Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Kona Brewing Co. -- Pipeline Porter

 Kona Brewing Co.'s Pipeline Porter is made with Cornwell Estate Kona Coffee from the Big Island of Hawaii.
5.3% ABV and 23 IBU's

Review:
In this porter, the aroma boasts notes o coffee, roasted barley, sweet malts, and a bit of cream. The very slight hop note is earthy. Appearance wise, the ale is a dark brown but allows some lighter brown highlights to shine through the sides. The head is slight and the retention is minimal. Unlike many coffee beers, this porter finds a nice balance between the tastes of chocolate and coffee. There is no astringency from the coffee but there is a pleasing tinge from the dark roasted malts. The body of the beer is fairly light for the category, but the hop bite somehow adds to the mouthfeel and lends a perception of body. In the end, it finishes dark and roasty with a dark chocolate note that lingers. 

(Side Note: these are the guys that grow the coffee used in this beer. Personally, I like Ka'o coffee better than Kona.)
Overall Impression:
Lots of taste in this beer. Nothing is too overwhelming, and it may be on the sweeter end of the porter spectrum, but that seems appropriate for a coffee porter.
Is this the best beer bottled by Kona? I'd say: Yes!


Grade: A-



Barrel Man says,
"dark and drinkable."

(bottle purchased at Liquor Collection.)

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