Wailua Wheat - Kona Brewing Co.

MrVonzipper

California

3.6/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The reason I tried this beer for the first time was because the other day I was working in a hot attic sweating my ass off for hours and I needed I light refreshing beer. This was exactly what I needed although to give a more fair rating, I'm reviewing it a few days later.

Pours a translucent bright gold color with a nice solid 1 finger frothy white head. No lacing. Noticeable carbonation.

Sweet/sour passion fruit immediately on the nose. Maybe a little plum as well. As you continue to drink the beer down, the beer very much smells like a gewürztraminer wine.

Sweet and slightly sour flavor up front coming from the passion fruit. Straw and wheat on the back end. Very pleasant fruity and wheaty aftertaste.

Very light and crisp mouthfeel with good carbonation.

Overall it's a great beer fro the mood. Perfect for a hot sweaty summer day. Good balance and a sourness that can draw towards the current sour trend. I recommend this beer for the right time previously noted.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2011 03:26:23 | More by MrVonzipper

Rihup

Illinois

5/5  rDev +49.3%

05-26-2013 02:52:22 | More by Rihup

matjack85

Illinois

3.04/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

I bought this at the Binny's store in Bloomingdale, IL as part of a build-your-own six pack for $9.99, making them $1.67 each. 12oiz brown bottle with a freshness date on it, but mine was so faint I couldn't make it out. The store marked it as a "new arrival" so I figured it must be pretty fresh. Billed as a wheat beer with passion fruit added.

Crystal clear golden color, so it's obviously filtered. 1 finger white head that hangs around awhile, but unfortunately leaves zero lacing.

Smells like wheat with a touch of tropical fruit in it.

Pretty simple - mild wheat flavor with passion fruit added. Low herbal bitterness (14.5 IBU's) from the millenium hops, and that's about it.

Very light bodied with medium carbonation. I was afraid it might be syrupy or sticky from the passion fruit but it's not. It's actually kind of watery.

There's nothing wrong with it, but it didn't wow me either.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2013 07:52:44 | More by matjack85

enelson

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -3%

05-24-2013 23:18:19 | More by enelson

siddhartha

Colorado

1.75/5  rDev -47.8%

05-22-2013 01:31:34 | More by siddhartha

Nachos4two

Illinois

2/5  rDev -40.3%

05-21-2013 23:30:35 | More by Nachos4two

KingMe

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -3%

05-21-2013 23:00:55 | More by KingMe

MacStinson

Michigan

3/5  rDev -10.4%

05-21-2013 21:52:52 | More by MacStinson

Mark88

Ohio

4/5  rDev +19.4%

05-21-2013 02:28:15 | More by Mark88

Falcone

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -10.4%

05-20-2013 23:56:17 | More by Falcone

sparx1100

Minnesota

2.5/5  rDev -25.4%

05-20-2013 02:07:46 | More by sparx1100

Whiskeydeez

Kansas

2.5/5  rDev -25.4%

05-19-2013 17:11:08 | More by Whiskeydeez

Flashyspoons

Louisiana

3/5  rDev -10.4%

05-19-2013 00:42:07 | More by Flashyspoons

jkane101

New Jersey

2/5  rDev -40.3%

05-18-2013 22:12:01 | More by jkane101

jbarletto

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -10.4%

05-18-2013 21:40:25 | More by jbarletto

JArena13

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +19.4%

05-15-2013 02:46:24 | More by JArena13

Flippymoz

New York

4/5  rDev +19.4%

05-14-2013 01:35:31 | More by Flippymoz

TMoney2591

Illinois

2.7/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served in a Lagunitas mason jar.

The embossed bottle advertises this stuff as "liquid aloha", and I hope it keeps that promise. This stuff pours a clear pale straw topped by a finger of white foam. The nose comprises successive blasts of dry, funky wheat, with only a mild twinge of papaya (well, I guess it's really passion fruit, but it seems like papaya to me...maybe mango...you get the point) on the sea floor. Given some time to breathe, though, the fruit comes through stronger, sharper. The taste is basically a low-budget rehash of the smell, with the wheat replaced by straight barley-like grain and the fruit with an analogous powder, not unlike a tropical Kool-Aid mix. Suffice it to say, this direct-to-video remake is hardly a replacement for the original, which, in and of itself, wasn't exactly a classic. The body is pretty light, with a light moderate carbonation and a watery feel. Overall, I applaud the general idea behind this beer, but the execution leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 03:16:27 | More by TMoney2591

jminch

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev +11.9%

05-12-2013 11:24:55 | More by jminch

leftoverburrito

Oregon

2.75/5  rDev -17.9%

05-09-2013 01:20:21 | More by leftoverburrito

Kelp

New Hampshire

3.25/5  rDev -3%

05-04-2013 20:20:58 | More by Kelp

cnwillis31

Maine

3/5  rDev -10.4%

05-02-2013 20:16:47 | More by cnwillis31

blurredline

Oregon

2.75/5  rDev -17.9%

04-29-2013 04:51:49 | More by blurredline

Jason1337

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -10.4%

04-28-2013 15:37:29 | More by Jason1337

thatoneguymike

Georgia

4/5  rDev +19.4%

04-28-2013 01:03:09 | More by thatoneguymike