Kona Brewing Longboard Island Lager (6/10)

I first heard of Kona Brewing at the Columbus Winter Beerfest in January 2013.  They had a number of their products available for sampling, including this one and their Koko Brown, which is brewed with toasted coconut.  Longboard Lager is a fairly standard lager beer, reportedly fermented and aged for weeks at cold temperatures to make it smoother.

Since I had it from the bottle, I can't speak to its appearance or head.

The aroma was midly hoppy.

The flavor is well-balanced, with a slight tip toward hops.  It's not bad at all, but not exceptional either.  I think if you poured it into a glass and told me it was a Budweiser I'd have a hard time finding a reason to argue with you.  It's one of those beers I'd drink again, depending on the alternatives available at the time, but not one I'd be likely to pick up for my fridge at home.

Beer Advocate rates Kona Longboard Island Lager a 78 or "average" and RateBeer gives Longboard a 29 (or a 71 for the style).

I had this particular beer at a restaurant in Hilliard (which was a bad experience, so I'm not mentioning them here).  I've seen it for sale at Ale Wine and Spirits of Powell, The Andersons General Store, and Whole Foods in Dublin.

ABV:  4.6%
IBU:  20
My Rating: 6/10