Beer Review – Kona Pipeline Porter
January 4, 2010
What a great way for The Brew Club to start 2010! Kona Pipeline Porter is a limited-release beer that’s available from September 2009 through February 2010, so I was happy to get a bottle of it to try from a friend.
Not too long ago, I had really enjoyed the Kona Longboard Lager, and now, being a fan of stouts and porters anyway, I was excited to get to try this brew with some Hawaiian Kona Coffee in the mix!
As you can see in the picture, Pipeline Porter created a nice beige foamy head that had that same cool carbonation fizzing action that a Guinness will do in a glass. I don’t know, its just cool! The beer is about as close to black as you can get – even held up to my halogen desk lamp, only faint glimmers of reddish light was able to pass through the beer.
The smell was fairly mild, but the dominant aromas were sweet roasted malt, and yes – coffee! This beer smelled amazing, and I could immediately imagine what it was going to taste like just by the aroma. Sometimes beers throw you a bit and they taste quite differently than you might expect, but there was no surprise here!
The flavor was just about perfect. There was a sweet maltyness that combined so well with the coffee flavors – this beer is a drinker and I wish I had more of them! There is just the slightest bitterness in the aftertaste and it does finish just slightly dry. The body of this beer is somewhere on the medium to full end of the spectrum, and while there was initially a very nice head on the beer, it was otherwise very low carbonated – almost flat.
The Pipeline Porter is one of the easiest drinking beers I’ve come across in awhile. So smooth, so rich, and just the right amount of the coffee flavors made this a very enjoyable porter for me.
If you like porters, or you like coffee flavored beers, you are going to love this brew by Kona. I hope that its available every year between September and February, but if it isn’t than you should try getting your hands on some before its too late!
From what I have read, Pipeline Porter should be available in 18 Western States as well as some states on the East Coast which is because Kona now brews some of its beers at the Red Hook brewery in New Hampshire.
I’m starting out 2010 with a great rating of Kona’s Pipeline Porter! 4 Stars!
Rating: 
Ever have the Kona Pipeline Porter? What did you think about it? If not, what’s your favorite coffee flavored beer because I’d like to try some more of them!
Posted in 4 Star Reviews, Ales, American Beers, Bocks, Porters and Stouts
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January 4th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Sounds like my kind of beer! Nice one, and starting the year with four stars too!
Bob the Brit´s last blog ..The Lord Mayor’s Show
January 4th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
I’ve had this one before and enjoyed it. I really didn’t think it was that big on the coffee flavor, which is good in my mind. They also make a seasonal of this that has more coffee in it.
Mike – MikeLovesBeer.com´s last blog ..Samuel Adams Cranberry Lambic
January 4th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Thanks guys. I haven’t had a ton of coffee beers so I’m going on a limited reference point, but I thought the coffee flavors were just about perfect in this brew. Not too much, and not too little. Loved it.
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Home Brew Kits – The Final Review
January 4th, 2010 at 3:13 pm
These guys make good stuff. Even their lager is very tasty. I’ve not had this one although I think I’ll try it now. Another brewery to try is Maui. Their coconut porter is great.
Michael Reinhardt´s last blog ..Mikkeller: It’s Alive
January 4th, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Michael, I’d agree – I thought their Longboard Lager was one of the best lagers I’ve tried. Don’t think I’ve seen anything from Maui, but I’ll look out for it.
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Skunked Beer
January 4th, 2010 at 4:35 pm
I’ve enjoyed both their lager and their wheat. The passion fruit flavor in the wheat beer is a bit off-putting at first, but it actually grows on you pretty nicely.
platypotamus´s last blog ..fluff monster
January 4th, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Scott you inspired me to go out this afternoon and pick one of these up. I also got a Rogue Mocha Porter, so I thought I might do a throwdown between the two of them. It is a great excuse to drink two beers instead of just one!
-Don
Don´s last blog ..One is the Loneliest Number
January 4th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
Don, thanks for reminding me! I’ve been wanting to pick up the Rogue and I always forget to look for it. There should be an app for that! Looking forward to the throw-down!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Christmas Beer – Delirium Noel
January 4th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
This looks great! I love Kona coffee so I’d be really interested to try it.
Rachel´s last blog ..White Clam Sauce with Linguini
January 5th, 2010 at 11:29 am
The app is called a grocery list. You already have this app on your i-phone. It is called the to do list. click on that and write in the items you would like to purchase. Then while in the beer store open the app and look at the list…its like magic!
