Koko Brown - Kona Brewing Co.

matjack85

Illinois

3.69/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I picked this up as part of a build-your-own six pack for $9.99 at the Binny's store in Bloomingdale, IL. 12oz brown bottle with a bottled on date of 1/20/13 stamped on the bottom of the front label, making this bottle about 50 days old.

The beer poured a clear brown color with a 1-finger tan head that dissipated in under 30 seconds and left only small amounts of spotty lacing.

You certainly can smell the coconut along with small amounts of chocolate and malt.

While coconut is the main flavor here, it isn't overpowering. It blends well with a malty caramel sweetness and small amount of chocolate. Not exactly a melted candy bar, but close. There's also a mild hop bitterness and a touch of alcohol to balance out the sweetness.

Light bodied with moderate carbonation.

I never had a beer with coconut in it before, but then again before I started drinking craft beers, I never would have thought adding chocolate to a beer was a good idea either. I enjoyed this one, probably because they didn't over do it. Gonna try another one next time I have coconut shrimp and see how it pairs with that.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 11:22:36 | More by matjack85

TrappistJohnMD

Mississippi

3.44/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Served in the bar at the Polynesian resort in WDW. Pours dark chocolate brown in glass. Little head retention and minimal lacing.

Lots of toasted malt and coconut in aroma.

Taste is toasted malt, nuts and coconut. Coconut flavor is present throughout. Mild bitter finish.

Mouthfeel is light-medium bodied.

Overall this was good. Enjoyed the coconut very much.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 01:28:57 | More by TrappistJohnMD

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.44/5  rDev -5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Different, I'll say that.
Koko brown looks reddish amber and almost no head.
Smells bready with malt husky.
Coconut is quiet apparent on first sip, but tastes out of sorts. There is malty notes as well as vinilla too. A bit harsh feeling.
Perhaps the coconut flavor is a little too strong for me. I'll leave it.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 12:31:47 | More by micromaniac129

silverking

Florida

3.83/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

It pours a clear reddish brown. It has an off white head with nice lacing and decent retention. The aroma is filled with toasted coconut and hints of caramel. The coconut transfers over the the taste very well, but It's not overpowering like I feared it would be. Instead it collaborates with malt and bitter cocoa for a very nice, very well rounded taste. The finish is very mild with a kiss of bitterness. It's medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 01:43:41 | More by silverking

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.68/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Good to see an old Friend has made it to Mizzou (Kona!) Bottled/Brewed in Oregon or Washington I'm guessing. Bottled on date ( I think ) of 1-29-13

Pours a scarlet tinged brown with a thumb of tan colored head. Stellar lacing, above average head retention

S: Toasty coconut & hazelnut

T: Toasty coconut, walnut shell dryness, a touch of hazelnut up front. Some general toasty malt as this warms, along with hazelnut & coconut. Finishes toasty, dry with coconut sweetness

MF: Medium bodied with firm carbonation, thins out a touch once warm

Very drinkable, found this an enjoyable brown with decent flavor. I could see me buying this again

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 04:50:56 | More by russpowell

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

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.89/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

The toasted coconut gives this brown ale a nice flare. The beer pours a clear brown with very thin white head that is leaving a spotty lace. The smell includes spice and a touch of cocnut. The taste definitely has toasted coconut which also provides a bit of roastyness. In addition, there is definitely some bread/biscuit flavor...and also decent balancing hops. The mouthfeel is medium in body with smooth carbonation. Overall it is a good brown with an interesting kick. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 03:54:39 | More by WoodBrew

MCain04

Illinois

3.34/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Acquired as an extra in a trade. Thanks hilgart1. This was poured into a stella artois glass from a 12 oz bottle.

Appearance: Dark amber, clear, 0.5-1 finger head that is grey/off-white, quickly dissipating with no lacing.

Smell: Toasted coconut. Surprising apple-brandy aroma. Smells almost like a barrel-aged brew, though this is far from it.

Taste: Thin, mild coconut, mostly tastes like a thin weak brown ale. Like Newcastle Brown Ale, with a hint of toasted coconut.

Mouthfeel: Thin, moderately carbonated, wet.

Overall: An average brown ale that doesn't really bring much to the table in terms of coconut. I don't really go for brown ales to begin with, so this didn't wow me. Average at best.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 03:21:24 | More by MCain04

hardy008

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear dark brown color with a one finger light tan head with decent retention and lacing. The aroma has toasted bread, caramel, and coconut.

