Big Kahuna
Odd Side Ales

Canned 10/31/22

We’re reaching the end of the Odd Side stash that BigIronH sent me in the BIF box. I’m not always the biggest fan of straight up coconut Stouts, but Odd Side hasn’t really let me down yet so I’m sure it’ll be good. Let’s get into it

Pours completely pitch black with a finger of creamy light tan head that slowly fades to a thin cap and leaves decent lacing

It isn’t super complex in the nose, but at least the coconut feels authentic. I’m picking up on aromas of raw coconut, milk chocolate, earthy bourbon, raisin, vanilla bean, smooth oak, and burnt caramel

It gets sweeter in taste unfortunately, but it’s still not bad. On the front end of the sip I’m tasting chocolate fudge, raw coconut, dry oak, sweet bourbon, light vanilla, and raisin. The swallow brings notes of toasted coconut, dry oak, sweet bourbon, burnt sugar, caramel, chocolate cake, and light vanilla

A medium full body pairs with gentle carbonation, resulting in a slick beer. Finishes a tad sticky and quite sweet

This is by far my least favorite beer I’ve had from Odd Side so far, but it’s still not too bad all things considered. It’s just a bit much

 

 

Lots of rich milk chocolate and coconut but becomes overly sweet and sticky on the finish. Oily feel. Overall, average.

 

Poured cool to a tulip glass. Deep dark mahogany with a one-finger mocha head. Toasted coconut leaps from the can in front of the chocolate shop aroma. Flavor is wonderful balance of a light/dark chocolate malt base with the toasted coconut bringing a bright caramel vibe and the bourbon giving a nice cut to the sweetness in the back end of the sip. This one is my favorite so far out of the two I’ve tried. It’s perfect for sipping while sitting in the chilly enclosed porch. It does not cross into what I consider dessert stout turf, maybe due to the livelier carbonation, unlike many that stay syrupy and still.

 

 

 

Odd Side Big Kahuna, 11% ABV. Pours black with a ring of brown bubbles. Nose is coconut, slight vanilla and slight chocolate Taste is sweet chocolate, coconut, some bourbon, and slight bitterness. Excellent mouthfeel, overall outstanding. Really well done.

 

 

Thanks to JLindros for sharing this bottle.

A - Poured into a Kate the Great tulip a nice dark black hue with a thick mocha head that fades to leave thick halo and light lacing.

S - Big aromas of layers of coconut galore. Fresh and meaty. Nice faint chocolate as well. Flashes of barrel too.

T - Taste is similar to the nose, good coconut as well, nice bitter chocolate brownie as well. The bourbon barrel notes are a bit faint. The finish is lingering bitterness too which is distracting.

M - Mouthfeel is lightly carbonated, little crisp, smooth.

O - Overall this was a very solid stout with excellent coconut notes along with chocolate. Very pleasant.

Serving Type: bottle

Thanks to Ryan145, shared with rudzud
Pours a dark creamy thick head, fair retention, nice lacing, pitch black color

Nose loads of coconut, and dark chocolate, mounds bar, toasted coconut, little charred roast, touch of vanilla, as it warms light bourbon and cookie dough, Very enjoyable

Taste big rich beer, loads of dark chocolate, fair toasted coconut, a bit sweet, caramel cookie dough notes into a little bourbon and vanilla barrel, mild roast bitterness, dry bitter finish, lingering dark chocolate and coconut

Mouth is rich creamy fuller bod, decent carb, touch of alcohol warmth

Overall pretty good, taste could have been better with more coconut and less bitterness, also more barrel, otherwise it's delicious

 

 

 

 

Pouring from a 12 oz. bottle into a snulip glass, this beer pours out dark brown with highlights running throughout. It forms in the glass an inky black and has about a pinky width of light caramel colored crown that dissipates to nothing in a matter of minutes. 3.75

The nose brings a coconut prominence first before turning to a warming bourbon presence. Almost a rum like tropical smell. Puts me on a beach somewhere, instead of Indiana in the snow. Being nit picky, the coconut seems slightly artificial, but it definitely delivers a good amount. 3.5

The taste brings that same tropical aspect. Coconut turning to tropical rum like presence. Bourbon and some oak are both detectable but not overpowering. Chocolate background. 3.75

The mouthfeel is the let down of this beer in my opinion. Way to thin and watery for a stout of this nature. Maybe it would work better in summer on a beach? Seems a little undercarbonated with no real bounce. Slightly warming bourbon and dry oak finish. 3.25

Overall, this wasn’t bad but I do feel like it has something to work on and improve on the mouthfeel. To make it more thick and decadent to counter the coconut tropicalness prominence a little. 3.5

Jet black pour, zero leakage anywhere, a compact tan head, all leading to a coconut aroma on the nose that is captivating, especially when it combines with a healthy char aroma and some rich chocolate notes.

I expected the coconut to be really forward on the taste, but it held back to join the chocolate notes in a magician flavor combination. The barrel also presents itself, giving this beer the gravitas it requires to be world-class.