Keoki Sunset
Keoki Brewing Company

Keoki SunsetKeoki Sunset
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From:
Keoki Brewing Company
 
Hawaii, United States
Style:
American Amber / Red Ale
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
82
Avg:
3.52 | pDev: 12.5%
Reviews:
23
Ratings:
24
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Jan 19, 2012
Added:
Mar 28, 2003
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by ccrida:
Photo of ccrida
Reviewed by ccrida from Oregon

4/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On draught at Scotty's Beachside BBQ, served in a large chalice, Kaua'i Sunset is a dark bronze / pale chestnut brown with a tight, small off-white skim leaving light, foamy lace.

Smell is malty, with pleasantly bright, herbal hops.

Taste is nice caramel malt balanced by leafy, herbal hops with moderate bitterness. Well balanced, tasty and quaffable.

Mouthfeel has a crisp snap without biting, with a medium-light body.

Drinkability is good, a toasty brown (at least to me, but BA and everyone around town calls it an amber) with a nice punch of flavor that still goes down easily and slakes a tropical thirst.
Jul 02, 2010
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4 by TrojanWheels from California

Jan 19, 2012
Photo of woodychandler
Reviewed by woodychandler from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Two fingers' of foamy, light-tan head exploding with CO2 bubbles and with decent retention. Nose was malty sweet. Color was a deep amber with NE-quality clarity. Mouthfeel was medium with a pleasant mix of malt and hops on the tongue. Pressed, I would identify this as an amber ale. Finish tended towards more bitter than sweet. A welcome change from all of the lager that I consumed recently.
Dec 24, 2009
Photo of PorterLambic
Reviewed by PorterLambic from Florida

3.77/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured straight down a pint glass, I got a large head (duh) with an orange/amber color throughout. Good retention, some lace.
Smell is malt, yeast, hints of oak, citrus & smoke, slight brown sugar sweetness.
Taste is malt, hops, some alcohol, hint of grape, smoke, & citrus.
Somewhat warming, good effervescence. Hop/grape/malt finish fades to mostly hops. Medium body. A good, solid brew.
Nov 04, 2008
Photo of Overlord
Reviewed by Overlord from California

3.5/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a golden red. Small off-white head. Smells faintly of citrus, not much aroma, really. The taste: some bracing skunky bitterness; shockingly, but perhaps due to the 95 degree heat, it was still quite refreshing. Citrus and some apricots in flavor.

Weird.
Oct 18, 2008
Photo of stephens101
Reviewed by stephens101 from Oklahoma

3.08/5  rDev -12.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Had this at a restaurant on Maui. I don't remember what town or the name of the restaurant, but it was set on piers out over the water, overlooking the ocean. Very nice place. Ok, the brew was served in a regular pint glass and was more brown in color than red, but had some reddish hues. Aromatically not much was going on. Some mild hops, an essence of grass and maybe even some tea were noticed. Taste involved some a touch of spice and malts. There were some hops in the end, but they didn't really add anything to the experience. The elements didn't seem to fit together. Mouth-feel was light to medium-bodied. I didn't have a bad Hawaiian beer while I was visiting the fair Islands, but I would probably pass on this one if and when I revisit.
Oct 09, 2008
Photo of Floydster
Reviewed by Floydster from California

3.63/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle purchased as a loose single from Whaler's General Store in Kihei a few weeks back, split with my dad, reviewed from notes, poured into a glass

A-Light amber color with a light golden orange tint, clear as a bell, big one inch white head, not much retention but some nice lacing
S-Skunky aromas, bready malt scents, lots of citrus, grassy accents, light hops, and caramel
T-Hoppy at the beginning with a bit of the skunk at first, middle and finish is dry, nice malt backbone later on which provided a little caramel sweetness, some chewy parts but not much, more on the lager side
M-Sweet, crisp, and dry mouthfeel, too much carbonation, finish did not last a long time, thin to medium bodied
D-Could drink a few of these, pretty light on the stomach, ABV seems low, would make a decent session beer, goes down easy for a beer of its appearance, never judge a beer by its color

Decent amber from a brewery I had not heard of before making it to the island, not the best beer I had over here but pretty consistent, might drink again but would choose Lava Man if I saw it on draft instead as far as red ales go, worth trying
Aug 18, 2008
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Picked up a bomber in early June from Foodland in Kauai.

