Big Wave Golden Ale - Kona Brewing Co.

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Cool, Kona gets it. This is an easy-drinking summer beer (of course I say this in summer) with a spicy citrus rind element from the Willamette and Hallertau hops leading the flavor. The body is quite thin and the barley character is too light. I don't want to call a decent beer like this watery, but something seems missing. Still, there's a decent hoppy finish which is dry but only a little bitter. I'd say this a good crowd-pleaser in that its got clean, distinct hops for beer geeks and a light, easy character for the BMC crowd. Worth a try on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

07-28-2012 23:49:27 | More by tempest

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle. Upon arriving in Honolulu today, I noticed two things almost immediately in my sleep-deprived state: the big waves of the Pacific ocean from my hotel room lanai, and this particular Big Wave at the ABC stores on every damned block in the neighbourhood.

This beer pours a clear, pale golden straw hue, with one finger of thin, bubbly off-white head, which leaves some specked lace around the glass as it quickly evaporates.

It smells of tropical fruit, pineapple mostly (I know, it may just be in my head, in my suggestible state), and soft, grainy malt. The taste is more fruity malt, some tangerine and papaya joining the sweet pineapple essence that I just can't seem to shake, with a stronger biscuit character as it warms, as well as some emerging, yet still minor, grassy hops.

The carbonation is present, but quite sedate, the body a medium-light weight, and smooth like fruit juice. It finishes sweet and fruity, like there was any other way.

Another very enjoyable blonde ale - I'm sensing a trend, or even a conspiracy, to dissuade me of my apathy for the style. Nice, fruity, and yet balanced, with crazy local perceived flavours. Oh, and look - the final leg of the Amazing race is in Honolulu, even stopping down the street. Apophenia is in the air again.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 06:44:52 | More by biboergosum

hopfacebrew

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at the hotel bar while on vacation in Hawaii, served in pint glass the beer arrives crystal clear with a straw color, 1 finger cream colored head, with good retention and pleasant lacing. The nose is a little faint is pleasant and approachable with a sweet biscuit malt character along with a blend of grassy and citrus hop. The flavor follows suit but is fuller in character. Starts with a gentle biscuit malt base from which a more pronounced citrus, tropical fruit character develops. Mild bitterness. Finishes with a lingering fruit flavor on the tongue, orange. Lighter bodied with moderate carbonation the beer is crisp and clear. Easy to drink. Overall, very nice.

Serving type: on-tap

03-27-2012 14:02:12 | More by hopfacebrew

rawfish

California

3.38/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A golden body, very clear with a small cap of white fizzy stuff. Barely any lacing as retention isn't considered.

Corn, pale grain ,stale bread and a small amount of herbal hops and underlying berry and macintosh apple fruitiness.

Pale grains, lightly bready and some sweet corn. Sweetness increases as it warms. Very faint herbal hops on the back end notes of pine and lemon citrus with a bit of snappy crispness on the back end.

Moderate carbonation with a medium body for a blonde ale. Finishes crisp, not bitter but gets a little sticky as the beer warms.

A decent beer, boring in some places but I can see this being very refreshing on a summer day. Better beers out there but not a bad blonde.

Serving type: on-tap

03-14-2012 03:16:43 | More by rawfish

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this a few times on Maui in lieu of the lager and found it a simple refreshing ale that hits the spot when it is warm or you are getting the grill going on the Lanai. The hops are there but this not the focus of this beer. I got bored after a couple in that I wanted more complexity but still worth drinking.

Serving type: on-tap

03-10-2012 23:53:44 | More by canucklehead

output01x

Ohio

3.35/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. capped bottle (Bottled JAN 05 12) into a pint glass.

A strong pour yields a 1-finger cream colored head that fades to a thin dusting and thin foam ring in a couple minutes. The body is a perfectly clear golden straw with a light amount of lazy carbonation bubbles. Some light lacing can be seen temporarily clinging to the sides of the glass throughout consumption but never adhere too long.

The nose is not the strongest my nostrils have dug into but it is pleasant and rather well-balanced. Sweet, biscuity malts lay the groundwork for citrusy and grassy hops. Notes of orange peel and papaya are detectable but distant.

Light and sweet malts start each sip along with flavors of pine and citrus hops. Swallowing the beer releases more of the hops flavors carrying notes of pine needles, freshly cut grass, lemon rind, and grapefruit. As these flavors fade, a mellow orange flavor develops and is soon met by a slight grassy bitterness. An orange sherbert aftertaste persists between sips.

Light bodied with moderate carbonation, this beer crisp, clean, and refreshing (sound familiar?). The body is light enough to make this both a warm spring night sipper as well as a hot summer day gulper. The carbonation is only slightly fizzy and really helps this beer's drinkability (especially during the swallow).

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 01:44:32 | More by output01x

nickfl

Florida

3.4/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A - pours with one finger of white foam on top of a clear, golden body. The head settles quickly and leaves little lace.

S - sweet, grainy malt with just a hint of herbal hops.

T - clean malt up front with a hint of corn in the middle and some herbal hops and moderate bitterness in the finish.

M - medium thick body, moderate carbonation, and a dry finish.

D - clean and drinkable, not bad for what it is but still not really worth drinking.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 04:11:51 | More by nickfl

UCLABrewN84

California

2.63/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Purchased at a random ABC Store in Maui, HI. I picked this one up because I have never seen it in California.

Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a 1 inch foamy white head that settles to a thin cap. Thin broken foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt/grains and maybe some grassy/veggie aromas. A bit of a metallic aroma as well. Taste is of malt/grains, grass/veggies, and salt. Why is this beer salty at all? A mild bitterness after each sip. This beer has a pretty good carbonation but it is slightly thick feeling for some reason. Overall, this is not a very good beer. I am still curious as to why this is salty.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 09:39:28 | More by UCLABrewN84

TippySelenoid

Missouri

3/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes.

Poured into a pint glass.

This beer is hazy gold with a white head.

It's aroma is faintly grainy. Not much to smell.

It's taste is also faint. It's grainy with a light amount hops.

It's a light bodied beer.

This is easy to drink a ton of. It's totally unchallenging and mediocre and highly forgettable.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2011 22:23:40 | More by TippySelenoid

brdc

Wisconsin

2.63/5  rDev -25.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

From notes. On tap in Hawaii.

Poured into a pint, it is light yellow in color, and it came with a minimal head, but that could just be the pour, as this is not exactly a beer bar.
Aroma is faint, grains, some fruity notes, no vanilla as others found.
Thin, it was refreshing for the situation, but it lacks flavors in a major way, so descriptions here are limited.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2011 02:26:10 | More by brdc

confer

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Gold in color with a white head that disappears quickly.
The dominant smell is vanilla, couldn't figure that out.
This turned out to be a very plain malt dominant ale. A little watery in the feel and definitely not Kona's best offering, but for drinking in an open air bar somewhere in the islands it works pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 00:25:55 | More by confer

SubpoenaDeuces

California

2.83/5  rDev -20.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Big wave golden ale

A: muted gold, cider apple juice color minimal head with no lacing, no middle carbonation

S honey, grapes, cooked yams; I have a hard time really expounding on such a limited presentation. This is truly a face-value beer.

T mild bread, watery character with a clean finish, cornbread honey character. It feels like a copycat of so many other beers and mixed styles.

M very light with minimal coating if at all, very refreshing no carbonation to follow through but muted sugar notes make it pretty pleasant in hot weather, I GUESS.

D very drinkable character light minimal hop profile perfect for the duty it presents but limited utility

Narrative: Life was rough for the staggered Tetris block, Reggie. Sure, there were times when he would help out the project and ease construction in a limited fashion, but mostly he found himself cast aside, waiting for others to step in and help. “Don’t get down Reggie,” the slim solid 4 block Agapantha would console him, “we all, you know we all get sore sometimes, that’s just how Tetris goes, line eat line world.” Despite these consoling remarks, deep down Reggie knew he was unwanted. He could feel the disappointed glares when he would arrive next in line and announce his willingness. “Ah jeez, I don’t…I don’t know, just put him wherever, we will figure that one out…later I guess.” Reggie sighed a generic sigh and held his head up high, waiting for his day in the sun.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2011 08:16:55 | More by SubpoenaDeuces

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Kona Big Wave

Ontap, a hazed straw yellow with a soapy white froth and little in the way of lace. Aroma of yeast, citrus and a faint flowery hop. Well balanced brew with notes of lemon, hay, grains and a little earthy hop presence. Fairly refreshing and very easy to drink. Overall I could definately drink a few of these.