Don´s last blog ..One is the Loneliest Number
January 6th, 2010 at 12:26 am
I enjoyed this beer, I especially enjoyed the presence of the coffee throughout, not just in the nose or an after taste but a constant coffee flavor. I was sad that I only had a single bottle.
January 6th, 2010 at 1:08 am
@Don – Thanks for the tip, but I don’t have an Iphone!
@Brady – thanks for stopping in! I’d agree with you on both counts – the all around nice coffee flavor, and only having one bottle!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Gouden Carolus Noel – Belgian Christmas Ale
January 6th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
Scott:
Sorry you don’t have an iphone. The good news is that this app isn’t dependent on a phone or a computer or anything electronic. This was truly the very first app ever invented. It is called “the list”. Simply take a pencil and a piece of paper and do the same thing you would have done with an app, but you have to work with the manual override where you actually write out the items for purchase. Fold the piece of paper and put it in your pocket. When you get to the store take it out of your pocket and look at it…its like manual magic!
Seriously if you need a reminder to pick up the Rogue Mocha Porter I can tweet you daily until you get some. LOL
Don´s last blog ..Oats Need a Better Spokesman
January 6th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Don, thanks for that info. Problem is I still have Pencil 1.0 and Paper 1.12. I think both need to be at least 2.23.4 to work properly! I think the Don’s Tweet Beer Reminder service is something that could really catch on!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Jersey Brew – An Interview With Author Mike Pellegrino
January 6th, 2010 at 5:27 pm
I’m thinking that your versions of the hardware are fine…I am now convinced it is operator error.
Don´s last blog ..Oats Need a Better Spokesman
January 13th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Hey Scott, I’m drinking this right now and thought I’d drop in to comment. I actually think it is a little heavy on the coffee. Good thing I like coffee though, so I do like it alot. If only they made Kona Coffee for the Keurig right?
January 14th, 2010 at 10:19 am
Thanks for stopping in Billy! I like the coffee too – I thought it was a real smooth beer! Regarging the Keurig, I think there is a Kona pod available! If I recall, mine came with a ‘k kup sampler’ and I do think there were Kona Coffee pods in the mix!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Wolaver’s Coffee Porter
January 31st, 2010 at 10:58 pm
Just finished the last bottle from a six-pack we bought to try, and will go out tomorrow to buy more. I’m usually more of an amber ale fan but saw this in the store and remembered some homemade coffee beer a friend made 10 years ago that was SO good — thought perhaps this would be as good. It was. Smooth, easy drinking. I’ve been calling it my “dessert beer” but maybe I’ll try it *with* a meal instead of *after* . . .
February 1st, 2010 at 12:08 am
Barbara, thanks for stopping in. I’ll agree, this was a great beer. I think its only available in the Fall and Winter months, so you should pick some up to have when its out of the stores. And yes, the Pipeline Porter makes a great dessert beer!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Beer Review – St. Peter’s Winter Ale
May 26th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
I love this beer! I totally agree with your review. I think you summed it up perfectly right here:
“So smooth, so rich, and just the right amount of the coffee flavors made this a very enjoyable porter for me.”
It is sooo easy drinking and delicious – the perfect beer for my palate. The one downside is I can’t find this easily near me, I have to go to a non-local BevMo to find it. I try to keep my fridge stocked if I can get my hands on it though.
Do you find yourself gravitating more towards smooth and malty beers, or hoppy and in your face? Or do you like all kinds?
Royce´s last blog ..Beer Wednesday: Pipeline Porter by Kona Brewing Co
May 26th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
@Royce – I wish I could find this more easily myself. I’m hoping that now some of their beers are brewed in New Hampshire, they’ll starting showing up more in my part of NJ. So far, that’s not been the case,
I’m biased toward beers like this, smooth and malty, but I’ve been pushing myself to try more styles and its been paying off. I’ve found that I like many American Pale Ales like Stone Pale ale or Sierra Nevada’s which are hoppier beers. I’m not into DIPAs just yet though! Baby steps! Thanks for stopping in!
Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Stone Pale Ale
May 26th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
I know what you mean, I’m not the biggest IPA fan but I’m forcing myself to try them. Actually at FIWK a couple of weeks ago we did an IPA tasting which I found very educational. I feel like I’m training my palate! Some good IPAs in there. And some stinkers.
Not an IPA, but have you had the Firestone Walker Pale Ale? Now there’s a pale ale that kills it (in a good way).
Royce´s last blog ..Beer Wednesday: Pipeline Porter by Kona Brewing Co