Longboard Island Lager | Kona Brewing Co.

3.34/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

3.05/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

3.91/5  rDev +16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

3.25/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

3.26/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

2.77/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

5/5  rDev +48.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

It was my go to beer while I live in Waikoloa Hawaii. Costco had best price otherwise Waikoloa Market on certain days went on sale.

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3.36/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

3.54/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

3.13/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

L: brilliant golden no head
S: nearly none
T: generically sweet w/ no malt or hop character
F: thick and sticky
O: nearly indiscernible from the typical Macro lager and twice the price

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3.65/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

4.35/5  rDev +29.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I'm a fan of Kona's brews, and this is an eminently drinkable island lager.

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3.07/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

3.75/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

3.45/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Last in the Kona beers kindly gifted to me by a rep for the purpose of reviewing is: Kona Brewing Longboard Island Lager. Look, I left the Lager till last because let’s face it - I’m not the biggest fan of Lagers in general... unless they have the word “Bock” in them, and they’re really more like Ales anyway. That said - I do know a good Lager when I taste one, and I can appreciate Lagers from long dry Munich Helles to sharply crisp Japanese Lagers, so I’m going to give Kona as fair a chance as I do any brewer and the things I may praise/slam it for are no different to the things I praise/slam in any brew (and my slamming tends to fall into the category of: flavourless or muted). Anyway, cheers to that Kiwi Kona rep - she’s a lovely lass.

Poured from a 355ml bottle into a stein.

A: Crazy carbonation and yeast particles floating around suggesting this may have undergone a few fermentations in the bottle. Apart from that it presents with a pleasing pale straw/golden body and a fluffy white 1 centimetre head that slowly decays to a thin blanket. 6/10.

S: Crisp malts mingle with a honeyed scent and light floral hops, rather dry aroma overall and a touch muted... though as far as American Pale Lagers go this isn’t out of the realm of the ordinary. 6/10.

T: Flavour is light right from the beginning, and it never really leaps out at you, however this isn’t the sort of beer you would expect to leap out at you - it’s a “cold-brew-by-the-beach” type of Lager and when I review these I tend to ask “does it have any offensive or off flavours?”. In the case of this Kona the answer is: No. Profile is: Malty, honey and floral. Finish: Long and dry. Aftertaste: Malty. 7/10.

M: Decent body for a 4.6% ABV brew: Almost medium, with a reasonably creamy carbonation, works well with this style - though it can be a touch cloying for those who like crisper bodies. 7/10.

D: Didn’t mind this one at all from Kona Brewing. They’re no Stone Brewing (so get that notion out of your head), they don’t do big beers, but they do easy brews that go down without being close to mind-blowing, and there’s a niche for that (a pretty damn big niche actually!). I like the fact that they’ve positioned themselves in the Hawaii (i.e. tropical island) beer market as there isn’t a huge deal of brews out there that are both a) great on a hot day, and b) not absolutely bland, so kudos Kona for making something A-OK, mahalo! 8/10.

Food match: I’ve said luau before, so... fish, chips and salad peeps.

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3.26/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Pale golden color, not much head. Pleasant aroma, very mild light taste.

For folks who prefer lighter beers, this may appeal. I like a more robust flavor.

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4.28/5  rDev +27%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Would get it again

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3.05/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured a golden color with small pale head.

Aroma was underwhelming, slightly malty and maybe a hint of corn

Mild bitterness, smooth and crisp. Didn't 'wow' me like I though in comparison to the rest of the Kona Brewing variety pack but a nice refreshing lager that I could see throwing back while sitting on the beach.

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3.16/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

2.51/5  rDev -25.5%
look: 1.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

**
06/18/15
Bottle to pilsner glass. Appearance is light yellow, Budweiser-esque. Good lager, but overly simple and lacking some depth. Palate is smooth. Very crisp. Medium carbonation.

**

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3.26/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25

Pours a light straw gold with a foamy head, but was disappointed that there was little retention to the beer. Little lacing throughout the beer. Tastes of a mix between corn and other grainy wheats. Nicely balanced with a somewhat sweeter aftertaste post-swallow. Has little in the way of any lasting flavors dancing on the tongue, but overall, a very nice pale lager. Would most definitely sample again.

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3.5/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

4/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

3.5/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

4/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Light straw colour, no head is retained after pouring.

The flavour is very light, mild bitterness, nicely balanced. Lager is my style so I am probably over rating this, but I like it.

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