Pipeline Porter - Kona Brewing Co.

socon67

New York

3.89/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Black pour with a brown foam that settles. Some patchy lacign is noted. Slightly carbonated.

S - Up front smell of coffee that has notes of licorice and dark fruit. Not much in the way of malt but overall a nice aroma that is better as th ebeer warms.

T - Sweet flavors of candy and fruit that ends with a slight bitteness of coffee beans. Some rasoty feel in the taste. Not as strong as some of the big porters bit this does the trick.

M - Easy drinking, and a sessionable porter that would be easy to enjoy. Minimal amount of carbonation. Leaves a warming coffee bite on the palate.

O - I think Koko Brown is my favorite of the staple Kona lineup, but this is a good #2. An easy to get sessionable porter that you can enjoy year round.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 00:58:08 | More by socon67

StJamesGate

New York

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Chocolate brown with ruby glints and a beige head that doesn't hand around but leaves speckles.
Smoke, meat and espresso off the nose.
Big cold coffee hit, suggestions of licorice and blackberry, a slight roasty hit and mild branchy hops.
Birch beer finish and tightening linger.
Light to medium, some chew, clingy.

Well, it sure is coffee. Not sure there's enough of a porter underneath. Still, nice easy sipper.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 19:35:46 | More by StJamesGate

bensbeers

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a rich black; not much light penetration; a light 1/2 inch that dissipates quite quickly. Smells of roasted coffee beans; caramelized sugar; a bit smokey with a hint of fruity sweetness-bananas maybe? Taste is mostly rich, roasted coffee; not as much sweetness on the tongue as there was on the nose, but it's not unpleasantly bitter. Mouthfeel is lightly effervescent; light bodied; taste of coffee and bittersweet chocolate lingers on the tongue; highly drinkable.

Overall, I would not call this a smooth porter, but rather a beer-drinker's porter. This sometimes carriers a negative stigma, but don't let that mislead you. Pipeline Porter has rich and distinguished flavors and scents, but is incredibly easy to drink. Since the coffee flavor was a bit too strong for my liking, I will not likely seek this out again; however, I would be interested in trying this on tap. I'd also recommend to someone who enjoys coffee porters/stouts. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 00:51:33 | More by bensbeers

Moose90

Colorado

3.59/5  rDev -6%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Packaged On: Aug 18 12 @ 15:04
Tasted On: Feb 17 13 . . . Quite Old I Suppose

A – Pours a deep dark yet translucent brown, not black. 1" head dissipates rather quickly in retreat, lacing is okay, but nothing too nice.

S – Musky, sweet, and earthy. Almost scotch ale aromas, sweaty malts, though some sweet chocolate malts come through here.

T – Dry bitter deep roasted coffee notes, some light cocoa powder as well. Not as earthy as the nose would suggest.

M – Medium body, perhaps a bit thin for the style. Crisp and dry, more so than anticipated.

O – Nice, light coffee notes, the nose is misleading, but it is absolutely a coffee beer, very easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 08:53:38 | More by Moose90

hardy008

Minnesota

3.03/5  rDev -20.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours dark brown with a 3 finger tan head, with good retention and spotty lacing. the aroma has coffee and dark roasted malt.

The taste has coffee, dark roasted malt, and a small amount of chocolate. Not really bitter or sweet, just some place in the middle. Not bad, but at the same time too generic.

Light to medium bodied with average carbonation. Nothing really good or bad stands out. Kind of average. I wish the body had not been as thin, and that there was more chocolate flavor.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 01:39:12 | More by hardy008

Neorebel

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

I have been wanting to taste more from Kona Brewing for a while, ever since I tasted the excellent Fire Rock Pale Ale. I finally got around to it... This porter is an appropriate dark shade of brown, nearly opaque, with a bubbly head, similar to Cola. The head diminishes to barely cover the top of the beer after a few minutes. There's some remnants that cling to the side of the glass, but not much. The aroma is very pleasing and fresh - like a cafe mocha topped with whipped cream. The taste trumps the aroma... the 100% Kona coffee flavor is one of the most distinct in any beer I have ever tasted! It's quite toasty and towards the tail end of the flavor there's a tiny hint of hops. The beer is very light, borderline watery. The taste lingers for a few seconds in the finish but disappears in a dry fade. In short, it tastes similar to a lightly sweetened iced coffee. Despite some of the negative sounding things in the review, I really like this and will definitely be buying it regularly! I like to always have a beer around that is satisfying, yet somewhat low calorie. This fits that bill perfectly, with the added bonus of the gourmet coffee aspect.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 03:48:44 | More by Neorebel

NilocRellim

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer was poured from a bottle into a pint glass. Pipeline appeared a deep, dark red (almost brown) colour and smelled heavily of coffee and malt. Tasted just like cold coffee; great clean coffee flavour for those who can enjoy and experience the flavour sans heat. Coffee flavours lingered throughout aftertaste but not overwhelmingly.

