color head that dissipates quickly. Can see bubbles rise along glass early after pour.
Flavor: Malty – heavy roasted flavor with slight burnt quality. Very slight coffee. Sharp, but short finish that has some (low) hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium body with low carbonation. Slightly astringent (dry).
Overall Impressions: Decent porter, but not particularly memorable. The flavor was less than aroma made me expect.
Grade: B-
Kona Pipeline Porter
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