Luau Lager
Waimea Brewing Company

Luau LagerLuau Lager
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From:
Waimea Brewing Company
 
Hawaii, United States
Style:
American Lager
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
81
Avg:
3.4 | pDev: 12.06%
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
21
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Nov 24, 2006
Added:
Jul 06, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of Toddv29424
Reviewed by Toddv29424 from District of Columbia

3.38/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
I poured this into a pilsner glass and was impressed at the ferocity of the bubbles as they pushed toward the top. The head was huge, and took many minutes to die down. The smell is feint, and when it's teased out it reminds me of other lagers with no special differences. The yeast smell is almost like urine, although it’s oddly not terrible. The taste is great, with a wheaty initial taste and a crisp going-down flavor. There is very little aftertaste which disappointed me, as I am sure it would have been great. Overall not a beer to seek out, but still worth having if it’s available.
Nov 24, 2006
Photo of aquatonex
Reviewed by aquatonex from New York

3.35/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
BOTM...

Pours light golden with not much head, a little swirliness. Nose does not really consist of much, maybe a little malts. Taste is a lot more pronounced, quite flowery and a little sour along with some light malts. A slight bitterness also. Mouthfeel is thin, but crisp enough, it's a lager. Pretty decent lager altogether.
Oct 11, 2006
Photo of CarolinaCardinals
Reviewed by CarolinaCardinals from North Carolina

3.38/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This beer is part of the MicroBrewClub shipment that was received in late August.

Beer poured a golden color with an OK white head that is hanging around. Nose is malty but offers nothing else. Taste is of slightly toasted malts and finishes with a citrus peel hop. Mouthfeel is medium bodied and the carbonation is somewhat lively on the palate. Drinkability is pretty good. This would make a good tailgate beer if you are a University of Hawaii football fan.
Sep 24, 2006
Photo of hanco005
Reviewed by hanco005 from Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Part of my beer of the month club selection, 12 oz bottle with no freshness date, poured into a pint glass

A—pours sunburst orange, clear with a ¾ inch fizzy white head that slowly fades to a thin sheet, spotty lacing is produced

S—sweet malt, some mild hops come in, but are shadowed by sweet candy, a little bit of orange in here, too, I think, maybe a bit of butter as well

T—hops and malts are balanced very well, sweet start with a bitter finish, the aftertaste is heavy and sweet. I like it

M—smooth, light bodied, mild carbonation

D—a decent lager. Easily drinkable in the summer months.
Sep 05, 2006
Photo of amoebalink
Reviewed by amoebalink from California

3.6/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
This beer is from Hawaii.
The company also makes an ale that is very nice.
This beer has an unique sweet tasting affect with a flowery smell to it.
It pours with a good head.
The beer pairs well with spicy food.
It is unique in that the smell reminds me of flowers.
I recommend it.
Sep 02, 2006
Photo of sloejams
Reviewed by sloejams from Oregon

3.77/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
came as part of Beer of the Month Club

Pours a golden color with a minimal head. Aroma is lemon with a slight almond and grassy subtleties. Taste pulls that all together. It's crisp and refreshing. The missus and I wanting something light and crisp to accompany the delicious soba and cucumber salad she made. This worked quite well.
Sep 01, 2006
Photo of ReDave
Reviewed by ReDave from California

2.48/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
Pours nice, light golden amber. Very little white head, little lacing, head dissolves to a thin film on top shortly.

Smells sorta cidery with some malt. Later, some kinda woody smell.

Taste... sorta lemony sour, small bitterish aftertaste..
later... some woody after taste as well. Me thinks this needs some hops! Could be some oxidation, but not sure.
NO date on the bottle, and this [in my opinion] is a case for some sort of dating process, as this might be somewhat old. Purchased recently from my local Bevmo, and i think it's a newer product {?}
My wife and friends describe it as "OK".
Aug 23, 2006
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

2.68/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Faded tangerine with a sparse cloud of fine particulates. The head is pale orange-accented ivory in color, airily creamy in consistency and ever so slightly sticky. A few scattered dribs and drabs of watery lace is the extent of the glass coverage.

The nose is seriously underpowered, making it difficult to come up any sort of description. Faint whiffs of grain and fruity hops are present if I use intense powers of concentration... and a little imagination. On the positive side, there are no off-aromas. This is one of the weakest noses that I have(n't) smelled in quite some time.

Thankfully, there's something for my taste buds to grab onto. Unfortunately, they feel like letting go immediately. Actually, that's too harsh. This isn't lousy beer, it's just bland and uninteresting beer. The malt tastes barely toasted and the orange fruity hops provide a moderate amount of flavor and bitterness.

Luau Lager doesn't taste like a macro lager so much as a weakly-hopped, subpar pale ale. The malt:hop balance is all out of whack for the stated style; a quality that would normally appeal to me, but doesn't in this case. There's no spark here, no twinkle, no life to the flavor profile at all.