Tastes just like it smells with toasted bread, coconut, and caramel. Sweet, with no bitterness for balance. Not overwhelmingly sweet, but sweet enough that I am glad it is no sweeter than it is.
Light bodied wit average carbonation, and a toasted bread and coconut aftertaste. A nice effort from Kona.

Serving type: bottle

02-13-2013 00:03:30 | More by hardy008

Uncle_Jimmy

California

3.96/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Appearance-a deep brown with a light khaki head 1 finger of foam that leaves a thin cap on the beer

Aroma- chocolate and coconut some yeasty sourness

Taste- nutty with tastes of raisins toasted almonds and of course coconut. LIke a toasted macaroon actually I haven't tasted side by side but it may give that maui brewing coconut beer a run for its money. hops balance out and give you a bit of a poke at the end but the whole thing cleans up pretty well on the pallete.

Mouthfeel- medium bodied theres a lip smacking maltyness but it is not overly sweet or syrupy.

Overall- there may be some biased here but i visited Kona Brew Co on my honeymoon. Great beers. I especially like this one!

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 23:48:21 | More by Uncle_Jimmy

MattyG85

Minnesota

3.84/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass. Label bottling date of Nov 29, 2012.

Appearance: Pours a deep brownish amber with some ruby. Lots of rising bubbles and a solid three fingers of off white head with good retention. Leaves a lot of creamy lacing around the glass.

Smell: A sweet toasty aroma with a big profile of coconuts. Starts out with a big scent of coconut with dark toasted malts. Hints of chocolate, toasted biscuit, nuts, caramel, toffee, yeast, and a little coffee roast. Some brown sugar adds some more sweetness. Hop presence is very light. Coconut dominates the smell.

Taste: Like the aroma indicates, a very coconut forward toasty taste. Big coconut flavor throughout with toasty malts. Hints of sweet chocolate, caramel, toast, toffee, biscuit, coffee, and yeast. A fair amount of brown sugar sweetness. Subtle earthy hops come through towards the finish. Once again the coconut is the dominate note. Pretty decent taste.

Mouthfeel: Body is on the lighter side of medium with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy and crisp. Sweet but dries up a bit towards the finish.

Overall: A pretty decent brown ale. Very coconut forward and on the sweeter side. An interesting take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 07:12:29 | More by MattyG85

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.59/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Kona Aloha Series Koko Brown Ale. Ale brewed with toasted coconut and natural flavor added.

Clear, russet brown, slim tanned head.

Aroma: sweet juicy coconut hits the nose right from the top. It's the dominant flavor in the nose, and nothing but nothing is getting out from underneath. We know from the start that if you are no lover of coconut, this is one to avoid. If you belong in the set that adores it, get ready to fall in love.

Taste: The toasted cocoanut is still large when it lands on the tongue, small dark malt backs it up handily. Minor bitterness. long, malty finish. Small sweetness. Utterly likable, easily approachable.

What's the neck paper read? "Koko Brown's distinctive nutty aroma and flavor comes from real toasted coconut blended into each brew. One sip of this roasty, smooth, mahogany colored ale and you will feel like you are on a warm, sun-drenched beach in Hawaii. Alohoa?"

If you like coconut in a brown ale, this is where you go. If you don't, stay the hell away

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2013 01:34:46 | More by feloniousmonk

Big_Blue

California

3.73/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Beer appears dark brown; quite red when backlit. Head is a thick off white and very creamy. Lacing is dense and persistent.

Aroma: Lightly hopped, very malty. The coconut is very pronounced, but toasted – not cloying or sweet – as the official description promises.

Taste: The coconut hits first, but the slight sweetness rides over the tongue in a wave, allowing the maltiness of the beer to come forth before reasserting itself at the finish. There is little to no bitterness. Again, the coconut has a distinctly toasted flavor to it, but ideally so. Enough to notice, but not overdone and, therefore, acrid.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, but not weak. Carbonation could be slightly higher

Overall: I'll be honest, this beer was decent enough to plow through a six pack in 90 minutes. A hair too sweet for my tastes, but much less so than some other Brown Ales I've attempted.

Serving type: bottle

02-06-2013 08:32:27 | More by Big_Blue

hosehead83

Ohio

3.94/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz. bottle into a standard pint glass.
Dark copper in color, with a moderate head of tan foam.
Aroma-Toasted malt, subtle coconut
Taste-Toasted coconut, toasted malt, a nice little bite in the finish seems to balance everything out. a bit thin-bodied but nice flavor and balance. Sessionable. Good with a burger or BBQ wings.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 18:06:03 | More by hosehead83

morimech

Minnesota

3.39/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Clear brown color with just over one finger of head that did not stick around for very long before settling to a film of suds. A little bit of sticky lacing is left behind on the glass.

Definate aroma of toasted coconut. Unfortunately that is the only going on in the aroma.

Likewise that is mostly true in the flavor. Just a little bit of nutty malt that comes in the finish. Pleasant enough flavor albeit slightly gimmicky. If there was more malt flavor, they would really have something going on.

And more malt would also help this beers weakest aspect. Feels thin bodied and watery. Decent enough carbonation.

It delivered what the beer is advertising. Just not enough going on to warrant a good score. Just slightly above average.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 17:55:03 | More by morimech

Hawksfan79

Washington

3.46/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75

Glass: Nonic pint glass

Appearance: Dark brown with a creamy light brown head.

Smell: the only thing I'm getting here is coconut.

Taste: Toasted coconuts, slightly nutty, notes of baker's chocolate, and a malty caramel finish. Lots and lots of coconuts.

Mouthfeel: Thin light bodied with strong carbonation.

If the chocolate flavor in this brew was sweeter I think it would taste kinda like an almond joy.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2013 23:28:57 | More by Hawksfan79

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

DaveBlack

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Crystal clear, brown beer. There is maybe a 1/2 finger's worth of head, and it disappears very quickly, leaving almost nothing as evidence. The beer looks a little watery.

S: Very malty, and incredibly nutty smelling brew. Sweet roasty aroma.

T: Yeah, there's definitely coconut in this beer. Malts hit first, and are quickly overwhelmed with the taste of the coconut. A bit of a dark chocolate hint, and some slightly bitter hops finish the beer up, which keep it from being too sweet.

M: As it appears, it is a little bit thin on the body, and there is a moderate amount of carbonation.

O: Decent beer, if you like coconut. It's definitely not an outstanding beer, and there's not much to back up the coconut, but it's a nice change and it's well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 22:29:31 | More by DaveBlack

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.94/5  rDev -18.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

Sounds like the name of a bad blaxploitation flick... Anyway, this stuff pours a clear ruby-copper topped by a finger of sandy cream foam. The nose comprises lightly-toasted coconut and very little else, if anything, though a hint of wet grass may or may not find its way through at some points. Despite this not being the strongest of smells in the world, it does get to be a bit much at times. The taste adds in a bit of caramel-y toffee, but this is still mostly drowned out by the coconut. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a slick-ish feel. Overall, this beer seems to deliver on one of its promises: it certainly has some coconut in it. Beyond that, though, not much else is going on. It's a sad excuse for a brown ale, with nearly none of the characteristics of the style, and its one note song gets to be tiresome after a relatively short while.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 14:35:04 | More by TMoney2591

sairbaysah

Minnesota

3.08/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.75

12 oz bottle. Brewed on Dec. 12, 2012.

Very nice looking beer. Dark reddish brown body with a nice two finger khaki head.

The smell makes me wonder. Sugar.

The first sip is wonderful. My tongue loves the dark malt and the then the pleasant bitterness. Then something strange happens. Did I spill some suntan oil in this beer? Too much coconut. It makes this beer nasty.

This looks and feels like a great brown ale but the overly aggressive coconut ruins it.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 03:17:41 | More by sairbaysah

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark amber, ruby, deep bronze color. About two fingers of head after the pour. Centric island of off-white foam in the middle. Looks good I'd say.

Toffee, toasted, mildly roasted mlats. Hints of chocolate and maybe a hint of brown sugar. Just a hint of shaved cocomut. Smells enticing.

Toffee with a hint of coconut. Plus a little chocolate powder, toasted and roasted malt flavors of biscuits and pumpernickel bread crust. Mouthfeel is a little syrupy, but smooth and easy the rest of the way. Easy to drink, and you can taste just enough coconut, which is a big plus for me.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 22:20:55 | More by scruffwhor

AmitC

Indiana

4/5  rDev +10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A delicious beer.

Pours brown in color. Clear. Some tan colored head.

Nice coconut smell, slight caramel.

Very perfect coconut and malty blend of a taste. Tilts towards sweetness, but not really.

