Fire Rock Pale Ale - Kona Brewing Co.

pvsob

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A- Clear copper color with a one-finger head that has average retention/lacing.

S- Citrus, flowers, and a light, somewhat toasted malt aroma.

T- The malt and hop flavors are very balanced in this beer. Neither one really asserts its dominance over the other. Finishes with a slight hop bitterness.

M- Lighter side of medium with medium/high carbonation.

O- A decent APA. Worth a try, but I don't see this one replacing all the SNPA and Headwaters in my fridge. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2012 19:52:53 | More by pvsob

socon67

New York

4.25/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Copper pour with very nice lacing. Clear and with a white foam head that settles nicely.

S - Scent of fresh malt, some interesting hoppy smell, and a bit of floral vibe.

T - Really enjoying this. A bit of sticky hops that has a good mellow taosted flavor. What is more surprising is the coplexity in flavors for a pale ale.

M - Solid beer that is sessionable and good with food.

O - A really good pale ale that I'd have again. Glad to see more Kona in NY.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2012 17:16:14 | More by socon67

theaudist

Alabama

2.9/5  rDev -20.1%
look: 5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Just got this brew in Alabama; and my local store got it in on Friday afternoon as I was leaving work. Perfect! Time to try something new.

Poured from bottle into a pilsner glass.

This is possibly the best looking pale ale I've ever seen. Pours a rich caramel/orange color with a creamy, thick head that doesn't go away and leaves a monstrous amount of lacing in its wake.

Aroma is very...well, hard to detect. Its not even there. Maybe slight bit of malt and sweet pear. Maybe.

Taste is very well balanced. Creamy, almost milky taste up front followed by a roasted nut and bitter hop bite finish. Ever so slightly spicy, but very quaffable.

Mouthfeel is very viscous, yet very refreshing. Its near about perfect.

Overall, this is a beer you need to try. Me? I'm going to stick to my Back Forty Naked Pig Pale Ale. This isn't my forte, and the taste is just to underwhelming to be a repeat purchase. A solid brew, but not one I'll visit often.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 21:53:59 | More by theaudist

TheSixthRing

California

3.85/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a clear, precise copper with an off-white, finger width head. Decent retention. Leaves behind a thin but consistent lacing.

Smell - A bit of spice. A bit of citrus. A sweet caramel malt is present in the aroma, but subtle.

Taste - A well balanced ale. Follows the nose. The citrus hops stand out just above the rest, but notes of sweet caramel malt, and a delicate spice sit just under the surface.

Mouthfeel - Medium body. Smooth. Could use more bite?

Overall - I was not a fan of this beer the first time I tried it a good 5 years ago. I avoided it for the next 4, and then on a whim, I tried it again about a year ago. It was much better than I remember. Not my favorite PA, but it's certainly far from the bottom of the pack, and it does have unique qualities which make it stand out from your average pale.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2012 03:41:42 | More by TheSixthRing

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into pint glass

Appearance – Pours a deep golden color with a medium white head. Tons of little carbonations bubbles can be seen running up through the beer. The head faded leaving a medium amount of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is very roasty with nice hints of citrus hop mixed in. There is a nice sweetness from the citrus hop as well as some sweeter aromas of caramel.

Taste- A bready flavor with a roasted malt flavor are the first to meet the tongue. Some sweetness is present in the beginning with flavors of caramel and lighter citrus fruit flavors. Toward the very end, the taste bitters ever so slightly due to some citrus hop flavors. While it bitters, it is by no means a bitter beer, and maintains a nice sweeter hoppy flavor in the mouth at the end.

Mouthfeel – The body is quite nice and creamy with a carbonation level that is a bit on the lighter side.. The body and carbonation really accentuates the sweet and lighter hoppy flavors and allows them to sit on the tongue. It is quite good for accentuating the taste.

Overall – This is a nice drinking beer. It has a good smoothness with many nice characteristics.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 00:03:34 | More by Darkmagus82

psuKinger

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Bottle given to me very generously by my local distributor, and poured into my Kona pint glass.

Bottle dated Jan 30, 2012. According to Fresh Beer Only, Kona uses a "packaging date", not a "fresh by" date.

A: Pours a deep copper color, with a big thick white head on top, with big pancake batter bubbles from side to side.

S: Not much to be found here in the nose. Caramel "dominates" what little there is to be found in the nose. Perhaps a touch of pine here as well, but everything is very muted.

T: Disappointingly, taste follows the nose. The caramel malts are present, and there is a touch of spicy pine bitterness, perhaps attributed to the Mr. Hood addition? But there is no citrus/grapefruit reward to be found. Is 2.5 months too old? Is that, in fact, a "best by" date and not a packaging date? I've had this beer at the Oahu brewpub before, and although I don't remember it blowing me away, I don't remember it being this bland and devoid of hop flavor...

M: Hefty and sticky sweet, with a nice presence of very tiny carbonation bubbles.

D/O: I don't want to kill this beer, because I've had it before (likely fresher), and I'm a big proponent of bottle-dating. Perhaps 2.5 months is too old? Or perhaps this beer is just better on draft? Either which way, by bottle-dating this brewer is giving me the information I need to be an informed consumer, so I will likely revisit, and next time look for a bottle closer to the printed date.

Early on in the pint, I briefly considered drain-pouring simply to spare myself the calories. But once I decided not too and set about going through my day, I quickly found the glass near-empty. So obviously it wasn't all that bad, regardless of all-of-the-above.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2012 23:03:10 | More by psuKinger

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

P- AOH

A-a deep mahogany color tat is opaque. A 2 finger head that is foamy but not peaked. looks inviting.

S- bready biscuity malts hit the nose first. simple yet very nice smell.

T- biscuity malts with light grain. Caramel flavor comes through at the backend. Thereare some flowery hops faintly hidden in here as well.

M- quite malty for a pale ale, the hops are almost absent. However, it works for this beer. This balance is smooth and light bodied.

O- a decent brew from Hawaii. i would def hav one again. It is a good pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 20:29:05 | More by Dodo2step

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light orangish-amber with a half of an inch of off white, loose, foamy, crackling head that has great retention. The nose is big, malty, biscuity, and very bready with an underlying citrusy aroma. The taste is very malt up front with a bready, biscuity malt character. It's then followed by a balanced, bitter, citrusy, grapefruity, lemony hop character. There's a slight astrigency in the finish leaving the mouthfeel a bit tart and sweet. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and a bit crisp, but overall smooth and well carbonated.

This is a smooth, quaffable, refreshing, enjoyable beer that you can definitely have more than one of.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 11:13:44 | More by tdm168

Finn

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fire rock pours a light amber with a nice little head that sticks on top well. Smell is a nice interplay between caramel malts and hops that results in a fruity sort of impression. yeast esters and a slight citrus twang behind it all. the taste is a very nice balance of those rich caramel malts and a firm bitterness, and slight hop flavor. Full flavored for sure, with an emphasis on the malts, but the hops stick around as well. It's medium bodied and has a hearty feel to it. Overall, a well balanced, slightly malt forward, but hoppy enough pale ale. Quite good.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2012 02:27:57 | More by Finn

B33R501

Pennsylvania

3.43/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

this was ok. glad i paid $2.50 for this pint, only a few craft beers left on chaps norristown pa 1/2 price craft menu. surprisingly went well with my hot wings.

pale copper appearance not my favorite. smell was just ok, bready malts, not much hops in the aroma. taste little better, bready malts up front, with a nice hoppy middle, dry finish. just enough hop flavor to make a nice, refreshing beer with dinner.

as i enjoy mostly big beers, this is like drinking a light beer now. could make a decent session beer for some i suppose.

Serving type: on-tap

03-28-2012 12:10:39 | More by B33R501

leokbelo

Florida

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep copper into a Pint glass. Nice head retention.
Sweet on the nose, caramel malts blending with a rich flowery hop aroma.
Hop bitterness in the tongue, kept in check by the malts, very nice balance.
Very drinkable. Overall a very good APA.
Would recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2012 15:02:11 | More by leokbelo

Riverevir

4.1/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bought a case on a whim and I have enjoyed it.

Solid and very drinkable beer. Did not scream "pale ale" to me as it didn't have the strong hops I've come to expect, which was a pleasant surprise. Smooth to drink and a solid taste, but nothing flashy. I would drink this again, but I don't know that I will crave it. A good intro to Kona's offering and enough to make me willing to try some more of their stuff.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 00:16:22 | More by Riverevir

russwbeck

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Hazy copper pour with more than a few fingers of creamy white head. An array of bubbles assault the beer as they race upwards, retaining the head beautifully. To top it all off, the head leaves a nice coat of lacing as the beer is enjoyed.

S: The aroma is quite simple. Malt, a light citrus character, and some bitterness.

T: Fire Rock's taste is quite similar to its aroma. Malt forward, it's sweet overall without a lot of hops making their presence known. Some light and citrus fruits are noted throughout the taste, but they're a bit too muted.

MF: It is really drinkable, with a medium body and good amount of carbonation. The finish is semi-dry and clean. Only sparing amounts of sweetness hang around on the palate once the beer has gone.

O: Probably wouldn't try this beer again or recommend it to anybody, but I sure didn't mind it for watching basketball.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 21:46:24 | More by russwbeck

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

3.93/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a nonic pint.

A – Just slightly less-than-clear light amber color, with a one-finger head that evaporated quickly but not totally, leaving a thin layer of creme colored suds. Nice patchy/clumpy lacing.

S – Doughy malt and grassy, floral hops. Medium to strong aroma.

