I love me some coconut. Out of all the "nuts" it's my favorite. Then again is it a nut? What the hell is a coconut? Oh, apparently it is a fibrous one-seeded drupe. Did you ever think you'd actually learn something from this blog? Me neither.
Anyway, I've been waiting for this bad boy to show up in the New Orleans market and got an email from Tim at Elio's saying that he had just gotten it in on Friday so I headed over after work.
R&R is another collaboration brew from Stone Brewing. This one is a "celebration of the homebrewing spirit and an example of counter intuitive thoughts coalescing beautifully into something exceptional". Um.....what?
Here is a description of the beer from Stone Brewing's website:
Originally dreamt up by homebrewers Robert Masterson and Ryan Reschan, who earned themselves the top prize in our 2013 American Homebrewers Association homebrewing contest, this innovative beer marks a refreshing sea change for IPA lovers everywhere. It was brewed with 280 pounds of coconut and an unusual blend of hop varieties, including a few from faraway lands or just brand spankin' new, and is guaranteed to taste like no IPA that's gone before. Prepare yourself for a tropical breeze of a brew that will lull you to a place of tranquil contentment for a little R&R.
For me the idea of this beer evokes the beach. Ocean, sand, suntan lotion and drinking an ice cold brew while chillin' in a beach chair. Not sure it delivered on that one. It was damn good though. Here is my review:
Brewery: Stone Brewing
Beer: R&R Coconut IPA
Style: IPA
ABV: 7.7%
Louisiana Availability: Yes. Retail: Elios and Steins. Draft: Not 100% sure where. Avenue Pub did have it at one time.
Price: $7.99
Appearance: Nice orange, hazy pour. Decent head which disappears quickly but lacing was great.
Smell: Huge piney hop aroma with hint of tropical fruit (like mango) and citrus (orange). Not getting the coconut.
Taste: Nice tropical hoppiness upfront but I am not really getting coconut. A little on the backend as well as a citrus tartness but for 280 pounds of coconut I want to taste some damn coconut. I almost want to say the hops overpower any coconut that wants to come through. That being said this is a damn fine IPA.
Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium carbonation,
Overall: I'm not getting a whole lot of coconut here. I expected a lot more. It's a coconut IPA not an IPA with a hint of coconut. Perhaps the hops overpower MY tastebuds and you may get the coconut taste. Everyone's taste is different! This is still a great beer though!
Score: 4 out of 5 Buddhas
Cheers!
The Beer Buddha
1 comment:
Stood great on it's own as a really good IPA, but no Coconut was found by me, either.
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