Would I buy this beer again? Probably.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 20:12:14 | More by NilocRellim

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.4/5  rDev -11%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Kona Aloha Series Pipeline Porter, Porter with 100% Hawaiian Kona Coffee.

Solid black appearance, under a small roasted tan head, leaving lace.

Malty nose, minor coffee notes. Not getting much out of it.

Taste: malt-driven, roasty, fullish-bodied….with the coffee at last coming through on the palate. But it doesn't do much. What can I say? It sits in my mouth and I'm left wanting. Wait, it's getting better. More coffee flavor coming through. Porter base is adequate, a little roasty. coffee coming on strong.

Nice. But…

Hey, what do they say? "Pipeline Porter is full-bodied with a rich, smooth dark-roasted malt flavor. A selection of premium hops and 100% Hawaiian Kona coffee complete this limited brew."

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 01:18:00 | More by feloniousmonk

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Into a pint glass:

A: black colored body that a two finger white foamy head leaving minimal lacing along the sides of the glass.

S: coffee up front with light hops in the background. Malts entered in as the beer warmed.

T: bitter with the coffee and hops being the cause of that. Malts were there but really subdued.

M: medium, slightly sessionable (low ABV helped), left a dry and bitter aftertaste and a dry finish, nothing harsh on the tongue

O: this was a pretty good coffee forward American Porter. I'd have it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 03:50:23 | More by kangarooAdam59

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.79/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Whatever happened to that proposed trans-Eurasian pipeline? Regardless, this stuff pours a deep black-brown topped by a finger of dusty brown foam. The nose comprises mild coffee, roasted malts, light cola, and a splash of cocoa powder. The taste brings in more of the same, with the coffee and cola taking full command of the situation. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a fluid feel. Overall, though it's a bit on the thin side, this is a highly enjoyable coffee-forward porter. Good times.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 23:25:32 | More by TMoney2591

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.23/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass. Label bottling date of Nov 30, 2012.

Appearance: Pours a deep dark brownish black with a hint of amber. Lots of rising bubbles and a big five finger tan head with good retention. Leaves a lot of creamy lacing around the glass.

Smell: A very nice roasty and sweet dark aroma. Dark roasted malts with big hints of chocolate and coffee beans. Also hints of burnt toast, biscuit, grains, caramel, toffee, nuts, milk, and yeast. Some brown sugar sweetness. Subtle scents of earthy and floral hops. A really solid dark aroma that is rich and fairly sweet and nutty. Nice roast coffee scent.

Taste: Like the aroma hints, a solid mix of sweet dark malts and roast coffee flavor. Dark roasted malts with a nice taste of dark chocolate, coffee beans, grains, biscuit, milk, toast, hazelnut, caramel, toffee, and yeast. A fair amount of sweet brown sugar mixes in with the bitter roast. Decent undertones of floral and earthy hops in the background. Nicely creamy and balanced. Very solid taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Very creamy and smooth with a moderate slickness.

Overall: A very good Porter. More coffee forward than typical for the style which is a nice twist. Up there with the better American takes on the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 07:16:11 | More by MattyG85

Louis_Toschner

South Carolina

4.11/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I may not be the best judge of beers, but I rather enjoyed the taste. It had a pleasant dark coffee aroma and flavor. As with many porters, It tasted better after warming to a glass. Not much of a head when poured.Nice color as well as great feeling on the palate. Practically no bitter after taste. Not as strong as others but still a great drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 02:49:22 | More by Louis_Toschner

NiceTaps

New Jersey

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured inta a stemmed tulip glass.

A- Very dark brown-black color, opaque. A frothy British tan colored head that settles to a film.
Lava-like lacing!

S-Bittersweet coffee notes, dark roasted. A faint floral hop presence.

T-Strong coffee up front, then dark roasty malts. The malts must have been roasted to the very limit prior to 'burning'. Well done.

M- Quite light and thin for the look and taste. The good strong flavors fade fast. Slight hop tang at the end.

