Brewery – Rhinegeist
Beer – Cloud Harvest 01: Moku Nui
Style – Unfiltered Juicy IPA
ABV – 6.5%

Volcanoes dormant for now, vines hang like leafy leis across blue skies while slack key guitar and ukelele riffs bend dreamily through ad hoc coconut radios. Aloha’aina, hoparinos.

Moku Nui (named after a Hawaiian islet) was first released on 2/21/20 and was the first piece of Rhinegeist’s new ‘Unfiltered, Juicy IPA’ series that they’re calling the ‘Cloud Harvest’ series. The new series of IPAs was the result of two years worth of experimentation and research from the brewery, where they tested dozens of hop and yeast combinations to impart “explosive, tropical and juicy hop flavors with low bitterness and full body”. They’re saying that Cloud Harvest as a series is brewed for the next generation of IPA drinkers. (you can read more about this release over on Rhinegeist’s website if you’re curious)

I don’t know if I’m part of the “next generation of IPA drinkers” or not – but I can without a doubt say that I’ve been enjoying this first release of the series. Moku Nui is freaking delicious.

My Thoughts On Moku Nui

When I poured the beer into my glass, it didn’t shock me. It’s a slightly hazy, pale yellow beer with a nice fluffy white head on top.

Aromas are exactly like the brewery’s description prepares you for… tropical fruit and a touch of light coconut. Like a beach vacation in a glass.

The taste hits right in a sweet spot for me. It’s not loaded up with lactose, it doesn’t have that “overly filling” feeling that some NE IPAs give me… it’s really, really nice. The nice full body carries a load of tropical pineapple and coconut hop flavors throughout a long sip… finishing really clean with a nice juicy memory left in the wake. It nails what they were going for with the beer, and actually makes me really excited for what’s to come in the series – which is a rare case for me with so many beers being released monthly.

Disclaimer: This beer was a sample provided to me from the folks at Rhinegeist – while I didn’t pay for it, that doesn’t change my thoughts or opinions on the beer itself.