I have no real complaints about the body/mouthfeel. They're pretty much middle-of-the-road given the style. The body can't decide between light and medium, veering sharply toward light on the finish, and the mouthfeel is... average. Sorry, but the beer just doesn't inspire me to come up with a creative way to say average.

This is the second beer that I've had from 'the world's westernmost brewery' and I like it even less than their Pale Ale. I look forward to making it back to Kauai some day because I consider it to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. I plan to stop in at the Waimea Brewing Company brewpub, but I'll be sure to avoid the Luau Lager when I do.
May 16, 2006
Photo of atigerlife
Reviewed by atigerlife from Hawaii

3.05/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Since I live in Hawaii, I finally decided to go out and buy a bunch of the lesser known beers from Hawaii. This is the first one to be rated so here goes...

Poured a very clear golden/orange color. Small white head that dissipated quickly. Decent amount of carbonation can be seen.

Smell had a faint medicinal quality. Sort of like cherry flavored cough syrup. Also some grassiness. I'm not sure why, but the smell intrigued me.

Unfortunately, the taste lacked character. Very non-descript. Some very light hop bitterness, light grainy maltiness. Sweet. Much too mild for my liking.

The mouthfeel was rather light and lightly cleansing. Overall, due to it being rather non-descript, I could probably see sitting at a bar on Kauai overlooking the ocean and drinking a bunch of these if they were pretty cold. Not an offensive beer, just nothing special.
Mar 11, 2006
Photo of pjwilson
Reviewed by pjwilson from California

3.35/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
had this one out of a beer set and quite enjoyed it at the time. So I picked up a sixer for six bucks. Will I regret it...?

appearance: ok wow that it is light. Straw light a shade darker than bud. still ok head holds on.

smell: well under macro lager it's a five, for just lager it's a 3.4. pleasing smell of little there. I smell corn, not to say there's corn in it.

taste: not as good as the one I had, this beer get's no love from Trader Joe's with their lack of Refridgeration. Frankly folks, you've got to be careful about where you buy your lager's, they have to be kept cold. still this is decenty, beer tasting. Still I've had Bud that tasted better due to freshness issues. I need to stop drinking lager's brewed more than 100 miles away(would still have lagunitas, north coast, moonlight, bud, sudwerk and brewit up).

better yet stick to draft.

a decent beer, but not really worth the cash. Still, I will check this place out should I find myself in Hawai'i
Feb 18, 2006
Photo of rsvlbrwr
Reviewed by rsvlbrwr from California

4.17/5  rDev +22.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Golden colored with a smal dense head. Medium carbonation. Light mal aroma with hint of corn. Grassy aroma as well. Good hop plavor initially as well as in the finish. Can also taste corn in the finish. Light to med body. Very easy to drink. Really enjoy the combination of malt, hoppiness and adjunct (corn). Contract brewed for Waimea by Beermann's in Roseville CA. Have had this fresh from the fermenter and it's even better.
Nov 04, 2005
Photo of misterscooter
Reviewed by misterscooter from California

3.18/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Imagine that, a Hawaiian beer with a hint of pineapple. It isn't a pineapple beer so I didn't expect it but I did get a slightly sweet pineapple smell and taste in this one. Other than that, the smell was that of a light grain and typical lager. Golden in color with a soapy foam head.

This one tasted wet and refreshing with that just sweet flavor. Smooth in the mouth, went down well. It wasn't fantastic and I don't think I'd run out and buy it again right away but I enjoyed it.
Aug 30, 2005
Photo of Mark
Reviewed by Mark from California

3.76/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
I needed something refreshing in a pinch, and while I have no love or loyalty to Hawaii, I thought I'd toss the predjudice and give this a try. nice golden body had good retention and lacing as well. Benign aroma, hard to identify let alone smell!? taste was good though. Crisp, malty, lightly hopped and tastes pure. I couod detect any adjuncts, of course I might be wrong. Fairly full bodies but still refreshing and drinkable. Not a mistake buying it, that's for sure. Decent lager beer.
Jul 22, 2005
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

3.49/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
From the island of Kauai (the furthest island East, fifth island from the big rock) comes a sparkling golden lager with a massive head of rocky bright white foam that holds quite well and leaves very nice rings of lace about the glass.

The nose is limited by the massive cap of foam that holds it in, but at the pour, and when it dies down, it offers a basic, grainy maltiness and notes of grassy/floral/spicy hops.

It's medium bodied and lightly crisp in the mouth with a standard carbonation.

The flavor is richer and fuller than might be expected, with its sweetish, semi-grainy malt nicely balanced by spicy and lightly floral hops and a firm bitterness. A note of fruitiness accents it beautifully and adds to its refreshing nature; and also lends it a certain level of originality. It finishes dry and refreshing with a lingering bitterness.

Overall, it's a charming and very drinkable, well-made lager with a healthy dose of hops to it! Worth trying.
Jul 21, 2005
Photo of Dukeofearl
Reviewed by Dukeofearl from California

3.57/5  rDev +5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Got this one from a "surprise beer" bag (8 unknown bottles in a brown paper bag for $4.99) from Trader Joe's.... hey, for $4.99, why not?

