The Morrigan Goes Coconut
Barbarian Brewing

exceptional, thanks to my homie for cracking this one open, a standout among a bunch of really good coconut dark beers, the barrel treatment is nice, the base beer is sturdy but not too sweet, the vanilla is lovely and enhances the coconut without turning this into dessert, and overall i think this really is wonderful, more drinkable than expected too, not boozy at all for its strength somehow. slick obsidian black appearance, very short lived ring of khaki bubbles, all kinds of shine to it, leggy but not grossly viscous or anything. the aroma and flavor are coconut forward, toasted or baked, warm and well incorporated, german chocolate cake vibes, definite cocoa character to the dark grain, love how roasty this is, the bitterness is needed to keep this balanced. vanilla brings up the bourbon too, not a ton of wood but the flavors of the whiskey are fully present, light smoke, honey, so compatible with the coconut, which is front and center the whole drink. chocolate fudge, almond joy, curiously a black licorice note too, good complexity. the coconut profile in this rules, the base beer suits it, and the barrel aging is tastefully done. smooth and long to drink on, vanilla rises up late, well hidden alcohol, the right amount of sweetness. delicious overall, no need to age too long.

edit: i believe the name is plural despite how its written here, coconuts was how it was written on their menu when i had it on draft this week, a couple years after the above review. just as good, lovely base stout, not too much barrel or sugar, honest coconut, sexy vanilla, decadent to drink on but not overly alcoholic, they have this one dialed!

 

Small tulip at brewery. Near black pour, thinnest ring of beige head. Boozy aroma, coconut first, vanilla following. Oily feel brings sweet coconut, vanilla accents. Overall, it brings a suntan oil vibe. Almost there....

I've enjoyed the Morrigan series for the past few years now with a number of nice variants. This looks similar despite its first appearance in pint cans, with a half-finger of head that leaves a bit of lacing. Muted nose, primarily a chocolate and vanilla swirl ice cream. More expressive on the palate, with the addition of the coconut and light banana, malt balls, and almond. More of a dessert treat for the series.