Kona Brewing Company was founded back in 1994 but it has really expanded in the last few years with their beer being distributed all over the United States. One of their best-selling beers is Big Wave, a golden ale and we will be giving it a quick review.
Kona Big Wave Golden Ale pours as you would expect, a golden straw color. It is clear and shows a fair amount of carbonation. There was a one-finger length head of light, white foam that dissipated fairly quickly. The aroma is pretty inviting with hints of pineapple and hops as well as teases of flowers and another fruit that might be papaya.
The first sip follows the nose a bit. There is a note of pineapple to give it that sweetness. There is a light cracker taste as well and following is a touch of hops. There is no fruit added so they did a great job of teasing flavors out of the hops and malts that they used. There is a slight hint of caramel at the back end which was pleasant. Despite not having a great head upon pouring it did lace the glass nicely as the beer drank.
The beer is light-bodied with a crisp, clean, refreshing finish. There is just enough hops to give a slightly dryer finish but it still manages to be crisp and refreshing.
Overall, this was a pretty refreshing beer. I would definitely have this again, preferably at a tiki bar in Hawaii with the sun setting over the Pacific. I did appreciate their use of hops to give the beer flavor without diluting it with juices or other additives. This would hit the spot on a hot summer day, or if you wanted to close your eyes and picture yourself on a beach while the snow is piling up out of your window. This is a beer you can drink all day long and at 4.4% ABV it will let you. Aloha in a bottle.
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