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Kona Wailua Wheat

Kona Wailua Wheat

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 Percentile 
29
overall
A Fruit Beer brewed by
Kona Brewing Company

Kailua Kona, Hawaii USA

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution
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 Ratings  Average  Score  Seasonal  ABV  Style Pctl  Serve in  Advanced 
2052.81/5.02.81/5.0Special5.4%54.9 Flute P  Stats

Commercial Description:
Limited release. Swimming in a fresh water pool at the base of a cascading waterfall is what we all imagine we would find in paradise. On Maui, follow the old Hana Highway and you will find such a place – Wailua Falls. This plunging cascade of clear water is the inspiration for our Limited Release Wailua Wheat. This golden, sun colored ale has a bright, citrusy flavor that comes from the tropical passion fruit we brew into each batch. Sit back, relax and enjoy paradise anytime.

Editor's Note: Lilikoi Wheat was renamed to Wailua Wheat (both on draft and in bottle).


Most RecentTop RatersHighest Ratings Who's Rated This?
 marcus (980), Sacramento, California, USA
2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
4/103/54/102/57/20

Jul 14, 2008  
This cloudy yellow beer poured with a thin white head and a sweetish wheat aroma. The flavor is flat, almost tasteless, with a hint of passion fruit. It’s refreshing, but not much else.

 Brigadier (885), Chagrin Falls, Ohio, USA
2.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/102/55/102/511/20
Aug 28, 2008  
12 oz bottle

When I was last in Hawaii I had a couple of Kona’s releases. They were nothing special but for having the handicap of being in the middle of an ocean not a bad product. This one reminds me that that only time I’ll be purchasing any however will be on vacations. A tropical passion fruit based beer is a rarity for a reason. Perhaps it does taste better on a sunny beach; inside my house it is just like any other wheat ale.

Aroma / Appearance - The light carbonation and transparent golden body tipped me off from the start that there would not be much to this beer. The wheat, passion fruit and citrus nose confirmed that. Lacking cohesiveness or depth the aromas simply hung around like they had nowhere better to be. It was less like a beer than one of those fruity wine coolers.

Flavor / Palate - There was more complexity than I expected in the taste but it still was a basic run of the mill wheat ale with fruit flavors. Lemon, wheat and passion fruit appeared along with a very light and inoffensive bitterness. I don’t know what makes it a "limited release"; let’s hope that means it is soon to be retired in favor of something better.


 Gregis (904), Overland Park, Kansas, USA
1.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
1/103/53/102/54/20
Aug 27, 2008  
Bottle shared by Dansting. Pours a hazy yellow with a thin, white skin and patchy lace. The nose is a blend of sweaty ballsack, dirty roadside rest stop toilet and passion fruit. Light-bodied with fizzy carbonation and a dry finish. Like a pale lager infused with passion fruit, it finishes dry and fairly short. Why? Dear God! Kona has ruined a perfectly good fruit for me. Thanks, Dan?


 shackinetics (122), Florida, USA
2.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
4/103/56/103/510/20
Aug 26, 2008  
Hazy wheat gold. Not much to the nose. Mellow, but distinctive passion fruit flavor. Mostly thin and very mellow though. Different, but not anything exciting.


ethomson (22), Huntington Beach, California, USA
2.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/55/103/59/20
Aug 26, 2008  
Hazy-white/golden pour. The aroma of the beer is outrageous. With one whiff I could pick up tiny hints of what I thought to be mango, the smell is heavenly, the rest is downhill from there. Not trying to knock Kona, I like a lot of their beers, Wailua Wheat is simply too watery. Little hints of wheat and passion flavoring, but not a lot going on, very mild, very boring for a beer with such hype, an average beer to say the least.


 Lubiere (3231), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
2.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
3/102/55/102/59/20
Aug 25, 2008  
A lightly hazed blonde with a thin white head. A sulfury aroma strikes first with light acrid notes. In mouth, the passion fruit is lightly acidic and pungent, but this is a lightweight. Overall, not impressive.




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