Serving type: on-tap

04-20-2011 03:26:50 | More by Stinkypuss

JamnesCameron

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy golden color with a stark white head of about two fingers. Some light lacing is evident.

Aroma of lemons, sweet malt, bready, light pepper notes.

First sip is crisp, with fruity esters, sweet malt, and a mild bitterness. Slight carbonic bite. Finish is short, with a clean bitterness that fades quickly.

Mouthfeel is light, slight prickle from carbonation.

Overall drinkability is good, with nothing aggressive or offensive.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2011 02:44:24 | More by JamnesCameron

paulozanello

Brazil

3.55/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Pours a crystal dark golden color with a one finger white head that recedes quickly. Below average lacing.
Smell very clean, mainly grainy malts and light.
Taste follows nose with a grain/bread malty start and crisp clean finish. This has a honey like sweetness towards the end. Light herbal hop bitterness follows.
Clean and dry finish. Low body and medium carbonation.
Good solid and drinkable golden ale. It lacks the fruityness of the top fermenting yeast and to me it tastes like a clean malty lager.

Serving type: on-tap

01-18-2011 07:15:13 | More by paulozanello

PDXHops

South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On tap at the brewpub in a shaker pint. Glowing gold with a bright white frothy head. Good retention, scattered wet and drippy lacing.

OK, so blonde ales don't exactly command a ton of respect, but for the style this one's pretty damned good. Aromas of orange and lemon zest mix and mingle with a healthy dose of lightly toasted grains. The crisp and refreshing mouthfeel is not a surprise, but the hearty flavor is, and a pleasant one at that. Plenty of citrus midswallow, with grassy notions here and there. These fade away toward the finish, which is quite clean. Pleasantly toasty from beginning to end, with just a touch of sweetness to the malts.

Overall impression: Nicely constructed brew here. Easy recommendation.

Serving type: on-tap

11-26-2010 12:22:27 | More by PDXHops

snogglethorpe

Japan

3.63/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A medium straw color, with a small, fizzy, short-lived head.

Smell is "beery" with a whiff of fruit.

Taste is similar, but more fruity, sweet, malty. Hops are there, but very subdued; still, I'd say it's reasonably well-balanced.

The best part is the mouthfeel, which has a slight thickness/oiliness, and is crisp/fresh at the same time. Very satisfying to drink (even though the taste is slightly bland), with a kind of "snap" when you take a sip. Nice, goes down well.

Not my favorite style (I bought it because the store didn't have anything more to my taste), and I think Kona's "Fire Rock Pale Ale" is better (more hoppy/fruity/full), but Big Wave is a decent beer, especially considering its style (most of the "golden ales" I've had have been much blander).

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2010 13:23:10 | More by snogglethorpe

Haybeerman

Colorado

4/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Clear yellow/gold color. Poured a 2 finger creamy white head that slowly gave way to an even skim. Decanted lightly. Laced in spots.

S: Light-colored fruit. Slightly sweet bready malt. Faint peppery hop charachter.

T: Just like the nose. Low, even bitter in the finish lets the mildly sweet malt flavor linger.

M: Light to medium bodied. Moderate carbonation. Smooth and slightly creamy.

D: Very easy to drink. Very good representation of the style.

Serving type: on-tap

11-01-2010 19:39:35 | More by Haybeerman

berley31

New Brunswick (Canada)

3.98/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured with a moderate-sized, white frothy head that disappeared pretty quickly, down to 1/4-finger or so. Body is a dark golden color, with good clarity.

S: Good representation of the style, some mild malt aroma, not overly sweet or caramely, with little to no hop smell present.

T: Ditto on the flavor... it's not mind-blowing, but it's a Blonde, remember. Hop flavor is negligible, with very low hop bitterness in the finish. Flavor consists mostly of some mild malt sweetness... easy drinking.

M: Medium-light bodied, moderate carbonation.

D: Pretty solid for a Blonde Ale; I wouldn't want a lot of these, but they're good for a nice beach day in Maui.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2010 01:33:11 | More by berley31

magnj

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From my mind notes. I asked if it was an IPA, waitress said yes...she was obviously wrong.

