Koko Brown - Kona Brewing Co.

CraftBeerBarney

California

5/5  rDev +38.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Koko Brown is an excellent nut brown ale with a creamy coconut finish. I have had it both on tap and out of the bottle and it is much better on draft. For how sweet the finish is I found it to be a rather sessionable beer. Like the new addition to the Aloha Series!

Serving type: on-tap

03-03-2011 19:03:56 | More by CraftBeerBarney

sweetmaltman

Pennsylvania

4.99/5  rDev +37.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Wow, I wasn't expecting this. Every time I sample a brown ale I am disapointed. They tend to look like they will have good flavor but are generally bland and mostly flavorless. However I found this wonderfully expressive brew on tap while attending the EIWA Wrestling Championships in a small local tavern in Piscataway, NJ. I almost didn't try it, but it looked like the only beer on tap that looked at all palatable.

Boy was I pleasantly surprised. The color looked like any other Brown Ale. I didn't take the time to spend time with the smell as I was with some people I hadn't seen in a long time and I did not have a lot of extra time and like I said I wasn't expecting it to be anything special. I took a sip not expecting much but I was wonderfully surprised! The taste was rich, sweetish and complex.

I am a malt man as my name implies not caring for most bitter hoppy brews. Maybe it was the surprise of not expecting anything really good as brown ales although far better than lagers, generally are non descript to me. But this brew not only got my attention, but ignited my taste buds to wanting more.

Generally I only have one brew at a sitting because what I like generally has a high alcohol content, but this is only 5.5%, so I FORCED myself to have a second one. It did not disapoint.

Since McEwan's Scotch Ale is not available in the US anymore I have been slowly sipping the case of Founders Backwoods Bastard Ale I was lucky to get when it was released in November. Now when that is gone I have found another beer to drink. Luckily upon doing a little research, there is a distributor only about 1.5 miles from my house that carries it.

KOKO Brown Ale is a real treat. Give it a try. It is not for those who drink so much commercial beer that their taste buds have rotted away or those who just want to get a buzz. It is for those who appreciate real flavor.

Who would have thought a coconut beer would be sooo good? And I just stumbled onto it at a little corner tavern. Go figure.

Stay thirsty my friends!

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2013 14:27:38 | More by sweetmaltman

mgoffee

Virginia

4.83/5  rDev +33.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Great beer. Nice sweet but not overbearing taste. Great to accompany food.

Would buy this again and would advice others to do so. Not too strong either, so can be enjoyed without worrying about the strength.

I actually think the caramel tastes are stronger than the coconut.... That said there is a nice mellow coconut after taste.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 22:58:53 | More by mgoffee

crack99

Hawaii

4.78/5  rDev +32%
look: 4.75 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

The brewary told me you maintain temp ~30 deg F. 10 # CO2.
This beer can be bought in keg form which is distributed by Anheuser-Busch, can only be bought in bottle form seasonal. I love the roasted coconut taste and i love coconut. The toasted mahogany flavor comes out. Not the avg Brown Ale.

Serving type: on-tap

02-03-2013 20:58:15 | More by crack99

TheBigE5

Georgia

4.6/5  rDev +27.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A - Poured from a bottle into a snifter. Half finger of light tan head. Nut brown amber coloring. Clear.

S - Dark malts, coconut and chocolate come through in the nose.

T - Starts as an excellent brown ale. Moves into a light coconut flavoring. Clean finish with lingering notes of coconut.

M - Smooth and creamy with light carbonation.

O - This beer would be great without the coconut flavoring, just as a brown ale. With wonderfully abundant coconut notes in the nose and a touch of coconut in the finish, this beer is taken to the next level of craft beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 15:46:07 | More by TheBigE5

poriggity

California

4.48/5  rDev +23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I will say, I am a fan of all of Kona Brewing's offerings. That being said, I'd never had the Koko Brown until now. I poured it from a 12 oz bottle into a pilsner glass. Small off white/tan head, with a nice dark copper color. First sip was a nice carmel and coffee note, with slight hops on the finish. The glass laces nicely, and it's quite refreshing. Great drinkable beer. Not thick or heavy, but a good drinkin beer!

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 17:36:36 | More by poriggity

beerman207

Kentucky

4.33/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Found this one in Seattle as well. Loving that this one is from Maui since the Mrs. and I got married there.

A: Dark brown with a nice tan skim coat on the top - leaves a good lacing in the glass

S: Nose is quite interesting - coconut comes through right away and a malt plus nuttiness

T: coconut, malt, and some nice bitter hops in the finish,

M: carbonation is medium - not too harsh

O: I really dig the coconut in this beer. I plan on using this element in a future brewing project with my favorite brewmaster.

T:

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2011 02:28:59 | More by beerman207

wac9

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

what a great beer a little bit of aftertaste but it goes down smoothed this is mr beach beer sitting on the beach drinking this would be heaven i use to drink brown ales but never found one that hitthe spot but oh baby does this hit the spot so find your beach and drink

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 02:45:42 | More by wac9

PENISBEER

4.33/5  rDev +19.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

KONA KOKO BROWN IS THE MOUNTAIN DEW OF BEERS. You know, like when you want something to drink, but you don't really know what you want but you know you want a soda, and you see the Mountain Dew and you're like "Fuck Yeah! Mountain Dew!!!" Thats what its like when I want beer and I see it sitting in the beer fridge.

A: Wtf, are they paddle boarding? It's hawaii, hit up some waves, fags. Greg Noll up in this mother

S- my first thought is port-o-potties. This beer makes me really happy, but ive never smelled it until this review, and it doesnt smell very good! Damn you BeerAdvocate, you ruined this beer for me by making me sniff it.

T_ Sooo sweet and rich. Think like BBQ'd coconut. Minus the BBQ sauce. Plus beer.

M= cant feel my mouth right now. must have drank too manies

O# i fucking love this beer. never let it go. stay in my life forever. but not like married. like one of serveral girlfriends that i can call upon antime.

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2012 00:31:36 | More by PENISBEER

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

4.3/5  rDev +18.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into tulip.
Pours a chocolate color brown..almost like a coke.
No head, but a bit of lacing is present.
Smell is so good. Toasted coconuts and malts dominate.
Taste is wonderful. Again, toasted coconut is present, but works so well with the toasy malts. I taste a bit of chocolate as well.
Slightly dry finish but crisp, fresh, and refreshing. I really like this brew. This is my first one since having it at the Brewery in 2010...and I loved it then. So glad to see it here on the east coast. I will be buying this for sure again and again. One of, if not my actual favorite brown...and I usually dont love brown ales...
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 00:51:36 | More by DrinkSlurm

ZAP

Minnesota

4.29/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.25

A-Burnt orange tinged brown color...nice off white head with good lacing on glass

S-Excellent coconut aroma. Nothing subtle here. I also note vanilla, nougat, and caramel.

T-Coconut is strong here as well but not quite as dominant as on the aroma. Still a nice almond joy type flavor to this with coconut, nougat, some light milk chocolate and some light almond like notes....

M-This is the only drawback. I know it is just a brown ale but I wish it had just a little more heft in the body. Despite the wonderful flavors it has a very light body and comes across as "watery" on the finish.

O-This might not be for everyone but it is for me. A top notch flavored brown ale. I would love to have this and Tyranena's Rocky's Revenge (bourbon barrel aged brown) on hand at all times for my brown ale's in my dream bar.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 05:58:19 | More by ZAP

vfgccp

New York

4.28/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - White head with ok retention and low lace. Beautiful mahogany maple brown.

S - Soft, shaved, lightly toasted coconut and brazil nuts. Touch of brown sugar.

T - Super smooth. Soft coconut, hazelnut, and brazil nut. Just a hint of herbal hop in the center. Light caramel finish.

