Pop Top
Kalihi Beer

This is an interesting Kolsch. A Hawaiian micro goes beyond lagers to this hybrid style and almost gets the ale part right. But then it appears to chicken out on the style's complexity and adds too many hops. True, the Kolsch masters do make their hops linger, but they know how to do it subtly and Kalihi does not yet.

Pop Top is a kinda cool reference to the VW micro-bus which, for the sake of a good story, may have originated in the Kolsch region. (My guess is it was south of the Ruhr Valley, but never let facts interfere with a good story when it comes to naming beers.)

Pop Top Looks average, a good yeast would sustain the foam; but this drops quickly to not much. Smells also are undistinguished malty fruit. Tastes are better, but I point out above that the leaning into the hops was a stylistic mistake. Almost medium-mouthed.

Kalihi seems to still be figuring its way. And that's good. It is not easy to craft creative brews in a warm climate. But Kalihi is persisting. And in reviewing their website, I think they will figure it out. I look forward to trying another of their brews, but my trips to Hawaii are infrequent... like every seven years.

From the pint can, it pours a clear golden amber color with a modest white head that slowly reduces and leaves lacing. The nose (according to a friend) gets rotten fruit loops, although I get a mild fruity scent. The mouth follows with a slightly sweet, lightly bitter, brew.