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Hanalei Island IPA
Kona Brewing Co.


Beer Geek Stats
| Print Shelf Talker
- From:
- Kona Brewing Co.
- Hawaii, United States
- Style:
- American IPA
Ranked #3,647 - ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 81
Ranked #26,985 - Avg:
- 3.59 | pDev: 12.26%
- Reviews:
- 130
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Tuesday at 12:36 AM
- Added:
- Jul 26, 2016
- Wants:
- 8
- Gots:
- 130
SCORE
81
Good
81
Good


Notes:
This easy-drinking island-inspired IPA is Kona Brewing Co.’s homage to Kauai, “the most beautiful place on earth.” Passionfruit, orange and guava balance the subtle bitterness of aromatic Azacca and Galaxy hops to deliver a coppery laidback, session-style ale bright with tropical flavors.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by Bluerabbitbell from Pennsylvania
3.15/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.15/5 rDev -12.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
12/22/22 Christmas 12 pack from mom and dad Boe from Sam's Club.
Nose....struck match, tropical pineapple and canteloupe. Maybe some grassiness.
Taste....bitter, metallic orange rind. No sweetness. Terrible aftertaste.
Have not had a Kona beer that I have like yet....
Dec 22, 2022Nose....struck match, tropical pineapple and canteloupe. Maybe some grassiness.
Taste....bitter, metallic orange rind. No sweetness. Terrible aftertaste.
Have not had a Kona beer that I have like yet....
Reviewed by ramseye4 from Virginia
3.45/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5
3.45/5 rDev -3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours a wispy looking golden copper color with good head.
Citrus fruit in the aroma, a bit of grapefruit and orange, lemon, pine.
Bitterness hits up front, not as vibrant as the aroma would indicate. Just some bitter hops in the beginning and finish. It’s not bad, just very plain.
Mouthfeel, as with a lot of Kona beers, is oily and full.
Not bad, not great, but as a part of a mixed 24 pack it’s certainly quaffable.
Sep 09, 2022Citrus fruit in the aroma, a bit of grapefruit and orange, lemon, pine.
Bitterness hits up front, not as vibrant as the aroma would indicate. Just some bitter hops in the beginning and finish. It’s not bad, just very plain.
Mouthfeel, as with a lot of Kona beers, is oily and full.
Not bad, not great, but as a part of a mixed 24 pack it’s certainly quaffable.
Reviewed by dbl_delta from Pennsylvania
3.83/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.83/5 rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Out of the bottle on the beach (Delaware, unfortunately - not Hawaii). Fruity and sweet, but with enough hops bitterness to balance things out. Good beach beer!
Jul 16, 2022Reviewed by Dinglehacker from Wisconsin
4.33/5 rDev +20.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.33/5 rDev +20.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Dull yellow with a nice lil white head that keeps up.
Faint gauva up front, some hoppage. Taste follows, mild session IPA hop quotient with a light mix of tropical flavors, none jump out, though the finish is a little orange.
Mouth bitter is very light. This is a smooth, clean IPA (but at what cost?!)
Flavor wise, all of Kona's beers are cool ideas done somewhat blandly. But they're still refreshing, and this is no exception. Good for the summer.
Jul 02, 2022Faint gauva up front, some hoppage. Taste follows, mild session IPA hop quotient with a light mix of tropical flavors, none jump out, though the finish is a little orange.
Mouth bitter is very light. This is a smooth, clean IPA (but at what cost?!)
Flavor wise, all of Kona's beers are cool ideas done somewhat blandly. But they're still refreshing, and this is no exception. Good for the summer.
Reviewed by lagrluvr
3.54/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
3.54/5 rDev -1.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
Nice clear golden body, good white head lasts a long time, never really died off. Some lacing left behind through the drink.
Aromas are quite nice and fruits and hops being on top of a nice malt. The taste follows along nicely, with the hop bitterness keeping any fruit sweetness in check and then some. Just right for a cheap session ipa. Good quality session ipa for the price. In the hotter months, these weaker walmart ipa's are nice for the price. Kona isn't top shelf, just a solid contract brewed national main street appeal ad beer. Very indistinct, but drinkable. LIke someone dropped an aspirin in a beer. Indistinct mild bitterness on generic fruit flavor extract.
Jun 14, 2022Aromas are quite nice and fruits and hops being on top of a nice malt. The taste follows along nicely, with the hop bitterness keeping any fruit sweetness in check and then some. Just right for a cheap session ipa. Good quality session ipa for the price. In the hotter months, these weaker walmart ipa's are nice for the price. Kona isn't top shelf, just a solid contract brewed national main street appeal ad beer. Very indistinct, but drinkable. LIke someone dropped an aspirin in a beer. Indistinct mild bitterness on generic fruit flavor extract.
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois
3.13/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
3.13/5 rDev -12.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3
not that great of a taste would not recomend
Apr 14, 2022Rated by lflotron from Florida
3.71/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
3.71/5 rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Too much bitterness and not the good kind. Would like to see a little more fruity hints with the bitterness.
Jan 03, 2022Rated by jbolger from Connecticut
2.78/5 rDev -22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
2.78/5 rDev -22.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75
12/10/21 Whoever described this as “lawnmower beer” was on target. No hops, no body, watery.
