canyonwalker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
canyonwalker) wrote2023-03-19 08:34 pm
canyonwalker) wrote2023-03-19 08:34 pm
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Beer Tasting: Maui Coconut Hiwa Porter
A few weeks ago I did a gonzo beer shopping trip. My motivations were (1) I had two $50 gift cards for BevMo that weren't good for much else, (2) there was also a 15% off sale, and (3) I wanted to grab more beers for my Beer Tasting 2022 project... even though it's now 2023. 😅 I've trickled out tasting notes for a few other beers from this shopping trip already. Now it's time for Maui Brewing Co. Coconut Hiwa Porter.
For this beer tasting project I prefer to try a beer alongside 1-2 other, similar beers. Having a basis of comparison makes it easier to assess how well each beer fits my overall preferences.
For this round of the tasting I didn't have a second porter available, though. So I went with a beer from an adjacent category, Guinness Draught Stout. Guinness is a mild, creamy stout so I figured it wouldn't be that far off, stylistically, from a standard porter. Guinness is also one of my all-time favorite beers, so it's valuable to see how a beer I'm trying for the first time compares to it.
I spotted the first difference right away when I poured them. The Guinness pours with a very smooth head, thick, with very small bubbles. The Maui porter has a coarse, frothy head with large bubbles. I figure that's due to the Guinness having a trick nitrogen cartridge inside the can— hence the "Draught" designation— versus the Maui porter being traditionally carbonated.
Maui's Coconut Hiwa Porter definitely comes on strong in flavor. The brewer's marketing text talks about malt, chocolate, and coffee. I tasted mostly the coffee. And a bit of coconut. And the strength of the alcohol— getting kind of up there for a beer at 6% ABV.
BTW, if there's one word to describe the Guinness it's smooth. Smooth, smooth, smooth. People often look at its dark color and thick characteristic, both kind of like used motor oil, and assume it's a heavy beer. It's actually neither heavy in its flavors nor heavy on alcohol. It's only 4.2% ABV. That's the same ABV as... Bud Light!
At first I was thinking, "If I were going to pick one of these beers, it'd be the Guinness". The Guinness didn't have the stronger flavors of the Maui Coconut Porter, but it didn't have anything overpowering, either. The Maui tasted like it was overdone. As I let both beers aerate and warm up a bit, though, I found myself enjoying the porter more. Its flavors came into better balance, tasting less like a coffee-based beverage.
For this beer tasting project I prefer to try a beer alongside 1-2 other, similar beers. Having a basis of comparison makes it easier to assess how well each beer fits my overall preferences.
For this round of the tasting I didn't have a second porter available, though. So I went with a beer from an adjacent category, Guinness Draught Stout. Guinness is a mild, creamy stout so I figured it wouldn't be that far off, stylistically, from a standard porter. Guinness is also one of my all-time favorite beers, so it's valuable to see how a beer I'm trying for the first time compares to it.
I spotted the first difference right away when I poured them. The Guinness pours with a very smooth head, thick, with very small bubbles. The Maui porter has a coarse, frothy head with large bubbles. I figure that's due to the Guinness having a trick nitrogen cartridge inside the can— hence the "Draught" designation— versus the Maui porter being traditionally carbonated.
Maui's Coconut Hiwa Porter definitely comes on strong in flavor. The brewer's marketing text talks about malt, chocolate, and coffee. I tasted mostly the coffee. And a bit of coconut. And the strength of the alcohol— getting kind of up there for a beer at 6% ABV.
BTW, if there's one word to describe the Guinness it's smooth. Smooth, smooth, smooth. People often look at its dark color and thick characteristic, both kind of like used motor oil, and assume it's a heavy beer. It's actually neither heavy in its flavors nor heavy on alcohol. It's only 4.2% ABV. That's the same ABV as... Bud Light!
At first I was thinking, "If I were going to pick one of these beers, it'd be the Guinness". The Guinness didn't have the stronger flavors of the Maui Coconut Porter, but it didn't have anything overpowering, either. The Maui tasted like it was overdone. As I let both beers aerate and warm up a bit, though, I found myself enjoying the porter more. Its flavors came into better balance, tasting less like a coffee-based beverage.