Last April, the wife and I took our first ever trip to Hawaii. I have to admit that I still have Hawaii on the brain. We really loved it, and we can’t wait to go back again. In the meantime, though, I can fondly recall our visit while sipping on tasty Hawaiian brews like Kona Lemongrass Luau. Technically, this beer is brewed in the USA by Redhook Widmer, but it is based on a recipe from their partner, the Kona Brewing Company on the Island of Hawaii.

Lemongrass is a great spice to add to beer. It’s grassy, citrusy properties are not all that dissimilar to the same flavors imparted by various hop varieties. Cmbined with ginger, the resulting beer can be delightfully spicy as well.

From the Kona website:

Lemongrass Luau is a crisp, refreshing blonde ale brewed with a touch of wheat malt, ginger, and fresh lemongrass. The hops lend layers of earthy complexity that complement the spicy, gingersnap flavors and aromas from the ginger and fresh lemongrass added throughout the brew. A crisp, refreshing summer quencher! With its modest alcohol content Lemongrass Luau can be considered a session beer, perfect for pau hana, sharing pints with friends, and great with almost any meal.

Ingredients, also from the website:

Malts: Pale (Premium 2-Row), Wheat Malt

Hops: Millennium, Willamette, Northern Brewer, Sterling

Kona Lemongrass Luau has an alcohol content of 5% by volume with 20 IBUs. I paid $8.50 for a 32-ounce crowler at Stout’s and you can buy it in six-packs locally for $9.99. Both lemongrass and ginger are grown in Hawaii, though I don’t know if those ingredients are sourced from Hawaii for this beer.

Kona Lemongrass Luau pours to a pale-yellow color with a short lived spritzy head and a vibrant herbal citric nose. Taking a sip, the beer is light malty up front and wheaty but then explodes with robust herbal-citric lemongrass flavor and pungent spicy ginger. Having cooked with lemongrass and biting from the fresh plant, I can say this beer really delivers its beautiful unique character. The finish is balanced and perhaps slightly thin, but overall I really enjoyed this beer. It’s very refreshing and perfect for summer.

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