T – Much more hop forward than the nose would indicate. Grapefruit like hops dominate, but lurking underneath is bready caramel malt with a decidedly “earthy” taste, which I found to be rather tasty, making this a little better than your average pale. Nicely balanced. Good amount of grassy hop esters, and this is awfully close to an IPA. Slight mineral taste in the finish.

M – Light to medium bodied, with medium carbonation. Crisp, dry finish.

O – Pretty damn good. If you like some malt in your pale, this would be a good choice and I feel it makes this brew stand out a little. Nothing here to make this a “must buy”, but it really doesn’t have any glaring weaknesses either. A solid pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2012 02:11:19 | More by TempeBeerMan

output01x

Ohio

3.18/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 12 oz. capped bottle (Born On DEC 20 11) into a pint glass.

A moderate pour yields a 1 1/2-finger cream-colored head that slowly fades to a thick coating and thick foam ring. The body is a clear copper amber with an amazing amount of carbonation bubbles coursing through nearly every available area of liquid. Thick lacing coats the glass in a never-ending blanket of white foam.

While this beer may not be the most aromatic, it is both balanced and enjoyable. Piney and citrusy hops aromas carry notes of tangerine and mandarin oranges. Light malts form a nice backbone with notes of caramel and graham crackers. A slight spiciness adds an extra layer to the nose.

Bitter, grassy hops are balanced by caramel malt. As the beer is swallowed, more grassy hops are met by citrus hops and more caramel and toffee malts flavors. As these fade, a slight bitterness clings to the tip of the tongue as a watery and dulled grassy hops flavor lingers on the rest of the tongue.

Medium bodied with moderate carbonation, this beer is creamy and easy-drinking. The body is smooth and drinkable but slightly watery in the finish. The carbonation is well hidden but could use a bit more strength during the swallow.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 01:58:31 | More by output01x

NODAK

Tennessee

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Aroma has a definite mix of floral and citrus notes to it, certainly on par for a decent APA. Not very powerful, but pretty middle of the road.

Taste certainly has much of the same notes as the nose, with a floral presence, but more so of a tangy citrusy, tropical (orange? apricot?) flavor that gives the beer a distinctive flavor compared to many other APA's. It finishes off with a slight grain taste that is certainly in the background but noticeable along with a small dryness.

I found this to be a pretty tasty rendition of an APA. Pretty light on the hops to be honest, but the flavor that it has is pretty delectable and I find that that's what really matters in the end.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2012 03:32:58 | More by NODAK

DaftCaskBC

British Columbia (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: 1/4" off-white head that left a nice lacing over honey-amber liquid.

S: Citrus and grassy hops and sweet malt.

T: Tangerine, pine, and grassy hops with a honey-malt backbone.

M: Medium level of viscosity and a medium level of fine carbonation.

O: Quite drinkable, sweet with a nice level of bitterness.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 23:31:11 | More by DaftCaskBC

BeerBuckeye

Ohio

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a caramely copper color with a small off white head. A bit of lacing along the sides.

S - Caramel malts, but a good mixture of citrus and piney hops. Not incredible pungent, but pleasant and balanced.

T - Great balanced taste here. It's got a solid caramel malt backbone, very full, but provides a kick of piney and citrus hops and finishes very clean.

M - Crisp and clean, but actually pretty robust taste.

Overall - I was impressed with this beer. A solid pale ale that seems to bring a good amount of malt balance. Very good.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 21:53:12 | More by BeerBuckeye

magine

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a nonic.

Pours a clear dark copper, with an off white small head. Head settles to a lace layer. Some patchy lace. Good carbonation and bubbles rise as it sits. Pretty good looks.

Brew smells of a good balance of caramel malts and floral and citrus hops. Good balanced nose.

Brew is good and balanced; sweet caramel and nutty malts. Good floral and citrus flavors here. Brew is very easy drinking and mellow. Great flavors and balance. Honestly a great tasting and drinking APA here.

This is a case worthy brew here; great flavor and balance. Could drink it by the truck load. My first brew from Kona Brewing and I am very impressed. Great stuff - a stand out APA here.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 02:22:28 | More by magine

chefhatt

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

i had this on-tap at a local pizza place. Review is from notes.
It has a nice amber color body, no head but a little bit of lace around the edge of the glass. The smell is malty and with some slight citrus hops. The taste is of malt first then some bitter hops with a pepper after taaste. The mouth feel is very nice and crisp. Overall this is a good pale ale and i would drink it again.

Serving type: on-tap

02-15-2012 06:01:35 | More by chefhatt

HopHeadRyan

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

First time enjoying this pale ale from Hawaii...cases just showed up in the Philly area...

Decanted into my Pennsylvania Pale Ale pint tumbler, respectively...

A - Nearly no head...I will try a more vigorous pour on my next one...crystal clear deep copper almost red...no lingering head or lacing...too bad...