Beer poured a volcano lava flow red with a decent white head. Nose is very malty with no out of the ordinairy characteristics. Tast has multiple types of malts that are well balanced by the hops. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and fairly smooth. Overall drinkability is pretty good, it is a well balanced beer that is worth a shot.
Jun 23, 2008
Photo of BMan1113VR
Reviewed by BMan1113VR from California

3.54/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Pretty complex for a Hawaiian brew. Deep floral aroma with raisins and yeast overriding anything else. Pours with an average off-white head, typical APA amber color. Taste finishes with a note of bitter chocolate. Interesting but not amazing. Better than the Gold.
Feb 07, 2008
Photo of 1759Girl
Reviewed by 1759Girl from California

3.79/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5
Appearance: Red amber colour. Medium carbonation, with no head and no lacing.
Smell: YEASTRAVAGANZA!
Taste: Complex for a red lager. Sweet, then bitter, followed by notes of maple, and slightly metallic at the finish.
Mouthfeel: thin and smooth
Drinkability: Probably couldn't take too much of this because of its sweetness. And because the smell made me hungry.
Nov 26, 2007
Photo of BeerManDan
Reviewed by BeerManDan from California

3.15/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
When poured, the color was amber with foam that dissapated within a The smell of roasted malt filled the nose with a pleasant aroma and a hint of caramel. The taste of this ale was not as exciting as the aroma. Not a lot of flavor, but somewhat bitter and tart, with a dry finish.
Sep 23, 2007
Photo of jbsteiny
Reviewed by jbsteiny from Hawaii

3.8/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bought a few sixers of this on Kauai, as it was the most available beer. I didn't like it as much as the Keoki Gold, but it's a pretty good amber (the website says its an ale).

Pours right pretty. Reddish amber, a bit hazy, big head, light amber, with good lacing on the glass. Smelled like what I associate with English-style malts: caramel biscuits. Yummy. Hints of fruit, flowers (I guess that's what you call slightly estery? I'm learning...). The flavors were a bit subtle on the tongue, but that's not a bad thing. It certainly goes down easy, despite the decently chewy medium body. I had it paired with all sorts of things -- barbecued chicken, cheddar cheese, avocado -- and it was a decent complement. Not a bad brew at all, and just as refreshing while certainly more flavorful than the ubiquitous Longboard Lager & Duke's Blond Ale from Kona.
Aug 14, 2007
Photo of therica
Reviewed by therica from Maryland

2.5/5  rDev -29%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
I had this in bottle at a few Kauai establishments, plus bought a 6-pack to take home (I posted my photo of one of the bottles). I didn't think it was all that bad but my beer-fanatic sons thought that it was "nasty stuff."

A= slightly amber-yellow, mild small-bubble fizzy foam head which didn't last long.

S= seemed to have a slight tropical scent although it smelled more like a simply good ol' American standard pre-macro-era lager.

T= like the scent, a hint of tropicals but mainly like a good ol' American standard pre-macro-era lager. A bit of hoppy bite but not quite bitter, more of a bite than what most beer-fans would think of as a nice hops-bitter taste. A bit belchy. I think previous-reviewer flexabull might say what I'm trying to say when they state, "some dough, and with a slightly sweet malty note."

M= a bit of a tongue-bite if you drink it out of the bottle immediately. It's better poured and left to settle for a few minutes.

D= I could have had a few when I was out in clubs where they served it, not bad, standard fare, drinkable if there's nothing more exciting.
Jul 06, 2007
Photo of flexabull
Reviewed by flexabull from California

3.57/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
22 bomber bought at a great little wine shop in Kona Hawaii.

Pours a clear amber color, very faint head, a lot of carbonation noted.

Smells biscuit like, some dough, and with a slightly sweet malty note.

Taste is crisp and dry, especially upfront. Finish has a bit of malt, slightly nutty, and a touch of sweetness. There is also a hint of hop bitterness. Not bad.

Mouthfeel is just above average. A bit thin, and watery feeling. But it's not awful, and it has a decent fullness on the front, and well done cabonation.

All in all not a bad beer. I had low expectations, and this actually exceeded them. Nice easy drinking lighter beer for the warm Hawaii climate.
May 24, 2007
Photo of Noxious26
Reviewed by Noxious26 from Canada (SK)

3.43/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
12 oz on-tap in a pint glass at LuLu's restaurant/bar on Maui.

Clear, copper colour. Off-white thin head. Faint lacing.

Aroma is mostly Pacific North West hops (lemongrass and grapefruit). Some hints of sweet malt (caramel?).

Balanced up front. Citrus hops and sweetness from malt through the middle. Mild grapefruit finish.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Tasty and easy drinking. PNW hops sure seem to be popular in Hawaii.
May 05, 2007
Photo of SaCkErZ9
Reviewed by SaCkErZ9 from South Carolina

3.42/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Dispensed from a 12oz bottle purchased at the local liquor store here in Kona. Poured into a 16oz nonic. A reddish brown beer emerges and is followed by a nice sized white head that stays around quite a while. Beer is a bit hazy but looks pretty good.

Aromas were very fruity and biscuity. Certainly something I like in an amber. Caramel malts and even some chocolate make appearances. Nice aroma, on the fruity side.