O- For this review, this beer is finishing the evening with a piece of 85% cocoa dark chocolate. It's a good combo.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 02:11:20 | More by NiceTaps

BudweiserFan

4.68/5  rDev +22.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint glass.
Date on bottle: 8-25-12

Appearance: Dark amber brown. Can't see my finger through glass.
Smell: A sweet coffee caramel with some bitterness.
Taste: Sweet. Hard to describe exactly but pleasant.
Mouthfeel: Good rich mouthfeel.
Overall this is a solid beer and I would recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 06:59:04 | More by BudweiserFan

TheMarkE

California

3.51/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Full of dark roasted malt flavor, with chocolate and coffee predominate. It’s brewed with Kona coffee, so that’s not too surprising. The lack of bitterness is a bit surprising though. Kona isn’t one of my favorite brands, but there’s nothing to complain about here.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 04:07:40 | More by TheMarkE

beergoot

Colorado

4.28/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Very dark brown body, almost black, with a nice tan head on top. Strong roasted coffee and charred grain aroma; burnt toast. Silky smooth sweetness tames the coffee and roasted grain flavors; bittersweet chocolate; subdued hop bitterness. Medium-body, clean, smooth and sugary feel; a tad too much carbonation.

A really rich and flavorful porter, loaded with tons of coffee and chocolate tastes. Everything seems to fall together nicely with the exception of a slightly over-carbonated feel, but that's such a minor thing in the grand scheme of things. It's the well-put together malts, coffee, and hops that make this a great little porter, and these are the flavors that will stick with you. Delicious!

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 01:08:57 | More by beergoot

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pint glass.

Appearance: Thin black body that is almost completely opaque, tan that barely rose. Maybe and just maybe 1/10".

Smell: Light coffee and dark chocolate scent that already smells sweet.

Taste: Bitter chocolate combined with a light espresso feel makes this beer a easy go to.

Mouth: Medium carbonation that feels somewhat light. Bitter-sweet after-taste hard to dislike.

Overall: Pretty good brew. Does the job right after dinner. Not the best porter I have had but then again it wasn't designed to be. Drink up and enjoy, Salud!

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2013 03:13:39 | More by BlurryVisi0n

Marq18

Virginia

3.38/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Poured dark brown, almost black. Medium, tan head.

S- Smells of slight hazelnut and light roasted malt

T- Nice roasted coffee, light on chocolate, and a little boozy

M- Nice medium body and medium carbonation.

OK stout, would prefer a thicker more full feel. Nice, roasted malt flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 21:47:35 | More by Marq18

312HopBomb

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark brown appearance lets little light shine through. Very little carbonation and no lacing.

Nice coffee and dark raosted malt aroma with some brown sugar. No noticable hop aroma.

Coffee is not as pronounced as one would expect from the nose. Roasted char comes through but not overbearing and just right for the style. Coffee comes through a bit more as this warms. Just a touch of residual sweetness with dark chocolate on the finish.

Mouthfeel is slick and oily and I can see little oil slicks apparently from the coffee which contributes to the lack of head I would guess. Light carbonation, creamy and smooth.

Overall a decent porter from a new brewery at least in my neck of the woods.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 21:21:25 | More by 312HopBomb

Jadjunk

Georgia

3.4/5  rDev -11%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Kona Pipeline Porter

Date on bottle: Aug 23 12 (4 Months old)

Poured from a 12 oz bottle to a pint glass at room temperature.

(Appearance) This is hardly what I remember this beer to look like. Pours a fizzy thin head that falls back as quickly as it arrived. Color is very dark brown, almost black but some significant light gets through the bottom, leaving ruby traces behind. There is a significant amount of busy carbonation trickling the sides of the glass. Not a fantastic intro with the poor head quality. 2.5

(Smell) Very subtle aromas of vanilla and coffee bean are most evident in the smell, with trace notes of chocolate and black patent bitterness much more faint. Ever slightly sweet with some faint bitterness beneath the surface from black patent. Hops are not nearly as easy to find but it is possible that there are some earthy tones; there's little aroma conflict as the coffee and vanilla, though mild by comparison are the biggest players. Potency is slightly lower than in the average coffee porter. 3.5

(Taste) Begins subtly sweet coffee bean and vanilla bean with some continued faint chocolate malt tones. Unlike the aroma, the taste is a notch dry and the flavor is lacking a touch in sweetness. The coffee presence is subtle at best but pleasing by its simplicity. The coffee presence is very light and easy to drink, but it is mostly what this beer is about. I would recommend drinking this slowly or having it at a warmer temperature and letting those tastes really warm some to bring out the flavors more, north of 50 degrees. I got a pleasant faint smoky finish in addition to the aforementioned qualities in the 50 degree range. Nothing is overdone, but sadly more could have been done to improve the depth of the flavors without negatively impacting the overall drinkability. Sweetness is lacking, especially in a finish that could have been more gracefully balanced. 3.5