Mouth feel: Light to slightly medium bodied brew. Decent carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2013 00:45:24 | More by AmitC

DrinkingWithCruthers

Alaska

2.9/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

To play upon a cliché, appearances can be somewhat disappointing. It’s like when one encounters a great looking woman/man but their personality is bland despite their exotic linage or propensity to color their hair. Fun to look at and pleasant to share times with but ultimately unsatisfying. Thus the Koko Brown with its playful spelling and attractive labeling lays fallen by its timid taste and ultimate forgettabilty.

Upon first looks, my excitement rose eyeballing this bourbon brown colored ale with the small tan head to match. Clear and effervescent looking, I was confused as to the almost complete lack of aroma to be had while chilled. I was especially confused do to the nature of the added coconuts to the brewing process, that while present throughout a tasting, are largely minimal to non-existent in aroma. As the beer rose to room temperature, the coconut was more detectable, but a bit too little too late to quote another cliché.

The one true surprise of this Hawaiian brew is its surprising dryness, on par with most chardonnays I’ve had and definitely one of the driest beers I've ever had. Not sure what to account this too expect perhaps an odd uncalculated quality of the coconuts added to the brewing process. In any regards, this plus the moderate alcohol tinge throughout leads me to believe that perhaps an imperial version of this brew with a heavier emphasis on the coconut and heavier tones could be very interesting indeed.

I definitely like the idea of this brew more than Kona Brewing Company’s iteration, and ultimately wouldn't recommend it to a friend, but it sure is pretty from a distance.

Label - 4
I include this with each bottle/can review because I feel that for the average consumer to even approach an unknown beer, it's the packaging that entices rather than the actual end product. Points and half points are given for Style, Readability, Tasting Note, Brewers Notes and Ease of Bottle Reuse.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 10:27:08 | More by DrinkingWithCruthers

jazzyjeff13

United Kingdom (England)

3.5/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A 355ml bottle with a bottled-on date of April 2012. Picked up some time back from Trembling Madness in York. The label describes it as part of the Aloha series; a brown ale brewed with toasted coconut and flavourings. Coconut in beer will be a first for me.

Poured into a straight pint glass. A clear, deep reddish-brown hue with light carbonation. Forms a large head of creamy off-white foam that lasts for a few minutes before settling as a thin surface layer. Aroma of sweet chocolate malt with notes of coconut, roasted malt, chocolate syrup, nuttiness, brown sugar and a hint of dried fruit. Smells a bit like a Bounty bar. A faint artificial sourness lurks in the background.

Tastes of sweet roasted malt and coconut, with a dry finish. Notes of nutty brown malt, toasted coconut, mild chocolate, a hint of brown sugar and stewed hops. Mildly earthy, with a faint acrid flavour in the background. Dry, with little bitterness to speak of. Mouthfeel is tingly with a thin, watery body that doesn't do the flavours justice. Rather astringent - dries the palate. Aftertaste of sweet malt with hints of coconut and chocolate.

An interesting idea with some good flavour combinations, but the execution is flawed. It smells pretty good, even if some of the flavours seem artificial (added perhaps?). The taste is lacking - some nice malt and coconut flavours up front but these vanish like shadows in the light, leaving a faint lingering sweetness. No depth. The body is poor - watery and insubstantial when the flavour demands a thick, smooth unctuousness. It's drinkable enough but could use improvement. Worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 00:52:43 | More by jazzyjeff13

portia99

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle (March 28, 2012 date...not sure if bottled date or best by...) poured into a Dogfish Head signature glass.

A - Pours a thin looking, very clear dark brown color with mahogany aspects to it. No head forms at all, just a thin collar of white foam. No lacing.

S - Very nutty in aroma...hints of toasted coconut, mildly vanilla-ish, touch of caramel, touch of roasted malts.

T - Surprisingly bold coconut flavor, which is quite nice. Toasted coconut abounds here. Roasted malts, hints of vanilla, , nutty-almonds?, more than a touch of coffee, slight grainy-ness and very mild astringency.

M - Body is on the thin side. Carbonation is a lowish medium level and just a touch tingly. Coconut is found throughout...almost a liquid Almond Joy. A touch more body would really seal the deal on this being a liquid dessert.

O - A so-so appearance and a lackluster aroma diminish expectations, but the flavor really makes up for the initial shortcomings. This really has a great coconut and nutty flavor, making this a veritable liquid candy bar. Glad to find this random bottle kicking around a seldom visited store today. Not the freshest, but this is holding up nicely. Glad I was able to find this.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2012 22:59:16 | More by portia99