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Big Wave

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Big Wave is the golden ale of the Hawaiian brewery in Kailua-Kona, brewed to its own recipe for the islands only. Pale two-row malt with a little caramel malt gives a clear golden colour and a full, softly malty middle with a light caramel sweetness. Galaxy and Citra hops bring a tropical nose of passion fruit, peach and citrus peel that carries into the flavour. The body is light and smooth, the bitterness gentle, and the finish short and clean.

ABV
4.4%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter21 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
golden8
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
tropicalpeachmalty
tropical
peach
malty
clean
caramel
citrusy
Aroma
The nose leads with tropical stone fruit—passion fruit and peach—underpinned by citrus peel brightness from Galaxy and Citra hops.
also:fruity,hoppy
not found:juicy,roasted,sour,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Big Wave

◎ Appearance

Clear golden hue with bright, luminous quality typical of the style. The head forms quickly and settles to a thin, persistent collar with good lacing retention on the glass. Carbonation appears moderate and well-integrated, lending gentle effervescence without aggression.

bright goldenclearfine lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with tropical stone fruit—passion fruit and peach—underpinned by citrus peel brightness from Galaxy and Citra hops. Pale two-row and caramel malt contribute a soft, biscuity sweetness that frames rather than dominates the aromatic profile. The overall impression is inviting and fruit-forward, with no harsh edges.

passion fruit, peachcitrus peelsoft malt sweetness

◐ Taste

Entry is clean and lightly malty, with the pale two-row providing a biscuit foundation and caramel malt adding a whisper of toffee sweetness. The mid-palate remains full-bodied for the style—smooth and rounded—before a gentle, restrained bitterness emerges in the center. Tropical hop character persists through the middle without overwhelming the malt backbone.

biscuit maltlight caramel sweetnessgentle bitternesstropical fruit

◑ Finish

The finish is short and clean, fading briskly without a heavy aftertaste. A light, dry citrus note lingers briefly before the palate resets.

short, cleandry citrus fade
75
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
74
Appearance
78
Finish
73
Serve at 7–10°C

Serve at 7–10°C. Light and refreshing — serve cold to keep the delicate hop and malt balance intact.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Big Wave

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About Golden Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Golden Ale?

Golden Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Golden Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same tropical, peach, light character as Big Wave will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →