Kona Fire Rock & Longboard

I was at Roy's in Baltimore recently (they have top-quality Hawaiian fusion cuisine) and was curious what their beer selection was. Kona Brewing Company was started in 1995 in Kailua, Hawaii, and so it seemed a perfect fit for Roy's to be carrying their beer.

I started off with Fire Rock Pale Ale and then moved to their flagship beer, Longboard Island Lager. Both tastings had the same environment:

Date: 1/15/10 9:00pm
Beer: Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale & Kona Longboard Island Lager
Abv: 5.9% and 4.6%, respectively
From: Bottle
Vessel: Pilsner

Fire Rock pours a medium copper with a light tan head. Initial nose is a perfect balance of hops and citrus, really bringing out that island flavor. Very crisp, light, and refreshing. As a fan of hops, I enjoyed the fact that this had a mildly bitter aftertaste on the tongue. It quickly makes you crave for another sip. I had this paired with swordfish and thought they worked very well together.

3.5/5





Longboard, despite being their flagship brew and the top award-winner for their brewery, didn't impress me as much. It pours a yellowish-amber with a near white head. Tongue is very smooth, but only a mild hint of hops and spice. Probably a better beer to enjoy during a hot summer day than in a restaurant or paired with any food.

1.5/5