Taste is a bit subdued. A little fruit flavors and a good amount of doughy, biscuity flavors, but otherwise, somewhat unentertaining. Slight diaper flavors as well.

An average beer. Think Fat Tire (which I love) mixed with a fruity Scotch ale; atleast that is what came to mind for me. Sure was good by the pool but take away the surroundings and this become mostly pedestrian. Decent body and okay drinkability. Bought a sixer som have five more to drink, which wont be too bad. Probably will not buy another sixer though.
Apr 30, 2007
Photo of Dithyramb
Reviewed by Dithyramb from Maryland

3.86/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Bottled version shipped to the mainland via AlohaC's fat Secret Santa Package. This is the first of the package opened. Had to have something useful after working on the roof for 3 hours in 100+ heat today. Beautiful looking beer. Loads of carbonation within the amber brew fueled a 3 finger beige head that lasted forever and left great lacing. Floral hops are very faint with some grassiness.

This was pretty subdued from a flavor perspective. It was lightly fruity, but also somewhat toasty and biscuity. Very faint hops on the brew as well. Maybe would have liked something just a bit more assertive in either direction. Either way, it was still pretty enjoyable.

Came off as pretty medium bodied. Drinkable as all get out. Maybe it was the heat, but it went down smooth and nice. Enjoyed with a very well done, not too garlicy white pizza.
Aug 03, 2006
Photo of Dukeofearl
Reviewed by Dukeofearl from California

3.6/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Now called Keoki Sunset. Purchased a single for $1.25 at EZ Discount on Front Street in Lahaina, Maui and tasted on my hotel lanai on 4/25/06.

Pours an amber gold with a medium head. Fairly well carbonated, which kept the head from dying quickly. Looks more like a Pale Ale than an Amber.

Aroma is decent rich hoppiness with slightly sweet bready malts. The flavor is malts with a sharp hop that hurt the back of my teeth. Gets better as it warms. Wish I knew what the hops were. Decent drinakbility- I like it, but it's not exceptional.
Jun 12, 2006
Photo of mushroomcloud
Reviewed by mushroomcloud from Texas

3.8/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A - 1" beige head with decent retention at 1/4" and some nice lace. Perfectly amber colored beer.

S - Caramel. Malty. Clean. Floral hop in the rear.

T - Fruity malt. Buttered biscuit. Sweet, earthy. Pleasant toasted grain. Tangy, sour flavor and some nice hops in the finish.

M - Medium bodied, somewhat oily. Mid-level carbonation. Round.

D - Good drinkability. Halfway through, I figured out what this beer reminded me of. It is very Fat Tire-esque with a little more hops in the finish. Well done, I am impressed with my first Hawaiian beer.
Mar 11, 2006
Photo of bditty187
Reviewed by bditty187 from Nebraska

3.91/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Now called “Keoki Sunset” and it sure seems to be an Amber Ale…

Basically clear, amber-gold in hue with a peachy highlight for added color depth. The liquid looks very appealing. The head was a slightly off-white shade; at the apex the bubbles created two fingers in height worth of froth. Head retention was good; it was slow to fade to a chunky cap. The lacing started before I took a sip, I love that! The subsequent lacing was organized and fairly prevalent and sticky. The appearance of this beer is truly top-notch… basically flawless. Well done.

The nose was clean at first but a malty aroma emerged and a flowery and fruity underbelly developed. Sure, the bouquet lacks potency but the smells I could detect were quite lovely; caramel, lightly toasted grains and nuts with a trace of wildflowers, and orange peel. The bouquet is well rounded and very well put-together. The aromas say both lager and ale… whatever, it is an “Amber” something. I like it. Inviting.

The palate is tasty. It is as simple as that. I really like it. Just like the nose, the palate is clean at first, like a lager, but then an underlying nondescript fruitiness emerges. This beer has to be an ale. Toasty caramel with nuts and grains, again the orange peel is found, as is the wildflowers. Dry, clean finish. The ending soundly suggests drinking more, I gladly do. The firm bitterness really cuts up the caramel/malty sweetness. Well done! This is a well-brewed little beer here. I bet this would make a great everyday/session/crossover beer. Enjoyable.

Medium in body, the mouthfeel is firm and hearty enough for a beverage of this sort. It is not thin or watery (which is critical for small beer like this) and the moderately low carbonation level is fitting, thus, all in all, the mouthfeel is pleasant.

This is a very drinkable beer; I wish I had more than one bomber. In its simplicity is its beauty. I’m impressed. I’m partial too both beers from Keoki that I was lucky enough to try. If I were a local I would drink them often. I need to thank my Uncle Rick and Aunt Kathy for bringing me a mixed six-pack of Hawaiian beers. Thanks for including this one.
Aug 28, 2005
Keoki Sunset from Keoki Brewing Company
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 24 ratings