Cuckoo For Cocoa Husks
Wellington Brewery

 

I was expecting more from this one. Nearly exactly the same as the Dark Ale with maybe a touch of cocoa. Label mentions it's merely the porter with added cocoa husk, maybe it needed to be warmer to bring out the flavour. Tasted out of the fridge 4-6 degrees, bottle suggests 7-9, I'd suggest warmer if at all.

341 ml bottle served cold into a tulip. Purchased as part of Wellington's seasonal mixed 4 pack.

Appearance - Dark cola brown color, near black in the glass. A decent three quarter finger beige head is poured, staying power is minimal though.

Smell - Quite a bit of dark chocolate with some milk chocolate mixed in. Roasty bits too, but not a big nose, at least when cold.

Taste - Quite flavorful with dark chocolate again, roasted malt, caramel, subtle bits of cherry and a sweeter porter than expected. Quite boldly flavored.

Mouthfeel - Medium bodied, dense but not creamy and carbonation is on the low side. Pairs nicely with the taste.

Overall - While the initial impressions were not great, the flavor and feel are good and while they might not make you Crazy for Cacoa Husks, they will bring a smile to any porter loving fan's face.

 

Bottle from the mixed 4 pack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

473 mL can from the brewery; best before May 13 2016 and served slightly chilled.

Pours an opaque cola-brown colour with some reddish highlights; topped off with one finger of creamy-looking, light beige-coloured head. Decent retention; it seeps away over the next couple of minutes, leaving behind a generous swath of lacing in addition to a foamy cap and collar. Roasted malts and cocoa powder dominate the nose, with suggestions of coffee, treacle, vanilla extract and hazelnut providing some additional depth.

This porter boasts an enjoyable malt-forward flavour that consists of roasted grains, molasses and caramel sweetness, with subtle notes of cocoa powder, date and vanilla. Dark chocolate flavour comes through toward the finish, along with some herbal, earthy undertones and a bittersweet aftertaste. Light-medium in body, with very little carbonation - this one feels a tad flat, which is a problem, but not an unforgivable one for this style. The gentle carbonation results in a soft, very smooth mouthfeel; this is extremely drinkable.

Final Grade: 3.84, a B+. Cuckoo For Cocoa Husks is an appealing, highly drinkable example of a strong porter, but not what I'd call a stand-out in the category. The chocolate/cocoa husks are not necessarily the central focus here - it's actually quite well-balanced - which makes the name somewhat misleading, but the beer itself is still pretty darn yummy, and something I'd be willing to purchase again. Fans of their County Dark Ale seeking out something with a richer flavour profile will definitely want to sample this one.

Enjoyed on tap at Louis Cifer.

Tasted like a straight up porter with no cocoa coming through at all. Was expecting this to be a cocoa bomb based on the name and it was non-existent. The beer was also a bit thin and watery. Disappointing.