(Mouthfeel) There is a slight airy wisp but the finish is largely slick. Body is light for the style, and light-medium at best amongst all beers. There is a good deal of thinness to this beer throughout. Alcohol is well concealed. Finish is slightly on the dry side, accentuated with the bitter flavors of coffee bean. It is lacking a certain sweetness that would be desirable in this style of beer. This beer could really bring out some of that coffee and cocoa tones that are lightly represented otherwise. I found the vanilla ideal, however and it should remain as subtle as possible. 3

(Overall) A highly drinkable but shallow flavored coffee porter. I found most aspects of the flavor already limited but it could serve as a decent introduction to the popular style for those who infrequently dip their toes into coffee porters and stouts. With its decent ABV and light body, seconds are not entirely out of the question, unless alternative coffee porters come into play. I think that Kona has let the quality of this porter which I had higher regards for in the past fall by the wayside, or perhaps my desire for this porter has faded with time. Hopefully they can beef up the coffee flavor in the near future. 3.5

Vintage Reviews:

Dated Oct 27 2011 (1 year, 2 Months aged): Identical if not worse head quality, fading to a clear surface within moments. Coffee aroma has nearly vanished entirely, what remains is a thin, musty and nutty malt aroma with a puff of vanilla and even some potential funky lactose notes peeking through. The flavor is similar to the aroma, although not as alarming. The coffee has vanished almost entirely and the remaining porter is slightly thinner on flavor, although the profile is a little less dry than the fresh batch, possibly due to the absence of harsh coffee bitterness. Finish is cleaner and devoid of any smoke. Overall, it’s a poor choice to age this beer, as the malt body just isn’t enough to carry this beer through the years after the coffee fades. The best call is to have this beer as fresh as possible and to savor every ounce of coffee flavor, as it is the most fragile component and vanishes quickly as the beer ages, leaving little remaining substance behind.

Recommended age: Fresh

Kona Brewing Company's
Pipeline Porter with 100% Hawaiian Kona Coffee
3.4/5.00

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 05:10:59 | More by Jadjunk

PorterLambic

Florida

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep, dark brown with no light penetrating. A dark tan head, nearly 2" high, develops with a fairly vigorous pour. Retention is decent at best as it settles to a film. No lace to speak of.
Smell is better here than the tap review I did 4 years ago. Notes of baking chocolate, toffee, cardboard, nut and toasted malts. Very well balanced.
Taste is more of the same. Notes of toasty malt, toffee, coffee, bittersweet chocolate and cardboard. Well balanced throughout.
Lighter in body than I'd prefer but smooth. Light effervescence. A really good, American style porter. My on-tap review must be a case of a bad line or keg, I guess.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 01:26:19 | More by PorterLambic

emerge077

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Free bottle at a holiday party, the best kind of beer...

Orange bottlecap and blue trim labels, a little color contrast at work here. The beer itself is black in the glass with light reddish brown highlights in the light. Softly textured tan foam leaves behind a few irregulararcs of lacing.

Earthy coffee roast in the aroma, distinct yet fairly mellow at the same time.

Flavors are similar, dark roast coffee, a flash of roasty black malt, slight bitterness in the aftertaste, about the same as a mild cup of coffee. Light bodied, a drinkable porter. Something i'd pick up again for a session to spend more time with.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2012 04:35:34 | More by emerge077

ACD

4.35/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

One my favorite porters.

Very dark in color almost black. Pour into a pint glass.

Usually has a dark creamy head that disappears after a few minutes

Very very smooth. A nice taste of coffee at the end. Not to bitter or too smoky.

A great beer when you want a nice sipping beer on a cold night

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2012 01:36:52 | More by ACD

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours an opaque very very dark amber in color (just about jet black) with light to moderate amounts of gentle visible carbonation. The beer has a three finger tall dense and foamy dark tan head that slowly reduces to a half finger tall layer covering the entire surface of the beer evenly - great head retention. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of dark roasted malts with some moderate notes of freshly ground coffee.

T: Light to moderate flavors of dark roasted malts with some moderate flavors of coffee and light note of milk chocolate. Little to no bitterness is observed.

M: On the lighter side of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth but a little thin.

O: This is an enjoyable and easy drinking everyday porter - nice amount of complexity and balance to both the taste and the smell. Not a special beer but definitely an enjoyable one.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 22:34:09 | More by dbrauneis

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.83/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark roast coffee. I give this some extra points for this, because that's what it touts itself as.

Smell: Wow! Coffee. Slightly sweeter coffee at at that.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Bitter coffee in the head and the finish. Even the mouthfeel has the slick coffee feel.

Overall Drinkability: Did I mention coffee?

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 05:17:13 | More by tjsdomer2