Dec 11, 2021Reviewed by Pmicdee from Canada (ON)
4.12/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a nice clear gold colour with bubbles suspended midway up my glass. A bit of tropical fruit on the nose. The taste has orange and passionfruit notes and maybe other tropical fruit too. Crisp and clean, beginning to be one of my new favourites
Jan 13 2022
Nov 21, 2021Jan 13 2022
Reviewed by JayQue from Virginia
3.02/5 rDev -15.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.02/5 rDev -15.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Not really an IPA. Really deficient in all aspects. Picked up a bottle at Total Wine. I got one of those USA map bottle cap cutouts for Christmas. Went to Total Wine to get some bottles from various states. I have had some Kona beers before and remember them as pretty good. This one doesn't make it!!!! Pours an almost clear gold color. Tiny fizzy head that fades fast. There was some foamy lacing on the glass. Lacing lasted longer than the head. Aroma featured mild grassy hops and a very slight fruity aroma, mostly orange. Flavor was weak as well, a bit of grassy hops and a slight citrus flavor. Mouthfeel is thin, very little bitterness. All in all this is a lawnmower beer. Tastes more like an adjunct lager than an American IPA.
Mar 14, 2021Reviewed by Shiredave from New York
3.03/5 rDev -15.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
3.03/5 rDev -15.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Cool bottle - islands and Liquid Aloha embossed. That may be the nicest thing I have to say here.
Bottled in NH on 4-23-20. Brewed with passionfruit, orange and guava w/ natural flavor added. (Ewwwwww)
Pretty yellow amber beer with a scant, wispy head and a speck or 2 of lace cling. No retention, low carbonation and tiny suspended flotsum throughout.
Big guava nose, a swirl brings some passionfruit and herbal hops forward. Spritzy, clean and fruity.
The flavor is almost non existent. The only sensation other than cool liquid is dryness. Like a desert dry. Some faint fruit flavors which may or may not be from the actual fruit or the "natural flavor" that was added.
No sweetness or malt character to balance the over fermented puckery dry.
Finish is watery and astringent.
At 4.5%, with fruit and no malt balance it's a travesty to call this an IPA just to lure the unsuspecting. Shame on you all.
Jan 24, 2021Bottled in NH on 4-23-20. Brewed with passionfruit, orange and guava w/ natural flavor added. (Ewwwwww)
Pretty yellow amber beer with a scant, wispy head and a speck or 2 of lace cling. No retention, low carbonation and tiny suspended flotsum throughout.
Big guava nose, a swirl brings some passionfruit and herbal hops forward. Spritzy, clean and fruity.
The flavor is almost non existent. The only sensation other than cool liquid is dryness. Like a desert dry. Some faint fruit flavors which may or may not be from the actual fruit or the "natural flavor" that was added.
No sweetness or malt character to balance the over fermented puckery dry.
Finish is watery and astringent.
At 4.5%, with fruit and no malt balance it's a travesty to call this an IPA just to lure the unsuspecting. Shame on you all.
Reviewed by IPAs_for_days_13 from Texas
2.38/5 rDev -33.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
2.38/5 rDev -33.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
L: Pours a yellow color with very faint orange hues, thin white head. Almost looks like a pilsner.
S: Smells very fruity upfront, papaya, guava, citrus, etc... Very small amount of hoppy aroma.
T: Taste certainly follows the nose, has a bitter finish, but not the one you like from hops.
F: Medium-bodied, high carbonation, thin feel to it.
O: I respect what they were going for here, but this doesn't even remotely resemble an IPA to me.
Dec 06, 2020S: Smells very fruity upfront, papaya, guava, citrus, etc... Very small amount of hoppy aroma.
T: Taste certainly follows the nose, has a bitter finish, but not the one you like from hops.
F: Medium-bodied, high carbonation, thin feel to it.
O: I respect what they were going for here, but this doesn't even remotely resemble an IPA to me.
Reviewed by Parmesan from Colorado
3.11/5 rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
3.11/5 rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
L:. Pours a pale straw yellow with hints of orange and a large foamy white head and some nice fingers of lacing.
S:. Some sweet orange candy, notes of grapefruit, some tropical fruit, overall aroma is a little light.
T:. Very strong herbal bitterness, a bit of lemon and tropical fruit, the taste really isn't what I expect from a "island IPA"
F: Smooth carb, medium body.
O:. This isn't a very exciting IPA.
Nov 13, 2020S:. Some sweet orange candy, notes of grapefruit, some tropical fruit, overall aroma is a little light.
T:. Very strong herbal bitterness, a bit of lemon and tropical fruit, the taste really isn't what I expect from a "island IPA"
F: Smooth carb, medium body.
O:. This isn't a very exciting IPA.
Reviewed by qrazvan from Romania
3.76/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.76/5 rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A great, refreshing pale ale, perfect for hot summer days, with clear orange coloir and herbal/ flowery smell. Bit sour-bitter feel, with bunch of summer fruits: peaches, passion fruit, pineapple, oranges. Nice.
Aug 04, 2020
Hanalei Island IPA from Kona Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
81 out of
100 with
421 ratings
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