Hala Kahiki
Lake Effect Brewing Co.

Beer Geek Stats
From:
Lake Effect Brewing Co.
 
Illinois, United States
Style:
Belgian Saison
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
+7 ratings needed
Avg:
3.56 | pDev: 11.52%
Ratings:
3 | reviews: 2
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Feb 15, 2022
Added:
Oct 01, 2020
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
Pineapple and Hibiscus Saison. The Pacific and Midwest meet in this wonderfully fruity Pale Ale. Wisconsin wheat and fruity hops form a solid base. Fresh pineapple adds sweet and tart notes while Hibiscus gives this brew a lovely orange hue.
Recent ratings and reviews.
 
Rated: 2.99 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 15, 2022
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Reviewed by emerge077 from Illinois

3.91/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Can at Hala Kahiki, as a beer back to a rum flight in March 2024. Guessing it was an old can, seeing as Lake Effect packed up theor brewery and moved to Milwaukee Ave. this year, but the flavors held up pretty well. Had some gose-adjacent minerality. Pinkish red hue, malty with a twinge of saison yeast.
Aug 08, 2021
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Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois

3.78/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
Hala Kahiki (hence HK) easily could be a witbier. But UnTappd had it as a saison, so let's go with that.
I like how Lake Effect brewed HK as collaboration with a Hawaiian restaurant, a Belgian twist.

Looks are average because saisons and wits are among the best-looking ales IMHO and HK doesn't inspire. Smells get points for creativity as I cannot remember having so much pineapple in anything but a NEIPA (emphasis on "remember.") Tastes are decent, but really only slightly above average because HK's yeast seems tired... or at least not doing much. I had HK at the table with a bowl of pasta and pesto and... they should have paired better if we have a true saison here. In the mouth, the goodly amount of wheat makes it soft ... which is why the witbier classification works for me.

This is my 5th Belgian-inspired from Lake Effect and I give them high marks for creativity. Most of my samples have been carried from the curb at Beermiscuous Chicago; so thanks for that in this age of Covid. Lake Effect's weakness is that of, say, 75% of American crafters: that yeasts are not cultivated and kept with the same skills as Belgians learned over the centuries. But, Lake Effect keeps trying and I keep enjoying. A Sante'.
Oct 02, 2020