Lokahi
Moksa Brewing Company

this is, without question, one of the best stouts ive ever had, and really among the best beers ive ever had. ive had some moksa collabs in the past, but this is my first of their acclaimed beers straight up, this is hype train stuff, but its worth all the fussing over, seriously its on its own level in terms of overall quality and uniqueness, and this has me exceedingly keen to get my lips on more of their beer, wow! there is so much to this, including its epic refinement, use of high end bourbon barrels and long maturity, and seamless incorporation of other high end ingredients from the islands, but the part of this that totally gets me, floored me really, is the macadamia nut aspect, an ingredient i have had in many other beers, but never to this level of intensity and authenticity, its truly special. like i can smell and taste the macadamia nuts ahead of the traditionally way more obvious and powerful other ingredients, good kona coffee, sexy vanilla beans, and coconut, somehow the macadamia is front and center ahead of all of these, its the star, so unique. it has a toasted, buttery, earthy, slick character, and the nuts have a major impact on the mouthfeel as well, like this is oily to the point of being fatty and palate coating, just like the nuts themselves, highly caloric, and entirely permanent on my tastebuds, i love their contribution to the feel as much as i do their flavor, absolutely epic. if this stopped there, huge and viscous black imperial stout aged in nice bourbon barrels for a long time with these nuts, it would already be world class, but they bolster it further with unique coffee and fresh coconut and vanilla beans from hawaii, all of which seem in service of the macadamia nuts, but all of which also add a whole lot to this. the coconut is natural and sweet and summery, the coffee is bitter and roasty and earthy, a nice contrast to the inherent sweetness through this, and the vanilla is intriguing, intense, and brings up the best parts of the fine bourbon. its woody and thick, balanced and complex, and the fatty nut element and saturation of flavor is one of a kind. i cant say enough about this one, downright elite, and worthy of seeking out. a true joy to drink.

 

Sweet milk chocolate, creamy coconut, vanilla-nutty mocha coffee, and a bourbon barrel boozy nose on this one! Taste follows the nose exactly with some nice barrel heat on the backend. As it warms, the macadamia nut vibe starts to pop more which works well with the vanilla-bourbon heat on the finish. This has a nice, viscous mouthfeel to it that accentuates the additions here. The only thing that didn't pop for me was the coffee notes. Outside of that, this is absolutely fantastic!