DARK ENOUGH FOR YOU? Porter is The Other Dark Ale, the Un-Stout, laboring in the long, inky shadow of its rival. Even casual beer drinkers can name at least one stout – Guinness, anyone? – but porter was so unheralded, the style nearly died out in the late 20th century. American craft brewers helped revive this classic British beer, and Pipeline is a tasty example of why it deserves to live on.
PERKY PORTER: Stouts are known for their roasty maltiness, while porters offer more cocoa and coffee flavors. Pipeline plays to those strengths; Kona coffee teases the nose and pleases the tongue. The beer is light of body and calm of demeanor – not too sweet, not too bitter. (If you're keeping score, Pipeline claims 30 bittering units.)
TO EVERY BEER: This is Kona Brewing Co.'s seasonal offering for autumn, but it's also a pleasant warm-weather refresher. Of course, fall's not frosty in Hawaii – or San Diego. And, at 5.4 percent alcohol by volume, Pipeline makes an appealing session beer.
ATTENTION, BARGAIN SHOPPERS: Most Kona brews found here were brewed at the Widmer plant in Portland. Contract-brewing is tricky – entrusting your products to someone else, you lose some control and perhaps some character. But Kona is spared the cost of shipping crates across the Pacific, and those savings are reflected in the price. In local shops, Pipeline six-packs sell in the $7-to-$8 range.
Beers are rated from 0 to 5 bottles, with 5 being best.
BEER BIZ
Saturday, beer fans can attend two notable events in San Diego County:
Green Flash's sixth anniversary party will be held at the brewery, 1430 Vantage Court in Vista, noon to 4 p.m. Admission: $30. Details: info@greenflashbrew.com or (760) 597-9012.
Lost Abbey's second annual barrel-tasting dinner, 7 to 10 p.m., will feature nearly a dozen barrel-aged brews. The brewery is at 155 Mata Way, San Marcos. Tickets, $80 for a single or $150 for a pair, are sold at lostabbey.com/news.