M - Medium body to style. Nice smoothness.

O - Very drinkable. Great coconut flavor without overpowering the brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2012 23:04:46 | More by vfgccp

donteatpoop

Ohio

4.28/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Poured a light coppery brown, like a top shelf whiskey. Nice little cap of white foam that quickly dissipates save for a ring around the perimeter.

The smell was light notes of grain and toast and a good whiff of coconut.

Taste was excellent. The coconut was subtle, which is good because it could easily overpower a brew. Nice and smooth to drink, if a bit thin for the style. Great beer, easy to drink. Definitely worth repurchasing. Glad to see it finally available here, I'd been wanting to try this.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 05:24:19 | More by donteatpoop

Bucciamarcia

Florida

4.26/5  rDev +17.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

What a nice surprise this beer is. I didn't expect much since I'm not a huge fan of coconut, but this was good.

The appearance is dark with amber reflextions, a thick light brown head that disappears in a few seconds.

The smell is nice but weak. The tastes is obviously sweet, with vanilla, chocolate and coconuts. But not too sweet, the malts compensate very well. After a couple of seconds the roasted coconuts overwhelm the other flavors (in a good way), leaving you craving for more.

Considering this is not a heavy beer, I finished the bottle way faster than usual.

Medium body and medium-high carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 21:20:00 | More by Bucciamarcia

isualum12

Idaho

4.25/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark Brown with out the blackness raining in. There is a copper tingle running through this beer.

Smell: Littlw on the low side of things. It is fine just not that powerful.

Taste: I was blown away by the taste of this beer. It was powerful but wonderful. It rolled through the mouth with a wonderful chocolate flavor mixed with carmel. I love this beers flavor.

Mouthfeel: Little to much carbonization.

Give it a try. You will enjoy...

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 02:24:15 | More by isualum12

darkstar12

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on-tap into a pint glass at TJ Stone's in Old Town Alexandria, VA, as well as Kooper's Tavern in Fells Point, Baltimore

A: Nice brown color, very thin tan head with some good lacing
S: Coconut, coconut, coconut - they didn't hold back
T: Again tons of coconut and really well done in doing so - makes the beer sweet, but not over-the-top
M: Thin but nice and smooth
O: This is an excellent easily-drinkable spring/summer beer. A very nice change of pace from the usual brown ale, and very easy to chug through a few of these

Serving type: on-tap

03-31-2012 11:45:25 | More by darkstar12

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured this beer into a pint glass. It has a nice dark brown color body with a little head that lays down quickly. The smell has some vanilla notes and some coconut hints to it. The taste is down right awesome. I get that toasted coconut flavor up front and then the richness of the brown ale on the back of the tongue. It has a nice mouth feel and overall a darn good beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 02:34:18 | More by chefhatt

BilbosNuts

California

4.22/5  rDev +16.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a brown color with a very dark reddish hue. It has a medium sized brownish head that fades quickly and has minimal lacing.

S: The smell is mostly of strong coffee and coconut. There is also some hints of chocolate.

T: It tastes similar to how it smells consisting of coffee and coconuts. It leaves a nice coconut aftertaste.

M: It is kind of thin for a brown ale, but drinks very smoothly.

D: Overall this is a very enjoyable beer. It's a unique twist on the typical brown ale with the addition of the coconut. If you're looking for a typical brown, look elsewhere, but if you're looking for something new and unique, give this a shot. I'd definitely buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 22:39:25 | More by BilbosNuts

leviathanhops

New York

4.2/5  rDev +16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A. Copper in color with a mild head.

S. Fragrance of chocolate, coconut, and malt.
Smells like a chocolate coconut cake...could
it taste as good as it smells?

T. I was pretty surprised when I took my first
sip of Koko Brown. I've had some other
of kona's offerings and they weren't that
memorable. When I first started drinking
beer, I got introduced through red and
brown ales. Like most people my taste in
beer changed as I discovered other
types of beer, so it had been quite some
time since I sat down to a brown ale. This
is by far one of the better ones I've had.

