Phase Three Niu Coconut 4Pk is a coconut porter at 6.3% ABV from Phase Three Brewing Company in Lake Zurich, Illinois. Drawing on over a decade of experience pairing coconut with dark beer styles, Phase Three designed Niu as a deliberate step away from heavy pastry porters — a full-flavored coconut porter built for comfortable pint-sized drinking. On Untappd, the beer carries a 3.8 out of 5 rating across more than 4,200 reviews.Quick Facts: ABV: 6.3% | Origin: Lake Zurich, Illinois, USA | Style: Coconut Porter | Brewery: Phase Three Brewing CompanyProduction & HeritagePhase Three Brewing Company operates out of Lake Zurich, a suburb northwest of Chicago, and has built a devoted following for its adjuncted dark beers and hazy IPAs. Niu is brewed with a base of full-flavored UK malted grains, including Maris Otter, crystal malts, and chocolate malts — a traditional English porter foundation that provides body and depth without excessive sweetness. The coconut addition is central to the recipe, and the brewery has described Niu as a peek behind the curtain at their approach to dark beer, designed so that drinking a full pint feels appropriate rather than overwhelming.Tasting NotesAroma: Toasted coconut leads, followed by chocolate malt and a subtle undercurrent of coffee. A raw coconut sweetness weaves through the darker grain notes, becoming more pronounced as the beer warms.Taste: The entry brings burnished dark malts and milk chocolate before coconut emerges at mid-palate with a lightly tropical sweetness. Toward the back, near-roasted malt character introduces a dark coffee bitterness that balances the coconut, along with a thread of molasses that adds depth without cloying weight.Finish: Medium in length with a steady fade of coffee and dark chocolate. Coconut lingers gently, and moderate carbonation keeps the mouthfeel clean despite the light-to-medium body.How to Drink Niu CoconutPour into a tulip glass or English pint glass at around 45–50°F; the coconut aromatics expand noticeably as the beer warms a few degrees. Niu is built to drink as-is rather than mix, but it also works in beer-forward serves. Try it in a Porter Float with a scoop of vanilla or coconut ice cream, where the roasted malt backbone prevents excess sweetness. A Black Velvet variation — equal parts Niu and dry sparkling cider — plays the coconut against crisp apple acidity. It also holds up in a Beer Flip (whole egg, demerara syrup, nutmeg), where the coconut and chocolate malt round out the custard-like texture.Best For Dark beer fans who want flavor complexity without heavy, dessert-stout richness Pairing with a weekend brunch spread alongside waffles, French toast, or chocolate pastries Sharing with friends exploring Illinois craft beer beyond the hazy IPA category Cool-weather sessions around a fire pit where a full pint of something roasty fits the mood Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat does Niu Coconut taste like? Niu Coconut delivers toasted coconut layered over chocolate malt, dark coffee, and a touch of molasses, with a clean, moderately carbonated finish. The coconut presence is steady rather than overpowering, balanced by the roasty grain bill.How does Niu Coconut compare to Maui Brewing Coconut Hiwa Porter? Both are coconut-forward porters, but Coconut Hiwa leans slightly drier with a more prominent roasted barley edge, while Niu emphasizes toasted coconut sweetness against a softer, chocolate-malt-driven base. Niu also tends to be lighter in body, reflecting Phase Three's goal of session-friendly drinkability.Is Niu Coconut good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — the beer was specifically designed to be enjoyed by the pint, delivering adjuncted dark beer satisfaction at a moderate 6.3% ABV that does not fatigue the palate.Where is Niu Coconut made? Niu Coconut is brewed by Phase Three Brewing Company in Lake Zurich, Illinois, a community in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. The brewery is known for small-batch specialty releases across a range of styles.What foods pair well with Niu Coconut? Grilled jerk chicken, where the coconut echoes the dish's tropical spice; dark chocolate brownies, which mirror the beer's malt character; pulled pork with a brown sugar glaze, balancing savory and sweet; banana bread or coconut macaroons that amplify the coconut thread; and aged Gouda, whose caramel notes complement the porter's toasted malt.What sizes does Niu Coconut come in? Niu Coconut is available as a 4-pack of cans, Phase Three's standard release format for their rotating porter and specialty offerings.Is Niu Coconut worth the price? Niu sits in the mid-range craft beer tier, priced competitively with other adjuncted porters from similarly respected independent breweries. For drinkers who value coconut integration and drinkability over sheer intensity, it delivers strong value in its category.Why Niu Coconut?Phase Three built Niu Coconut on a specific premise: a coconut porter that satisfies the craving for rich, adjuncted dark beer without the thick, syrupy weight that makes many pastry-style porters one-and-done pours. The Maris Otter and chocolate malt backbone gives it genuine English porter structure, while the coconut addition reads as deliberate rather than decorative. With over a decade of experience brewing coconut-forward dark beers, Phase Three has refined this recipe into something that holds its own against higher-ABV, more aggressively flavored competitors — and does so at a sessionable 6.3% that rewards a full four-pack sitting.
