Kona is one of those breweries steadily making good beer without getting much credit for it. Not often great beer, perhaps, but good, solid, six pack style stuff.
Their Koko Brown falls straight in line with the brewery's previous outings, and I'd say this one might even be a bit better than your baseline brown ale. It's a session beer at 5.5% ABV and, as the name suggests, has coconut playing a significant part of the flavor profile.
It pours a fairly standard brown with an average off-white head. Lacing is so-so. At first glance there's nothing too exciting here.
Give it a sniff, and things look up. A toasty, malty scent hits the tip, flanked by a gentle sweetness. It's enough to get the excitement level rumbling just a bit.
A quick sip in and the Koko Brown first feels like any baseline brown, with a slightly toasty aftertaste. Let it warm up, and you'll soon pick up the nuances that, at least to some degree, puts it apart. The coconut is quite a bit more pronounced than initial impressions would suggest, and there are hints of both chocolate and caramel here. All the flavors harmonize well with the brown maltiness, and the gentle sweetness is rather pleasant.
I'm sure a lot of people who usually don't love beer could find something to like here, and in that sense the Koko Brown is somewhat of a winner as far as drinkability goes.
It might not be the most exciting ale on the planet, but the Koko Brown a good serviceable beer none the less. We'd recommend it as a late winter session taster.