Pours a slightly cloudy pale yellow- the cloudiness somewhat surprises me. A decent bright white head tops it off- better than I would expect for the style.

Aroma is clean, bready, slightly sweet, like fresh-baked cornbread. No spiciness or hops to speak of.

Flavor is a little more sharp than I was expecting- here's the hops and yeast trying to do something. Some sour lemon on top of the malt, harshness in the swallow.

Drinkability is decent- this goes down easily. As others have said, I could see sitting on the Big Island with one of these, although it's not the best to be found in the islands.

Overall, a decent brew for the style.
Jun 03, 2005
Photo of Dmann
Reviewed by Dmann from California

3.42/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A decent pale lagar but nothing to write home(or from hawaii) about. Pours your typical pale golden color and had decent head and lacing. The smell was quite sweet with a slight grain scent and a little hops in there too. The taste was a slight cut above your average BMC beers. There was a nice sturdy malt backbone with a light hoppy bitterness that made this beer quite drinkable. Much better than the big 3's major offerings, but nothing too special in the long run.
Jan 13, 2005
Photo of Bighuge
Reviewed by Bighuge from Minnesota

3.87/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
Very light pale golden color. Quite clear. Not much carbonation noted on viewing. Little head to speak of either. Fresh smelling grass aroma. A little corny. Some light maltiness on the nose as well. The taste has a unique hoppiness to it for the style. It's snappy, dry, grassy and sharp. The corn aspect of this adjunct lager is low compared to most others. And the hoppiness is much enjoyed. Malts are light, but perceptible. Carbonation could use a little boost, but it's not bad. For an "adjunct lager", this is one I'd return to sporadically, if not often.

Thanks for to the Bum of Long Beach for a little taste of Hawaii on a cold frigid Minnesota day.
Jan 03, 2005
Photo of Boilermaker88
Reviewed by Boilermaker88 from California

2.66/5  rDev -21.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Poured from a 12oz bottle into a standard pint glass. Luau Lager has a clean, clear light yellow color and modest carbonation topped with a frothy white head that quickly sputtered down to a thin skim.
The smell had a light grassy malt aroma and some floral hops notes. However, the dominant aroma was a strange vaguely medicinal note that evoked the notion of cough syrup. Not very pleasing.
The taste had a robust hoppiness that was more herbal than floral. Not much maltiness in here at all. That quirky and disconcerting medicinal wang raked the tongue and threw things out of balance. Decently bittered finish that struck me as somewhat metallic. The feel was medium-bodied, especially for this style, and clean.
Overall, Luau Lager just didn't do anything for me. The strangely medicinal aroma and taste made it tough to get through and didn't inspire me to want to run out and get any more. One was enough, thanks.
Nov 14, 2004
Photo of RedwoodGeorge
Reviewed by RedwoodGeorge from California

3.52/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Wow, a full bodied lager, imagine that... It's been so long that I've had anything like a pleasant experience from a lager than this stood out even if it wasn't 'outstanding'

The pour doesn't promise much - hardly any head, no carbonation, pale straw yellow color.

The aroma wasn't any more promising - very light floral scents, a wee bit of hops and that's about it.

Taste was a surprise - stronger than a mainstream lager with quite a bit of hopping to bitter things up. At last this brew displayed some character and it certainly separates it from the macro and euro lagers.

Mouthfeel was also nice - while the carbonation was a bit wanting the beer was full bodied leaving plenty of pleasant memories with each swallow.

I'd certainly give this one another try. It's a good pizza beer with enough backbone to stand up to stronger foods.
Nov 06, 2004
Photo of TheLongBeachBum
Reviewed by TheLongBeachBum from California

3.4/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Presentation: 12 ounce ‘what the hell’ bottle purchase tonight on the way home from work. Very Hawaiian looking label, darkish red with an ample breasted grass skirted beauty dancing in front of a moonlit ocean. No strength or freshness date anywhere to be found.

Appearance: Macro looking light golden body that pours well, looks clean. Frothy white head that looks great at first but soon breaks down to a reveal a scummy covering that leaves some lacing. Average levels of carbonation.

Nose: Sweet and toasted malts mingle with a funky floral odor that doesn’t necessarily smell bad but neither is it overtly attractive.

Taste: Flowery and dry with a talcum bitter taste that has a hoppy element in the back end. The bitter finish lingers a little. Not that bad, but the bitterness feels a tad unbalanced and the hop character is a bit weird.

Mouthfeel: Pretty easy going, light to average feel but the carbonation helps to add a supporting creamy feel and some life to this one

Drinkability: Reasonably easy to imbibe, but the one 12 ounce bottle is more than enough for me.

Overall: If I was in Kaua´i and had the choice of this or one of the Big 3, it’s no contest, the bitterness make this a nice alternate to the usual dumb tasting macro swill. Not that bad, but not worth a trip to Kaua´i, Hawai´i, though the hot looking grass skirted beauty on the front label just might be……
Sep 18, 2004
Luau Lager from Waimea Brewing Company
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 21 ratings