Pelican Brewing Company announced the release of a new seasonal, Midnight Malt, a porter made with cocoa nibs, and sent me a six-pack to try last week. Pelican has been releasing a number of new packaged beers in recent months (which makes sense in the age of covid) but I don’t remember a porter being among the usual lineup.

Here’s the press release accompanying the beer:

Pelican Brewing Company creates a new dark twist on a classic beer style with their seasonal cocoa porter, Midnight Malt. Brewed with Meridian Cacao Company nibs, sourced directly from cacao farmers in Tanzania, this balanced chocolate porter delivers full and luxurious flavors of dark chocolate with a roasted aroma and a rounded malt finish. Adding to Pelican’s wide range of beer styles for every craft beer drinker, this smooth cocoa porter is now available in 12 oz. cans, six-packs, and on draft at Pelican brewpubs and other participating watering holes.

“Porters are one of the oldest styles of beer, so we wanted to put our unique take on this style and create a smooth and well-balanced chocolate porter for fall,” says Coren Tradd, R&D Brewer at Pelican Brewing Company. “This beer is perfect for enjoying around a beach bonfire or your fireplace on a crisp fall night as the beer envelops you in cocoa nibs and soft caramel notes, but it’s not heavy or sweet, so you can continue to enjoy well into the night.”

ABV: 6% | IBU: 30 | PLATO: 14º

Like all Pelican beers, Midnight Malt is born at the beach by a team of award-winning craft beer makers known for brewing beer styles that they love to drink. Cheers!

The name comes from Midnight wheat malt, a bitterless black malt from Briess Malt, which according to the spec sheet is, “the smoothest source of black color of any malt available.” Should be an interesting beer to drink with the added cocoa nibs.