For some reason, and I'm not sure why, I've been way into coconut lately. Maybe its because the end of daylight savings time is approaching and I'm mourning the end of sun-drenched days spent on the beach, as if I even did that once this year. Whatever the reason, I find myself buying anything coconut: a coconut cupcake @ Sprinkles (check it out, you'll thank me!), Tom Yum soup, even a Mounds bar! Suffice it to say that I was thrilled when pal Nathalie pulled out a can of Maui Brewing Company Coconut Porter at our most recent Pacific Gravity Ladies Homebrew Club Meeting.Wait...did I say a "can" of beer? You bet your bumpkiss I did. Craft brewers are putting some great artisenal beers in cans. But don't worry, these aren't the cans of old. New beer cans have a lining that prevents any kind of tinny, metalic flavor from imparting on your favorite beverage. Also, regardless of what some "born on date" people say, "skunkiness" in a beer has nothing to do with how old your beer is. Skunkiness comes from a chemical reaction that takes place when LIGHT strikes your beer. That's why most of the great beers in the world come in very dark bottles. Imagine how much more your beer is protected if its in a can? Don't be a can snob ladies. (More on canned beers to come.)
Back to the beer. Maui Brewing Company is in Kahana on beautiful Maui, where the company practices "Malama i Ka Aina" or "Caring for the land." They use vehicles run on vegetable oil, and many other environmentally safe practices, including the aforementioned use of cans, which protects Maui beaches from broken glass, and are more easily recycled and shipped than bottles. Because of their environmentally conscious nature, I was predisposed to like Maui Brewing Company, which is a dangerous thing in my profession and often leads to disappointment. Thankfully, this was not the case with their Coconut Porter.
This beer is delicious. It's dark and toasty and nice and rich without being cloying. As per the name, this beer is made with toasted coconut, which gives this beer a bright balance and beautiful aromatics, followed by chocolate and coffee notes. You might think that I'm describing a big beer, but I'm not. The flavors are great, but they don't smack you across the face. It's a waft of smoke and just a nip of hops at the end that supplies this nicely nuanced beer a nice dry finish. This beer is the perfect gateway beer to lead you from the summer beach to the winter fire!
Written by The Beer Chick, October 29, 2008
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Good beer. I am a big fan of cans as well. Let's not forget the lower dissolved oxygen levels in cans as another benefit. However, if anyone plans on cellaring any cans (like Oskar Blues Ten Fidy), the verdict is not out yet. High gravity beers in cans are in their infancy, and there is a concern whether that lining can hold up long term.
ReplyDeleteGood points smitty! We should put some Oskar Blues in a time capsule and taste it in five years!
ReplyDeleteI tried CoCoNut PorTeR at the GABF this year and was surprised to see that Maui Brewing also had a Black Pearl CoCoNut Rum PorTeR as well. It had an overpowering smell of Rum up front but the taste was not as strong as you'd think. I liked it just as much as their regular porter. Worth a try if you can find it.
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