Ken Schmidt Maui Stone Kona Coffee Macadamia Coconut Porter

Brewed by Stone Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial/Strong Porter
Escondido, California USA

Pours black into a snifter. Mocha head with medium retention recedes to hug rim. Sweet macadamia, espresso and dark chocolate aromas. Slightly thin with upfront coconut and macadamia and a lasting bitter chocolate and espresso finish.

bottle 10/17/2009. pours thinner than expected from an 8.5% imperial porter... seems clear as well. it is a nice looking walnut stained blackish brownish with a light tan head. the nose is really buttery... almost overwhelmingly so... macadamias and coconut aromas dominate over coffee, chocolate, toast, roasty grain, cinnamon-like spiciness and noticeably numbing hops (maybe alcohol but it is far too cold for that to be a factor?). the palate is fairly sweet but bitterness on the finish helps dry and balance. toasted coconut leads to way in the flavor also... followed by chocolate, toast, mild coffee, porter-like woodiness, nuts and a bitterness which lingers to become more pronounced. the body is medium, perhaps a bit thinner than to be expected. that fact helps keep the creamy texture and buttery slick mouth feel in check. 7/3/7/4/15/3.6

12 oz, bottle from Pike Street Beer and Wine. Not a very viscous pour. Fluffy head at first that fades away rather quickly. Black opaque body that looks pretty good. Strong roast and robust coffee aroma. Wow, a very pungent beer indeed. Not very much coconut in the aroma, but still a fairly decent aroma. A lot of roast on the nose, but kind of an old roast aroma. I have a mixed feeling about this. Coconut comes in at the very end. The old coffee flavor is there the entire time. Roast is present at first, but doesn’t develop until the very end of my "tasting experience". Kind of an odd coffee flavor, but there are some good things going on here. Not very creamy, and not one of my favorite imperial/strong porters, but worth the try and not the money.

Thanks to JaBier for sharing a bottle. The beer pour an opaque brown-black color with a thin tan head that dissipates slowly. Rings of lacing on the glass. Aroma of roasted coffee, nuts and chocolate. Medium body with a roasty character and flavors of malt, coffee, dark chocolate and nuts. The finish is a sweet at first, with a moderately bitter coffee aftertaste that lingers. Overall the macadamia and coconut takes a back seat to the coffee in this brew, but it is pretty enjoyable either way.

Bottle. Dark brown to black with big frothy tan head. Aroma of wood, coffee, light coconut, and dirt. Taste is semi-sweet throughout though coffee balances the mild sweetness. Palate does not have much carbonation and is slightly dry. This beer is good, but it seems like a case of too many cooks in the kitchen, all of which are trying to pack in their respective tastes.

12oz bottle. Pours a dark brown with medium head. Beautiful aroma of fresh roasted coffee and almond joy. Taste is deep malt with chocolate, soy and espresso. The soy is a bit overbearing for me. Coconut comes out as it warms. Not sure what it is, but this just doesn’t come together for me. I think I’d rather have a porter with more substantial coconut, or more substantial coffee flavors on their own. The mix compliments well enough, but doesn’t blow my mind. Beautiful aroma though.

Bottle: Deep brown pour with a khaki well retained head. Toasted malt aroma- mild coffee roast with some chocolaty qualities and a toasted coconut hint. Unique. Slick and creamy body. Toasted yet rich and dry. Toasted coconut notes mesh with mild coffee roast- soft and balanced. The macadamia nut is subtle- blind I wouldn’t detect macadamia, but I would say it’s nutty. Interesting stuff.

Bottled. Too much cold roast coffee, some vanilla. Fizzy body, way too much carb, with dull coffee throughout. I’m not sure what the macadamia nut is doing here -- it seems it is doing absolutely nothing -- they should have just left the little gimmick out.