Review #2 Stone, Ken Schmidt, Maui: Kona Coffee, Macadamia, Coconut Porter

So I suppose I will do the first collab in this series next, kind of working backwards, but whatever.

This wondrous creation of all that is good in the world tastes like a chocolate macaroon being served with a great cup of coffee. I really dig porters, but I have been not so happy with most of the ones I have recently tried. It's not that they were bad, they just weren't something special. This brew ends that streak.

It pours out black, with little to no head. Then it punches you in the nose with a HUGE sweetened coconut right hook, and follows up with a left jab of coffee and chocolate. It's silky and smooth to the taste where the coffee takes over, and the coconut and chocolate become a pleasant backdrop. Then you get some nice fruity hints from the hops. But wait- there's more! Just as it hits the back of your tongue and you are ready to swallow you get a nice kick of tasty roasted macadamia nut goodness. OMG!

My verdict: This beer should be available all the time! I would shell out the $6.99 to drink 12 ounces of this again and again. But it's not, so I have cellared a few for a rainy day, as you should too.

Review #1 21st Amendment, Firestone Walker, Stone Brewery El Camino (Un)Real Ale

The second this beer was ready to hit the shelf at work I snagged one and was pumped to drink it. I love strong ales of all types, but was especially ready to try this one because of all of the odd ingredients put into the brew. Fennel seeds, figs, pink peppercorns and chia seeds. I mean, who puts chia seeds (one of the newer health food fads) into a beer? But hey, I like all three breweries on the collab, and knew it would be awesome. It did not disappoint.

Once you pour this 12 ounces of joy into your glass, you will notice that it is almost pitch black and has a nice tan head that hangs around for a long time. It has a nice grassy, floral, peppercorn, and tobacco aroma which only made me want to drink it more. Once I did, I was delighted by the sweet fig (almost date) flavor that blended perfectly with the dark chocolate malts, hints of caramel, and slight citrus notes. This beer has girth, it's meaty, creamy, kind of chewy, and you can barely tell that it has an ABV of 9.5%. It kind of reminded me of the perfect adult granola bar.

My verdict: I bought more. You should get some if you can. But beware, it goes down VERY easy for a 9.5%, and could be dangerous.