Boy was I barking up the wrong tree. When I heard about Creature Comforts Koko Buni Milk Porter, I immediately thought of that silly rabbit that’s always trying to eat some poor kid’s breakfast cereal. He goes after fruit flavored cereal, not the chocolate stuff. Still, when you add in the milk Koko Buni sure does sound a lot like a breakfast cereal.
Creature Comforts of Athens, Georgia certainly does make some great beers, and as you’re about to see I think Koko Buni is one of them. So far, I’ve sampled most of their beers on draft either at Taco Mac or in a growler from Stouts here in Canton. It’s nice to see them canning, though I’d prefer their beers in sic-packs rather than the 4-pack Koko Buni comes in.
Creature Comforts says of Koko Buni on their website:
In the ongoing quest to stay local, we have partnered with several Athens businesses and talent to create Koko Buni. The cocoa nibs are from the local bean-to-bar chocolatier, Condor Chocolates, and the Ethiopian coffee used in the beer is from 1,000 Faces Coffee. Even the can design was created by local artist David Hale in collaboration with Young Athenians.
The name “Koko Buni” comes from the raw ingredients used in the beer – koko, which means coconut in Papamiento, a language commonly used in the Caribbean and Buni, which is derived from the word for coffee in Amharic, the primary language found in Ethiopia.
Creature Comforts Koko Buni is a “Milk Porter w/ toasted coconut, cocoa nibs, vanilla beans, and coffee”. It’s a seasonal December to February release with an alcohol content of 6.8% by volume. The beer runs $10.99 a 4-pack which to me is overpriced by $2 for a 4-pack, but it would not stop me from buying it again. I’ll allow them a little extra for the specialty ingredients.
Creature Comforts Koko Buni Milk Porter pours to an almost jet black color with a thick fluffy tan head of foam and an intensely roast dark malt nose. Taking a sip, the beer is full and rich in the mouthfeel; very, very roasty with deep dark espresso notes. I get light licorice and an excellent hint of coconut milk sweetness before the beer finishes very roasty with a slightly less than harsh burnt character peppered with grassy bitter hops. What of the coconut? Surprisingly it manages to poke through with a hint of toasty tropical flavor and a gentle hint in the nose.
All in all, this is downright impressive brew and one I’d shell out the money for again.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft