Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale

Brewed by Kona Brewing Company
Style: American Pale Ale
Kailua Kona, Hawaii USA

Grabbed a sixer from a gas station coming back from a long hike on the TN side of the smokies. Any possible liqour stores were closed around Bryson City, so this would have to do. Pours golden amber with a thin head. Sweet caramel malts dominate the nose with a touch of herbal hop spice. Sweet sugary malty flavors, caramel and toasted pale malts with some citrus and herbal hops near the finish. Not enough of those hops to balance out this sweetness, but drinkable and decent still.

Presentation: It was poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a pint glass. There is a bottled on date on the label but it is hard to read, all I can make out is that it was brewed sometime in 2009. (Sampled on 6-11-09) Appearance: The body has a deep amber color with good clarity and a small bright white head on top. The head fades down to just a small ring of foam which makes for some slick lacing on the glass. Smell: Its aroma malty and sweet with just the slightest hint of hops. Taste/Mouth: The flavor malty and sweet with caramel and sugary notes. The hops add some mild citrus notes and light bitterness for some balance. The finish is still a little bit on the sweet side with just a mild touch of hop bitterness. Its palate is smooth and medium bodied with mellow carbonation. Notes: Overall it is a nice pleasant but average Pale Ale.

Bottle. A fairly dark copper-red color - so much for pale! Caramel, fruity malt, with lightly floral hops in the aroma. Fairly sweet throughout, somewhat fruity, minimal hop presence and a tad watery. A little undercarbonated, I’d say, though not so much as to seriously harm the beer. Overall, it’s a pretty mediocre pale ale.

Bottle. Pours a clear copper body with a thin, quick bubbly head. Mild hoppy, malt aroma. Slightly hoppy, light bitter flavor with some metallic notes. Drinkable pale ale, but considering I drank a Michelob Pale Ale not too long ago and I think that was better, this is a little below average.

12 oz bottle from a local boardwalk hangout. Pretty refreshing on a hot day. Enjoyable flavor, sweet finish.

12oz bottle. Nothing special this. A tad too sweet up front with a somewhat skunky after taste. It’s drinkable but barely.

12 oz bottle while on vacation in SC. Pretty decent smelling with some pretty solid notes of caramel malts, pale malts, florals, and some milder fruits. Pour of small-medium standard white head, not alot of retention, medium-light body, and brown-orange in color. Palate is nice, well balanced, though bitter notes are a bit inconsistent through out. Fruitier flavors than expected, and a certain uniqueness to this one that is refreshing. More tropical citrus fruits, mild fruits, mixed grains, light herbs and spice, and some caramel. Not too bad here. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from Kona so far.

Golden with a lasting white head. Aroma of malt, fruity hops and toast. Sweet malty flavour with buiscuit notes. Fruity hop flavour but lacking in bitterness.