Arrow Lodge Brewing has a steady stream of new beers and I want to put two IPAs on your radar.
One because it is a collaboration with Inu Island Ales in Kaneohe, Hawaii and the second just because I like the name, West in Class.
Arrowing in on Hops
Racing in Hawaii
AleSmith Brewing is bringing back a Speedway Stout variant instead of a new one with their, Hawaiian Edition. This island favorite is the same imperial stout but brewed with Hawaiian coffee, toasted coconut and vanilla beans.
Review – Castaway IPA from Kona Brewing
I get the occasional media sample of beers. Most don’t come stuffed inside a volleyball however. But Kona Brewing has always been creative with their packages.
You may have to reach back in your data bank but Castaway (the movie) featured Tom Hanks and a volleyball named Wilson. Castaway (the IPA) features Galaxy, Citra, Simcoe and Milenium hops.
It pours a bright orange. Very tropical on the nose. Pineapple and mango mainly. The taste is light with a hint of wheat. There is still a nice bit of bitterness amidst the fruit punch notes. There is a good amount of bubbles and a minor hint of spice as well.
This beer was free but I would gladly pay for it on tap. It is fruity and fun and delivers the Citra which I love without being muddled by competing hops.
Review – Castaway IPA from Kona Brewing
It’s not everyday that you get a hollowed out volleyball with two beers in it. But Kona Brewing has always been a bit creative with their beers.
And for some reason, they don’t get much craft love because they are part of a bigger umbrella brewing concern but they make solid beers that need to be appreciated on their own merits.
Castaway IPA pours a light orange color with a a bit of a foamy head that evaporates quickly. The aroma is fairly light as well. Some citrus with hints of bitterness to come.
The taste is pretty light on the IPA scale. I would call this more XPA or if current vogue is standard then Session IPA. Heavy on the grain taste. Which I like. Some faint citrus notes and a medium hit of hops to round it out. Not thin by any means, but lighter in body for sure.
This certainly is more Hawaiian to me even though I have never been. It just has a tropical, sun up in the sky sort of flavor. I wish it had more Citra or something to name it fruitier, hop wise but this is another straightforward and tasty beer.
April Video Review – Kona Longboard Lager
Our first review of the themeless April beer reviews is Longboard Island lager from Kona Brewing Company.
What the brewery says, “Longboard Island Lager is a smooth refreshing lager fermented and aged for five weeks at cold temperatures to yield its exceptionally smooth flavor. A delicate, slightly spicy hop aroma complements the malty body of this beer.”
Pau Hana with Kona
Here are some photos from the release party of the new Kona Brewing beer, Koko brown named after (and seen in the label) a distinctive part of Hawaii.
50 from 50 – Hawaii
I love Maui Brewing’s CoCoNut Porter. One of the best beers of all time (especially the Black Pearl version) but I needed to try something new and so I have…
Hawaii – Bar 35
The largest beer selection in Hawaii is here at Bar 35. More than 150 of the beers available are local. And it’s not on some remote island that is hard to get to, it’s in lovely Honolulu.
Beer in Hawaii
The Hawaii Beer Book: Bars, Breweries & Beer Cuisine.” Inside, author Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi takes readers to local breweries like Brew Moon, Big Aloha, Mehana, and more.
As if you need a reason to visit the lovely, sun-blessed islands.