Taste Test Kona Beers

I would like to keep a keg of one of the Kona Brand Beers on tap in my home bar. Which one is the question? I am looking for opinions only a few are avail. for purchase in kegs or on tap they are, Long Board, Fire Rock, Big Wave & Pipeline. I would like you’re in-put, what do you like & why? Thanks :)

http://www.konabrewingco.com/

[ Edited by: Hiphipahula 2008-05-13 12:17 ]

If you are looking for opinions on beer, I would suggest taking a look at http://www.beeradvocate.com

Be aware, however, that you will be getting the opinions of "beer geeks" who are as obsessed with beer as folks here are with tiki. I embrace both obsessions.

Can you get their IPA? That is my favorite - it has the highest alcohol %!!!

I think the answer is to get the style of beer you and your friends like most. If Kona made the best hefeweizen ever, it obviously wouldn't make any sense to get it if you don't like wheat beers. I've never heard or read anything particularly bad about Kona beers. I personally would probably get the red ale, but I'm partial to malty beers.

They have both the Fire Rock Ale and the Longboard Lager on tap at our local YardHouse restaurant at the Paseo in Pasadena. I like Fire Rock Ale the best.

As to why...

Here's what Wikipedia has to say: Lagers feature strong hop flavoring compared to an ale of similar alcohol by volume. In general, however, lagers display less fruitiness and spiciness than ales, simply because the lower fermentation temperatures associated with lager brewing cause the yeast to produce fewer of the esters and phenols associated with those flavors.

So, I guess I think the Fire Rock Ale is more flavorful because it is fruitier and spicier tasting. My guess is that more people will prefer the Longboard Lager because it is closer to Budweiser (both being pale lagers) and more people drink the (blander to my palate) lagers.

Pipeline Porter is very dark, and I enjoy a porter sometimes, but you probably don't want to go that direction unless everyone you know drinks really dark beer like Guinness.

Let me know when the taps are open and you're ready for everyone to have a taste!

Luckout!!!
I find the Longboard to be a very flavorful lager and it has a nice light amber color to it. Call me kuku but for me, beer is just a way to either prime the pump and/or prolong the inevitable, i.e. it's a prelude to cocktails. So I prefer a lighter brew with less alcohol. Could be I just like it cuz I'm a big old log jammer...
Cheers!

A couple of those are also available to try at

Third Stop
8636 W 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 273-3605

I remember liking Fire Rock but it's been too long for me to give a review

Thanks for the in-put thus far. Not being a beer drinker makes it a tough decision. I did figure Longboard was their "Bud" which is ok I guess being so many people drink Bud :D My family's taste leans more towards the Ale's, & heavier beers as does Trader Toms in the above post. I was at the Caliente Tropics in Palms Springs this last weekend for the Tiki Caliente Event & was rather amazed at the numbers of people drinking Beer rather than Mai Tai's & other Cocktails. It was 90 degrees outside I'm sure that had something to do with it. The beer they seemed to choose most was Kona "Longboard" & "Land Shark"?

With that in mind I thought it might be appropriate to have a Hawaiian Beer in My Tiki Bar if your going to have beer. I bought a a duel tap Kegerator so I'm open for suggestions. The only beer drinker in the house is my son who drinks New Castle Brown Ale & Sam Adams Boston Lager. I will drop by BevMo today & pick up a couple bottles os Kona if avail. for the family to taste. This is proving to be tricky, I want 2 very different beers so help me out here :D A Million Mahalo's!!

I love the Pipeline Porter. It's got a lot of coffee flavor to it, but if you son likes Newcastle, he might like it. They have it at my Bevmo, so get some to try.

I haven't tried their other beers cause I like darker beers and that Porter is sooo good.

Hey, do you have tiki tap handles on your kegarator? It's on my long list of something to carve someday.

Just so happens there's a mini review of Kona Longboard Lager in our local paper today. Don't know if it will help, but here it is:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080514/news_1f14beer.html

Mahalo arriano.... great information :)

Longboard is nicely crisp. I would keep my eyes out for Wailua Wheat, their lilikoi hefeweizen. It is damn amazing, but I think it may be seasonal(maybe this is the season)? I don't think you can go wrong with any of their beers.

Here is a cool tap handle for your kegerator (on e-bay right now):

Yes the above item is distributed through "Smokin' Tiki's" on eBay or events. It is an over seas reproduction piece. Good pricing for what you get.

More suggestions for ANY type of beers? so far my son, didn't like either beer BUT, I do want to know what TRUE BEER DRINKERS have to say, Thanks everyone!

Just so you know. If you buy kegs of any KONA beers here on the Mainland; they are made by Anheuser-Busch (budweiser). We bought a keg of Longboard here and it just does not taste as good. My 2 favorite beers from Kona brewing co. is Firerock Pale Ale & Wialua Wheat.

Here in Monterey county, Carmel wheat beer is made in Salinas
and Big Sur water comes from a faucet in Salinas as well.

I love Kona beers......

On 2008-05-15 10:46, The Sperm Whale wrote:
Just so you know. If you buy kegs of any KONA beers here on the Mainland; they are made by Anheuser-Busch (budweiser). We bought a keg of Longboard here and it just does not taste as good. My 2 favorite beers from Kona brewing co. is Firerock Pale Ale & Wialua Wheat.

Thanks Spermy, I did call Anheuser-Busch several days ago just to locate the kegs. Anheuser-Busch does indeed distribute Kona but does NOT bottle or make it.

WHAT I WAS TOLD DIRECT BY SHAWN @ KONA 1-808-334-2739(808-334-BREW) "BOTTLES of Kona are bottled at the Widmer Brewery in Oregon. DISTRIBUTED by Anheuser-Busch in the Mainland. All bottles of beer after they are made are shipped back to Hawaii. in other words, ff you ordered a bottle of any Kona Beers in Hawaii it will have been made in Oregon & shipped back to Hawaii. ALL DRAFT/KEGS is made in KONA. REASON, very fast growth & high demand world wide. KONA MAKES KONA." DRINK DRAFT.

Please remember Kona is true Hawaiian Beer right down to the bottom of the recipe. It's main offices & business practices are run through it's offices in Kona on the Big Island. Most of all it's own Brewery is in Hawaii. Please support Kona Beer.

[ Edited by: Hiphipahula 2008-05-20 12:34 ]

Different seasons for different beers. In the winter, I'm all about a hearty porter or a stout. Fall or spring it's ales. In the summer you'll often find me drinking a lager or on a really hot day, gasp! a Coors Light. There. I said it. It's cold, it has lots of water to keep me hydrated and I can drink it all day without getting wasted.
I wouldn't keep a keg around for more than a couple months. Once it's tapped, you gotta keep it moving even with a CO2 tap.

If you're looking for some unique craft brews from California to taste test this weekend, check out this event in San Diego:

http://www.stonebrew.com/calendar/

OK I'm going with Kona LongBoard, that's 1. Now I need another beer in the bar to compliment the LongBoard??? what works? btw I need to get it ordered BevMo in town will order Kona, it takes 2 weeks to receive it. Thanks for the help...

On 2008-05-19 11:01, Hiphipahula wrote:
OK I'm going with Kona LongBoard, that's 1. Now I need another beer in the bar to compliment the LongBoard??? what works? btw I need to get it ordered BevMo in town will order Kona, it takes 2 weeks to receive it. Thanks for the help...

Does it need to be on tap? If not, perhaps you can obtain bottles of Hinano from Tahiti.

If it does need to be on tap, perhaps Anchor Steam for a nautical theme.

Other possibilities:

Ballast Point beers named after fish: http://www.ballastpoint.com/index_copy(1).htm
Karl Strauss "surf" themed beers: http://www.karlstrauss.com/PAGES/Beer/Start_Beer.htm
Alesmith's Nautical Nut Brown: http://www.alesmith.com/nauticalnutbrown.html

All should be fairly easily available in So Cal.

As far as I know fire rock pale ale and long board are only available in 15.5 gal. kegs and 5 gal kegs. Check out Mrkegs.com for further information. My personal favorite is fire rock pale ale. My wife and I visited their restaurant in Kona and enjoyed the samples they offer.

On 2008-05-19 11:01, Hiphipahula wrote:
OK I'm going with Kona LongBoard, that's 1. Now I need another beer in the bar to compliment the LongBoard??? what works? btw I need to get it ordered BevMo in town will order Kona, it takes 2 weeks to receive it. Thanks for the help...

Kona Longboard & Fire Rock are both avail. in 5 gal. kegs at BevMo by special order in my town, your town my stock it. All locations are different. Pleasanton Ca. for example had Longboard in stock last week.

Check out this article that popped up in today's SF Gate, all about Hawaiian brewpubs and Kona is at the top:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/05/23/alohafriday052308.DTL

On 2008-05-23 16:01, bamboo stu wrote:
Check out this article that popped up in today's SF Gate, all about Hawaiian brewpubs and Kona is at the top:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/05/23/alohafriday052308.DTL

I will be in OAHU June 10-19 if anyone else is there it be fun to hit up a few sites & the "The Kona Brewing Company also has a restaurant in Honolulu's Hawaii Kai district, in the Koko Marina Center. It's a good place to unwind from a trip to the Windward Side or hiking to the lighthouse at Makapu'u Point. You can enjoy the same specialty beers (made on the Big Island), and much of the same menu, as at the Kona location; the menu here includes a Paniolo Burger, made with a half-pound of free-range Big Island beef, for $14, as well as the taro burger. The inspiring view of boats in the sprawling marina with the Ko'olau mountains looming just beyond also adds a distinctive touch. This location (7192 Kalaniana'ole Hwy., Honolulu) is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily; call (808) 394-5662"