Kona Brewing Company out of Hawaii has made it all over mainland USA and for good reason, they tend to brew good beers mixed with a touch of island flavor. A new limited release of theirs is the Island Colada Cream Ale which is brewed with, as you might have guessed, coconut and pineapple.
Island Colada pours a golden yellow, as if the sun exploded in your glass. It is bright, cheery, and welcomes you with a nice foamy, white head that stood almost three fingers at its height. It just looked delicious from the pour. The aroma is heavier on the coconut, as you would kind of expect since that tends to be more fragrant but the sweet notes of pineapple do poke through. If you close your eyes you can almost escape the doldrums of winter in the northeast. Almost.
The first sip offers coconut flavors forward, quickly followed by pineapple sweetness, before coconut comes back. There is a touch of malt and perhaps a touch of hops that snuck in as well with a little grassy and citrus flavor. The carbonation is on the medium side which is perfectly acceptable. The mouthfeel is on the heavier side of light or the lighter side of medium. There is a creaminess that really makes this beer pleasant given the flavors. There is a dry, hoppy finish at the end though.
Overall, Island Colada is a pretty fun beer. Getting this in winter in the northeast was a treat. I did buy a six pack and had the beer in a glass and out of the can. Pouring in the glass was a little tastier than the can but both were good. It is kind of like Hawaii in a can, pineapple, coconut, and a little grassy touch like a skirt on an island girl. I would drink this any time of the year although only a couple at a time. I don’t know if I would make this a session beer given the flavors. I’m a fan of a pina colada but I don’t think I could pound them. The same goes for this beer. Ultimately, this is a nice escape for a winter offering but I wouldn’t mind using this as a change of pace beer in the summer or having a couple at a ballgame.