Kona Black Sand Porter

Brewed by Kona Brewing Company
Style: Porter
Kailua Kona, Hawaii USA

GABF 2006. Dark brown. Small foamy but dense tan head. Nose is roasted malts, light coffee, and dark, bittersweet chocolate. Taste is pretty much the same - more roasted malts, coffee flavors and light bitterness, followed by choco notes. Some burnt brownies as well. Body is medium with a moderate carbonation feel. Ends with more roasted malts, choco notes and coffee bitterness.

On tap at Kona’s main brewery. Best beer they offer. Overall I think this brewery is overrated, but this one is pretty solid. Very smoky and rather burnt.

A decent porter. Some roasted malt aromas and flavors but fewer than I expected. Very light hops profile with light bitterness as well. An enjoyable beer to be sure just looking for more--especially when tasted alongside some of their excellent, intensely-flavored special editions.

My favorite of all the Kona Brews. Deep, dark brown color, rich flavor and smooth finish.

Draft at brewery: Deep brown. Smooth and weighty (but not too heavy) with a nice carbonation level. Huge roast, with wafting notes of chocoloate and coffee and toasted bread. Some sweet toffee and a pinch of smoke followed through toward the finish. Healthy amount of bitterness rounded things out, along with a little burnt and some grassy hops. Rather tasty porter. Thankfully, not too sweet and fairly easy to drink.

Draught, Kona Brewpub, HI. Head is mostly diminishing. Body is dark brown. Aroma is moderately malty (roasted grain, caramel), lightly to moderately hoppy (grapefruit, resin). Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Too resiny-hoppy for my liking, but ok otherwise.

Had this on-tap at the brewery. The beer was a nearly opaque dark-brown color with a small, frothy, light-brown, mostly diminishing head. The aroma was malty: moderate notes of toasted grain and coffee with an intriguing slaty note that was like green olives / brine. The flavor started moderately sweet and lightly bitter and ended in a long, heavily bitter finish The body was medium-to-full, the texture was gorgeous and velvety and the carbonation was soft.

GABF 05- Pours a dark brown, shades of crimson, nice off white head. Aroma is coffee and chocolate. Subdued aroma overall. Flavor is chocolate cake dipped in a chocolate liquer.