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Rating: 4.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Beer Profile

• Brewery: Kona Brewing Company
• Website: konabrewingco.com
• Country: United States
• State: Hawaii
• Style: Adjunct Lager American Pilsner
• Malts: 2-row Pale, Wheat
• Hops: Mt. Hood, Hallertau, Czech Saaz
• ABV: 4.6%
• IBUs: 18
• Tasting Notes:
• Preferred Glass: Lager
• Food Pairing: Herb Chicken on Mixed Greens, Greek Pizza
• PHM Grade: B

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Kona Longboard Island Lager

After a great coffee stout, but with still much of the evening ahead, I felt like a palate cleanser. A few weeks ago, an incredibly generous friend toted a couple of boxes into my home. He had surprised me with six Californian brews and a Chicago classic, all but one of which I had never tried. So, taken in completely by Kona’s enticing marketing scheme of sandy beaches and surf bums, I decided I deserved to relax just like that.

It pours practically see-through. It is a light, faint yellow gradient growing just a tad towards golden. The bubbles are there, of course, and an island of foam skims across the top, crashing against the shores of my glass and splashing a streaky lace. It smells of sugar, lemons and dirty yeast. Like a shandy, but cleaner. I feel my anticipation of a sessionable, clean beer peak right before my sip. The sip is a surprise. The faint funk on the scent is completely gone and I was right, it is a palate cleansing machine. I am practically taken to that beach, beer in hand, enjoying the crispness that fades into a coating on my tongue, just enough to help me remember I’m drinking a beer. There are biscuity flavors and a bit of pepper before that finish, both in quantities that are well placed and well balanced. Although a bit depressing on a December eve in Chicago, in six months this brew would be the perfect companion to my backyard barbecue.