M. Creamy, not overly thick.

O. I really liked this beer. Not many beers can
taste as good or better than they smell.
Drink up!

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 02:56:57 | More by leviathanhops

echoes

Washington

4.15/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a glass.

A: Pours a dark brown. Held to the light, a mahogany (dark red-amber) color is apparent. Sandy-colored head dissipates very slowly and leaves moderate lacing. Very little-to-no carbonation visible.

S: Smells of chocolate, roasted coffee with a slight hint of coconut in the background. Also smells a bit sweet, perhaps from molasses.

T: Same as smell. A blend of roasted coffee, chocolate and coconut. Brown sugar and/or molasses may also be present and hence has a somewhat sweet element to it. It all blends well. One of the best tasting beers I've had in a while.

M: Medium-bodied. No carbonation.

O: Overall one of the best beers I've had since Samuel Adams Noble Pils. This has become one of my new favorite beers. Reminds me a bit of Quilter's Irish Death. If you see this one, definitely give it a try!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2011 04:03:27 | More by echoes

secondtooth

Indiana

4.14/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a deep ruby brown, with a nice head of fine, off-white suds. lovely and attractive lace.

Nose is full of toasty coconut. A hint of cocoa or chocolate in there as well. I really like this -- unique and distinctive.

Taste is very coconutty-- with more of the chocolate hint featuring alongside. Very enjoyable. There's also a slight hint of hops late in the finish, bringing this around full circle. I dig this brew and will be revisiting.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2013 20:30:05 | More by secondtooth

LazyL

British Columbia (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A great looking chestnut brown with a beige foamy head. The scent of toasted coconut really comes through and there is a slight boozyness in the background. There is alot of cocnut here, maybe more than I would like. Its a bit sweet but there is enough other stuff going on to keep you interested. It has a light body and retained a fair amount of chunky lacing. This is a good picnic beer or a beer for those that dont like beer? An interesting brew and one that should be tried, especially for desert with maybe some fried bananas and vanilla ice cream.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 04:14:10 | More by LazyL

TheSixthRing

California

4.13/5  rDev +14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a dark, ruby brown with a nice head which dissipates rather quickly, leaving behind a very thin lace.

Smell - Light coconut, floral notes. Very faint.

Taste - Beautiful shredded coconut, lightly roasted cocoa malts... is that a menthol note playing in the background?

Mouthfeel - Light in body, with a decent amount of carbonation to tingle the senses.

Overall - This is a great spring beer. It just might be my favorite Kona offering. This and pipeline are neck and neck. Why Kona doesn't offer both these beers year-round is beyond me, because they are by far Kona's best two beers.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 04:18:48 | More by TheSixthRing

rangerred

Tennessee

4.1/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

Appearance is a clear dark brown with a one finger off-white head. Minimal lacing.

Smell is dark roasted malt with a little bit of chocolate and coconut.

Flavor has plenty of roasted malt but coconut also is front and center. Good chocolate flavor as well all blending together to create a wonderful taste. A tiny bit of hop bitterness is there to level out the sweetness. It's almost like a Mounds bar in a glass.

Overall a wonderful beer for someone who loves coconut.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 00:14:11 | More by rangerred

AdamBear

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-nice brilliant amber with a nice dark cream colored head

S-caramel, grains, nothing special. has some toastyness to it. smells good for a brown ale

T-comes in with a good taste of toasty grains and coconut. it actually has a great flavor that sticks to the tongue with a decent bitterness. has a faint after-taste.

M-medium creamy carbonation with a dry finish

O-this is a very tasty and very drinkable beer. i could get a lot of this and always enjoy it. the coconut isn't too pronounced but it is noticeable, and appreciated. definitely one of my favorite brown ales out there

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 15:51:11 | More by AdamBear