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Kona Brewing

(Brewpub)

Last updated: September 3, 2000

75-5629 Kuakini Highway
Kailua-Kona
Big Island HI 96740

Phone: +1 808-334-2739
Fax: +1 808-334-1884

Opened February 14, 1995.
Brewer: John Abbott.
5,000 bbl annual capacity.

I haven't had a Kona beer since I left Hawaii...they hadn't even built their brewpub yet!

My Opinion Of The Beers That I've Tried:
12.5 points overall

• Fire Rock Pale Ale (bottled)
  Style 6 - American-style Pale Ale
  • 12.5 points - Beer #19-1546, Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI, August 6, 1996
    Golden-amber, hazy, low carbonation, good head. Aroma similar to Pacific Golden (19-1545) but more intense. Good body, maybe even too thick. Bitter finish, but cloying aftertaste. Again, inconsistent...although Really Good bottles seem hard to find.

  • 14.5 points - Beer #16-1243, Sure Save, Kamuela HI, January 13, 1996
    Too big head. Amber, fizzy. Spicy fresh hop nose! Caramel and bitter, good hop flavor. Caramel malt finish. Overcarbonated.

• Fire Rock Pale Ale
  Style 6 - American-style Pale Ale
  • 12.5 points - Beer #15-1105, Hooter's, Honolulu HI, July 27, 1995
    Red-amber hazy. Big white head. Thick caramel and bitter hop nose. Thick caramel flavor, some bitterness in middle, finishes sweet.

• Lilikoi Wheat Ale
  Style 21 - Fruit / Vegetable Beer
  • 12 points - Beer #25-2037, 1997 Kona Brewers Festival, Kailua-Kona HI, March 15, 1997
    Yellow opaque, no head. Wheat aroma. Tart-fruity Hi-C.

• Lilikoi Wheat Ale (bottled)
  Style 21 - Fruit / Vegetable Beer
  • 11 points - Beer #17-1344, Bamboo Restaurant, Hawi HI, April 6, 1996
    Yellow, slight haze, OK head. Smells like fruit punch. Some fruit flavor, but it smells a lot stronger than it tastes. (Note: Lilikoi is the Hawaiian word for passion fruit.)

• Pacific Golden Ale (bottled)
  Style 6 - American-style Pale Ale
  • 11 points - Beer #19-1545, Kamuela Liquor Store, Kamuela HI, August 6, 1996
    Golden, moderate carbonation, good head. Hop aroma, a little spicy, a little sharp. Pretty good body with a lot of hop flavor. Flavors get in your mouth and stay there...there's really no "finish" per se. Something weird, though...I'd describe it as "meaty", and it gets much worse as the beer warms. I've had good bottles of this beer, and some really bad ones as well.

  • 12 points - Beer #16-1232, Keahole-Kona Airport, Kona HI, January 6, 1996
    Darker than yellow, some haze, OK head. Fruity aroma, slightly vinous. Malty, good bitterness. OK bitter finish. High carbonation detracts. Served very cold with a frozen glass.

• Pacific Golden Ale
  Style 6 - American-style Pale Ale
  • 10 points - Beer #16-1238, Sharktooth Brewery / Maui Steakhouse, Wailuku HI, January 6, 1996
    Golden-amber, very slight haze, good carbonation and head. Malt aroma and some fruit-hops. Sticky-sweet biscuity fairly nasty. Better from the bottle! Icky.

• Stout
  Style 11 - Stout
  • 16 points - Beer #25-2024, Kamuela HI, at home, February 28, 1997
    Black, no head. Rich coffee aroma. Big coffee flavor, some bitterness. Nice coffee finish. Special brew for Pacific Cafe.

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