Beer review: Põhjala Cocobänger

Autumn is in the air. Nights here in Northern-Finland are getting more colder and darker. Personally, I don’t like the cold, dark and wet weather we have this time of year. But what I do like, is that the autumn is a good season to drink strong dark beers! Not that I don’t drink them during summer but there’s something more special to drink them when it’s getting colder. Or at least to me, there is.

But it’s not quite the darkest and coldest weather yet. During days there’s warm sunshine and even some heat making you sweat. So I wanted a strong dark beer with something summer-like in it and for me it was coconut! Põhjala Cocobänger-  that sounded so nice. 12,5 % ABV Imperial Stout with coffee and coconut. Before I review the beer, a few words about the Estonian mighty brewery.

Põhjala was founded in the Estonian capital Tallinn at the end of 2011 by four Estonian beer lovers and soon joined Scottish head brewer, Chris Pilkington who formerly worked at Brewdog. First beer released by them was Öö, an Imperial Baltic Porter with 10,5 % ABV. (This beer currently has  almost 1000 reviews in  Pint Please with an average score of 3.91!). Since then they have released many, many, many more excellent and fascinating brews, regularly scoring close to or over 4.0 average in Pint Please. Personally, I’m always waiting for them to release more beers, especially The Cellar series beers, which have been absolute killers.

But now the Cocobänger:

Bottle. Best before 8.2.2022 (Drank 4.9.2019)

Temperature: +11 degrees

Appearance: Almost black in colour. Quick brown head disappears hissing.

 

Nose: The aroma is strongly coconut with a pleasant coffee following close behind. Then comes liquorice.

 

Mouthfeel: Full, oily, with a nice dark malt punch that prevents the oiliness from being annoying. Warming alcohol strikes hard but doesn’t knock you out.

 

Taste: Coconut, brown sugar, high roasted coffee, chocolate, liquorice and alcohol in the taste. Nice complexity and strong.

Overall: Very good Imperial stout once again from Põhjala. Packed with flavours and punch, like an Imperial stout should be. These kinds of beers are just hard not to like. Cheers!

 

 I scored this 3.9/5

 

-Jari From Pint Please