I’m down in Austin, TX for SXSW and my new friend Robert and I headed out on the town to try to find a place to eat. We found The Hickory Street Bar & Grill, which had a nice patio looking out on to Congress Ave. Although I know it’s probably made by one of the other Craft Brewers Alliance breweries, I was glad to see beer from Kona Brewing on the beer list. I haven’t had any of their beers, but they sounded interesting, so I was looking forward to trying them.
Numbers: 5.9% ABV, 35 IBUs, 14 degrees plato OG, 188 Calories, Malts: Pale (premium 2-row), munich, honey, Hops: Galena, Cascade, Mt. Hood
Appearance & Aroma: It was copper colored with a bright white head. The head didn’t stick around long, but left some nice lacing on the glass as I drank it. There was a light malty, floral hop, and slightly fruity aroma.
Taste & Feel: The body was light-medium and it was crisp, with a bit of carbonation up front. There was a toasty, caramel maltiness up front, with a floral-citrusy hop flavor gently coming in at the end and sticking around for a little bit in the aftertaste.
Food Pairing: The caramel and floral citrus flavors were light enough that it would go with almost anything. I had a southwest chicken salad, which it went perfectly with, although it would probably go just as nicely with a burger.
Overall Impression: This was a very drinkable, crisp, clean pale ale. There was a good mix of maltiness up front and a bit of hop flavor in the finish. I can see where this would be a very good beer on a hot summer day in Hawaii.
My Rating: 
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