Stranger Than Chocolate & Coconut
Collective Arts Brewing

The can is dated 12/22/2020, this review is being written on 2/8/2026. Wasn’t going to rate it but as I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it, thought it might help someone still sitting on one.
The pour is crazy carbonated, full 2” of light brown head that leaves sheets of lacing. The liquid itself is coffee brown with deep mahogany highlights when backlit.
The taste is still very much what I think they intended; the base porter shines through the Mounds candy bar represented by “natural” flavors. (Yes, quotes; truly natural flavors I would think have fallen off more than these might have. But I know nothing)
The feel is light, lighter than the flavors suggest but keeping with the ABV.
OA, natural flavors or not, it’s a toasty porter that is a shame to be retired.

 

Labeled as Porter w/ Natural flavors. Cascade and Nugget hops.

A: A firm walnut toned head sits heartily atop at two fingers strong. Sloppy strands of intricate lace dance around the vessel rim while providing a generous coverage. A dark cola exit from the can sits a hearty dark black stout like in the vessel.

S: Dark juicy plums and raisins are first introduced on the nose, combining with a light chocolate booziness. Fresh black cherries as well chime in. There is that "strange", but alluring chocolate covered coconut scent outlined by some spicy pineapple on the trail. Strong to moderate awareness, unique, with perhaps a hint of kit-kat and molasses upon warming.

T: Warm boozy flavor of prunes, bitter chocolate along with some spicy black cherries. There is a sooty and smoky chocolate taste off the tongue as well. Bittering minerality brings a smoky coffee roast along with a spiciness of fore-mentioned cascade citrus hops. Some dried pine, toasted walnuts with some earthy smoked herbal hop leaves rounds out along with some roasted barley and licorice hints.

M: Nice initial tingle of strong carbonation dances on the tongue, crackles long and hard on the hold. Really sharply defined for a porter, seltzer like feel. A full consistency, is viscose and heavy, with a warming booziness on inner cheeks. Buttery texuture with a earthy bittering fade.

O: A wide spectrum of complexity, full body maltiness, an earthy smoked appeal as well some spicy added hops all combine for a unique experience. Roasty coffee and campfire feel is right at home camping on a fall night, and would do just as well as cold coffee in the morning. Well blended flavor, great drinkability.

 

 

 

This one pours a dark brown, almost black color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.

This tastes like baker's chocolate, milk chocolate, a little bit of coconut, and some vanilla.

I want a bit more roast here to balance out the sweetness. There's not even that much coconut, it's just all chocolate here, and it feels a bit unbalanced.

This is medium bodied, creamy enough, and kind of slick,.

The regular Stranger than Fiction is definitely better than this one. It was unenjoyable, but the adjunct work didn't really blow me away here.

 

transfer from Untapped. Apologies for clogging up the feed. From July 4th 2021

Looks the part, black body, small tan head, a little lacing.

aroma of dark chocolate

Taste of bakers chocolate comes through. quite heavily hopped. a decent roast, some coconut.

Mouth medium, finish quite flavorful mix.

overall, interesting take on a porter, quite a lot going on, perhaps a bit to much?

 

1 PINT can
Served in a snifter

This beer pours black and is topped with a couple inches of tan head that leaves spotty lacing.

It has a wonderful chocolate and coconut smell. I also get some coffee and roasted malt.

The taste begins with bakers chocolate. The coconut comes in and adds a little sweetness. I get some black coffee and roasted malt.

Medium bodied with a creamy mouthfeel

I kind of like this beer. The smell is great. The taste is not sweet. In fact it leans toward unsweetened chocolate and black coffee. The coconut is just the perfect amount for my taste. Well done.

 

16 oz can into a tulip glass.

Pours a dark copper color with 3 fingers of soapy tan head. Moderate retention. Leaves some splotchy lacing around the glass.

Coconut smell for days with a lighter touch of chocolate. Like a Mounds bar, basically. Some subtle coffee notes and a bit of roasted malt.

The flavor starts off with a bit of coconut and chocolate, followed by a wave of cherry cola. Finishes with some coffee and bitter hops.

The feel is medium-light bodied with moderate carbonation. A bit watery.

Overall, this is a pretty good porter. The coconut and chocolate notes are nice, but the body is too light and watery for the style.

Pours a dark brown thumb sized tan head that leaves light lace.

Aroma is big on sweet coconut and chocolate some light fruitiness also coffee hints.

Taste pretty much the nose but the coconut isn't as strong and sweet as it is in the nose. Have the chocolate, light coconut, tart cherries lingering bitterness from coffee grounds and hops, good ole Cascade . Pretty tasty and unique really only real reason to knock it is the huge coconut nose didn't play out in the flavor as much as you would think.

Mouthfeel is maybe light medium but seems lighter carbonation isn't really peppy enough to make it so light?

Overall not bad I like unusual flavors even if it strays from the nose and the body is light.

16 oz. can.
Canned 12/22/20.
Moderate to vigorous pour yields a nearly one inch tan head over a dark brown body with cherry edges and some lacing. Nose of coconut and chocolate, dark malt and dark fruit. Taste mirrors the nose with dark fruit, chocolate, and coconut and it is quite delicious; finishing with chocolate and coconut. Feel is disappointingly thin, but overall, it is something I would share and have again.
Cheers!

Poured from a fridge-temp can dated 12/22/20 to a tulip.
Body is black with brown edges. Medium head of multi-sized dark-tan bubbles, but it is fleeting and laces minimally.
Coconut aroma is strong with an aged cherry back ground.
Taste is similar. Its funny I get the advertised coconut but the chocolate (bitter if there is any) is overrun by a sweetish aged cherry flavor. Tastes like some cakes I have had.
Body is light, but oily and coating.
Not to shabby, but certainly something you need to be in the mood for.

 

Excellent head production from a strong pour; good retention, and excellent lacing.

Tons of coconut on the nose, along with nutty and bitter chocolate. Prune and cola from the porter base; a touch of cream and coffee, minor char and toast. Nothing stands out quite as much as the coconut, however.

Flavor isn't quite as dominated by the coconut, at least not up front. Fairly thin bodied, but that matches the low ABV; it's a lively, very drinkable, very modest porter. The coconut does, however, detract a bit from the malt body, which loses some of the expected richness and toastiness; even the chocolate doesn't quite bring it back up to the richness I expected, although it does add slight depth.

A very good beer, and worth trying, but the additions haven't made a very good porter even better; if anything, they've disguised that porter, and brought it down just a slight notch.

Appearance - Pours a dark chocolate brown with three fingers of foamy tan head.

Smell - earthy and leafy hops, intense coconut, cocoa, roasted malts, hint of coffee bean, and earthy yeast,

Taste - earthy and leafy hops upfront then quickly goes into the pungent coconut. The cocoa, roasted malts, and hint of coffee bean follow suit. The earthy yeast rounds out the brew,

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Finishes smooth with the coconut lingering.

Overall - A very coconut forward porter that makes for a interesting ride. The cocoa and hops are there but it seems like the coconut is overpowering just a tad but nonetheless a stand out in the flavoured porter category.