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Big Sur Moon

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Big Sur Moon is the brewery's year-round porter, first brewed in 2018. Vienna and Munich malts form the base, layered with speciality malts into a rich wort that is blended with cocoa husks to amplify the chocolate notes; no lactose is used. The brewery calls the result smooth, rich and easy drinking. Tasters mainly report chocolate and cocoa with some roast and a little coffee. It is sold as gluten free.

ABV
4.2%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark28
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
chocolateroastedmalty
chocolate
roasted
malty
coffee
dark fruit
Aroma
Rich chocolate and cocoa dominate the nose, amplified by the addition of cocoa husks to the kettle.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Big Sur Moon

◎ Appearance

Deep mahogany brown with a dense, dark tan head that clings persistently to the glass. The body is opaque and shows good carbonation energy beneath the surface. Head retention is firm and demonstrates solid foam structure typical of the porter style.

deep mahoganydense tan headopaque body

◌ Aroma

Rich chocolate and cocoa dominate the nose, amplified by the addition of cocoa husks to the kettle. Beneath the confectionery notes, subtle roasted grain and light coffee undertones emerge, grounding the aroma in malt. The overall impression is warm and inviting without sharp roast edges.

chocolate, cocoaroasted graincoffee undertones

◐ Taste

The palate opens with smooth chocolate and cocoa flavours that coat the mouth comfortably. Mid-palate reveals gentle roasted malt character and a whisper of coffee complexity, while the 33 IBU bitterness remains restrained and well-integrated. The low alcohol (4.2%) allows the malt and adjunct profile to shine without heat.

smooth chocolateintegrated bitternesseasy drinking

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and moderately dry, with cocoa and roast lingering pleasantly on the palate. No harsh astringency or metallic notes; the aftertaste fades gracefully.

cocoa fadedry finish
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
79
Appearance
76
Finish
75
Serve at 10–13°C

Serve at 10–13°C. Too cold mutes the roasted complexity that makes a good porter worth drinking slowly.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Drink within 6–12 months for best results. Baltic Porters can be aged longer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Big Sur Moon

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About Porter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Porter?

Porters are dark ales with 4–6.5% ABV and IBU 18–35. Roasted malt brings chocolate, caramel and toffee — medium body with a clean finish.

Finding a similar Porter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same chocolate, smooth-drinking, rich character as Big Sur Moon will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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