S - Sweet caramel spice, toasted malts, biscuits, and faint citrus-pine hops. I wish it was a little more strong on the hop aroma. A bit disappointed...but the complex malt aromas make up for the lack of hops.

T - Juicy fruitiness...caramel...a bit of white pepper spice...nice clean crisp bitterness...definitely well balanced...

M - Crisp carbonation...a bit syrupy for a pale ale...heavier than I would expect...on the dryer side for the finish...

Overall - A solid session-able APA with a nice ABV...very unique to the style however...they are on the edge of an amber ale in my opinion...reminds me a bit of HOPBACK by troegs...I can definitely recognize a WIDMER ROTHERS influence in the Aroma/Taste/Hop Character/Even the mouth-feel...you can tell there is a clear connection to "CRAFT BREWERS ALLIANCE"...not sure if that is a good thing though...I digress...give this one a try though if you see it...especially on-tap as I'm sure that in its freshest form its pretty enjoyable.

(however, If you live in the Philly area...drink PBC Pennsylvania Pale Ale, Yards Pale Ale, or Victory Headwaters over this...they have much better hop character with a similar malt backbone)

I love me some Pale Ale!

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 20:13:24 | More by HopHeadRyan

brewemstrong

Tennessee

3.28/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Standard pour yields a deep straw color with a 3/4 finger head that leaves only a little foam. Decent lace

S: Wow, a surprising amount of pineapple in this and it's very up front. No alcohol of note and the malt is subdued as well. Generous addition of hops late in the boil gives flowery and pine notes.

T: Here the pineapple is quite limited and hops dominate- more resiny than anything. Malt still limited but it works.

M: The hops bite well after the swallow. A bit sticky in the finish. Highly carbonated.

O: Glad to see Kona with this offering. Will try again

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2012 01:37:13 | More by brewemstrong

DCon

Missouri

3.85/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bought a 12 FL. OZ. bottle of this from Ingles Grocery Store in Asheville, NC & added to my Mix-A-Six Pack for $8.88. Poured from the Sunset Labeled bottle w/ a Hawaiin Scene in the background into my 16oz Grand Teton Brewing Co. Glass. Has 11 53 NH, NOV 19 11 stamped VERY small underneath Fire Rock Pale Ale in white.

Aroma- Has a nicely blended American/English hop aroma. Very clean and has tons of malt that support the hops here.

Appearance- Pours a 1 finger head that lasts for a great amount of time. Has a dark copper colored body and leaves thick lacing behind.

Flavor- Very hoppy from the beginning with a nice American character. Malts are evident as well and finishes with a light-medium bitterness level.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, Medium Carbonation, Smooth, and has a sweet finish without a ton of hop present.

Overall Impression- A very refreshing brew from Kona but could have used more hops! More like an English Pale Ale but still enjoyed. Have had before on-tap and wanted to see if it reminded me of the past time. Unfortunately, nothing rang a bell. Enjoyed nevertheless and wouldn't mind starting off the night with one of these!

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 22:48:15 | More by DCon

CHickman

New York

3.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours hazy copper reddish color with a 1 finger foamy beige head that faded quickly and looked like bubbles were popping all over, leaving a thin foamy layer on top.

Smells of grains, malt, grass, caramel, light floral hops, light fruit and hay or wheat; a mellow nose that’s on the sweet side and a decent blend of grain and hops.

Tastes of sweet malt, caramel, floral hops, roasted grains, grapefruit, wheat, crackers, hay, pine cone, and then a dry finish like a burnt wood. Seems like an English pale ale based on the strong grain presence, but the floral hops add just enough bite for nice balance. Not the hoppiest pale ale, but still pretty good even though it could use more hops IMO.

Mouthfeel is light, crisp and refreshing, with a slick feel across the tongue, a medium body and very light carbonation that is just above watery. This was easy to drink, but the flavor needs a hop boost.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 04:38:58 | More by CHickman

hopfacebrew

Colorado

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Note: This review was a re-post from my former account, jmkratt, which was hacked and I lost all my reviews...sorry for the redundancy.

Poured from 12oz bottle to pint glass.

A - The beer pours a nice clear copper color with a 1.5 finger off-white head that slowly dissipates to a thin film and nice lacing.

S - A slight toasted malt aroma with some floral and slightly fruity hop aroma.

T/M- The beer has a nice toasted malted barley which is complemented well with a soft bitterness and a pleasant fruity/piny hoppiness. Medium to Medium/Light body with decent carbonation the hop oils add a dry floral finish. The beer finishes clean with a nice toasted malt flavor.

D- It's hard not to reach for another.

Overall, this is a very good Pale Ale. I would recommend it.

Serving type: bottle

Reviewed on: 02-02-2011 15:10:16

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 21:33:07 | More by hopfacebrew