A - Light golden body, not terribly clear, low head retention and lacing.

S - Really mild aroma, pretty neutral but tilted toward malt. Reading the ingredients now, I would say the honey is detectable. Hops are low as per style, however at the time I was surprised.

T - Again a pretty neutral body, hops were detectable but grassy. Body was somewhat bready, grainy and a little sweet.

M/D - Light body despite the honey or maybe because of the honey. Easy to drink, pretty tasty. Obviously brewed to appease the non beeradvocate tourists who want a taste of the local brew, not a bad thing, not a bad beer.

Serving type: on-tap

07-19-2010 23:11:46 | More by magnj

r0nyn

New York

3.8/5  rDev +7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahaina, Hawaii. Served in a pint glass.

Looks just like your typical lager, straw-colored and clear with little to no carbonation. Not very much lacing either. Some maltiness in the smell, along with very faint traces of citrus and fruitiness. Not bad.

Maltiness carries over into the taste, along with a very slight twinge of bready flavoring. Just a light bit of bitterness, which suits me just fine. The finish has some fruity nuances, including banana and pineapple. They become more evident as the beer warms up a bit, and were definitely a pleasant surprise. Not too much of an aftertaste. Mouthfeel is a bit heavier than expected, but still pretty light with some decent carbonation.

I could easily have knocked back a few more of these, thanks to the pleasant taste. Very nice complement to the stellar burgers served at Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Serving type: on-tap

07-17-2010 07:52:38 | More by r0nyn

ThreeWiseMen

California

3.18/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bottled on June 2, 2010 at 6:45am (early!), making this beer only a month and a half old. Nice!

Poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Standard pour yielded a small, loose, white head that completely fizzled away in seconds. Body is clear and pale gold with no visible carbonation. A quick swirl reinvigorates the head, but only temporarily. This beer has zero head retention. No lacing to speak of either, but that's not too surprising for a blonde ale.

Smell: Sweet, clean grains and lemon rind are the first aromas I get. Following further inspection, I get leafy vegetation and faint alcohol. A little boring, but certainly suits the style.

Taste: Grainy and toasty, with grassy hops forming a surprisingly bitter finish, for the style anyway. Whole grain cracker (like whole grain bread, but with a touch of salt) is the most distinct flavor component. Not as sweet as I had hoped or expected, though the hoppy bitterness sort of makes up for it; I'd rather have a more balanced blonde though.

Mouthfeel: Actively carbonated, chewy, and light-bodied. Sturdy bitterness adds to the mix, and lends to a fairly pleasant, long-lasting aftertaste. Lots of good stimulation for such a light ale! Carbonation could be toned down just a bit, but I dig this mouthfeel.

Drinkability: Easy-going and inoffensive. Actually got better toward the end of the bottle, but it was still forgettable. This is a good purchase for a summer barbecue or similar outdoor gathering.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2010 05:49:12 | More by ThreeWiseMen

Prostman81

Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Blonde ales aren't usually my thing, but this was the default choice when compared to the BMC lineup at a restaurant while staying in Oahu.

Was having a bunch of seafood for dinner, and thought this would be a nice matchup & palate cleanser.

Nothing too out of the ordinary here. Typical blonde ale appearance, not much of a hop note on the nose. Good mouthfeel though, and definitely provided way more body than the usualy Am. adjunct lager. I don't have any complaints here though, if you are looking for a light tasting beer but still want some flavor and character, this would be a decent choice.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2010 21:25:37 | More by Prostman81

SkunkWorks

New York

3.73/5  rDev +5.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Golden yellow color, light aroma, reasonably carbed, and overall generally seems like a BMC with a little extra flavor. Its fairly boring to be honest, but that's the style. Worth drinking if you're looking for something light and has a lot of flavor considering that its a blonde.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2010 06:35:36 | More by SkunkWorks

vandenbochi

Hawaii

4.22/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I was fortunate to have visited the Kona brewery pub and drank a few glasses of this beer.

The beer poured a golden yellow with little aroma.
Nice taste and after taste
Very smooth but not at all over powering, very drinkable.

This is a great tasting dinner beer.
I recommend trying this beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2010 09:10:11 | More by vandenbochi