Exotic porter from the Pacific Ocean.
The beauty of being a beer drinker in London, is that a lot of the best beer from around the would will invariably make its way here, in one way or another. Recently I was lucky enough to come across a beer I've been itching to try: Maui Brewing Co.'s Coconut Porter from Hawaii. I'm a big fan of breweries that are brave enough to try and add unique flavours to very dark beers, despite the fact that the results can sometimes be off the mark. This, however, is definitely not the case for this beer.
Pouring out with a fluffy delicate head, the coconut flavour comes right through on the initial aroma. The beginning of the taste equates to heavy roast notes, with a strong dark bitterness. This however gives way to a sweet coconut flavour, which lasts right until the finish, complementing an increasingly clear finish that also boasts a well structured hop bitterness. The porter is made from a blend of six malts, which explains the rich body of the beer, as well as toasted coconut which provides the beer with its defining attribute. Sounds like a bit of a girly beer? It's 6%, and as rich as most porters you will come across. The packaging also explains that the beer comes in 355ml cans, and not bottles, because it is more eco-friendly and they want to preserve their beautiful Hawaiin beaches, which is bloody fair enough! I was lucky enough to find this beer at the perennially brilliant Utobeer stall at Borough Market.
The price tag might put you off, but keep in mind it's come from around the globe, so should you see it, I can honestly endorse that it'll be a worthy purchase. I now want more...a lot more.