Lilikoi Wheat Ale
Kona Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

Sampled this bottle from Mala's Ocean Tavern in Lahaina on Maui. The beer was poured into a frosted pint glass, carefully and at a tilt, and thus only a small white head formed on top. This faded to a half fingerbreadth foamy pillow. The beer was a pale sickly yellow, filtered but not crystal clear. The aroma of passion fruit is relatively strong and pleasant. On the tongue this beer is a bit limp but the passion fruit comes out clearly but not in a bad way. Definitely in the American Wheat ale category (not a hefeweizen, as the yeast is not noticeable) Barely some bitterness and very little sweetness give it a good dry finish. Very delicate but quite quaffable. Does not stand up to food at all.

Overall: an aperitif beer

did not realize this was even a fruit beer, when I opened the bottle I noticed a really strange, almost nasty smell, I thought it was only a wheat beer, than I looked closely at the bottle, it says passion fruit in really small lettering, not my favorite flavor.

any drank it, put a lemon in it and it tasted better, but I would not recommend. Kona makes other beers that are much superior.

I got this beer on tap at the brewery while I was on vacation there. This is a wheat beer with passion fruit (lilikoi) added at the end of the mash. The passion fruit is apparent in both the aroma and the taste. It pours a straw colored beer with a white head. As mentioned before, the aroma is dominated by the passion fruit. The taste also has good passion fruit flavor, but not as strongly as the aroma. There are also wheat flavors and a good tartness to balance the fruit. It drinks very smoothly and has a light to medium body. This would be an excellent warm weather session beer for anyone who likes slightly fruity beers.

Had on tap at their brewpub [and had a couple times previously].

Poured a golden color with no head and minimal carbonation. Looks rather dead in the glass.


One whiff and it is obvious that this is unusual. Very strong lilikoi [passion fruit] aroma.

Taste is of lilikoi. Also sweet, perfumy and some light hops bitterness at the end. But, it is the lilikoi that grabs all the attention.

Mouthfeel was listless. Dead. Light body.

Overall, this is a good curiosity beer. Sometimes beers are advertised as being made with ingredients but the taste is hidden. Definitely not in this case. But, one beer is about all I can stomach at a sitting. It is too sweet, body is listless and the lilikoi taste is too much for more than one.