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Kona Big Wave Golden Ale is Hawaii’s most approachable craft beer export, a 4.4% ABV golden ale that manages to be genuinely hop-forward while remaining light enough for beach drinking in tropical heat. It’s built around tropical fruit hop character with a soft, biscuity malt base, and it’s one of the few craft beers that succeeds at being both sessionable and flavorful. I’ve brewed this clone for summer parties and it disappears faster than any other beer I produce.
Kona Big Wave Golden Ale clone recipe (5 gallon / 19L batch)
Target stats: OG 1.044, FG 1.009, ABV ~4.6%, IBU 20, SRM 4–5, pale golden with white foam. Grain bill: 7 lbs (3.18 kg) American two-row pale malt, the clean, neutral base that keeps Big Wave light and crisp. 0.5 lb (227g) White wheat malt, contributes to the soft, hazy golden appearance and smooth mouthfeel. 0.25 lb (113g) Honey malt, subtle honey-biscuit sweetness that complements the tropical hops without adding heavy caramel. 0.25 lb (113g) CaraPils, head retention and body for a beer this light in gravity. Hops, tropical character at session strength: Bittering (60 min): 0.5 oz Cascade, 12 IBU. Flavor (15 min): 0.5 oz Centennial. Aroma (5 min): 0.5 oz Galaxy. Whirlpool at 79°C (174°F), 15 min: 0.5 oz Galaxy. 0.25 oz Mosaic. Dry hop (5–6 days): 0.5 oz Galaxy. 0.5 oz Mosaic. Total dry hop: 1.0 oz. Big Wave’s hop character reads as tropical fruit, mango, pineapple, light citrus, which is achieved through Galaxy and Mosaic at aroma and dry hop. Kona’s actual hop bill is proprietary but Galaxy-Mosaic or Citra-Galaxy combinations are the closest approximation of the tropical-without-resinous character. Yeast: Fermentis US-05 or White Labs WLP001, clean American ale fermentation with minimal ester contribution, allowing the tropical hop character to read clearly. Ferment at 18°C (64°F). Water: Kona, Hawaii water is soft, low mineral content. Target: calcium 50 ppm, sulfate 60 ppm, chloride 80 ppm. The low sulfate keeps bitterness soft rather than dry and sharp. Process: Single infusion mash at 65°C (149°F) for 60 minutes, slightly lower mash temperature for a drier, more fermentable wort that keeps body light at 4.4% ABV. 60-minute boil. Ferment 10 days. Dry hop at terminal gravity for 5–6 days. Cold crash 36 hours. Do not over-fine, Big Wave retains slight haze from wheat and dry hops. Carbonate to 2.6 volumes CO2. Consume within 6 weeks for peak tropical hop aroma.
Common Questions
Is Kona Brewing still Hawaii-based after the Craft Brew Alliance merger?
Kona Brewing Company was founded in 1994 in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii and became part of the Craft Brew Alliance (CBA) in 2010, which itself merged with Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2019. The brand is now owned by Tilray Brands (which acquired the CBA brands). Most Kona beer sold outside Hawaii, including Big Wave, is contract-brewed at facilities across the mainland United States rather than in Hawaii, primarily to reduce shipping costs and increase freshness for the national market. The Hawaii-brewed version (available at the Kona taprooms in Hawaii) is considered by enthusiasts to be noticeably better than the mainland-brewed version, likely due to the freshness factor and potentially different water chemistry. The packaging does not always clearly indicate which facility produced a given batch, which frustrates some craft beer enthusiasts who feel the Hawaii origin story is central to the brand’s appeal. By Tilray’s definitions, Kona is no longer an independent craft brewery. For homebrewers: none of this affects recipe accuracy, Big Wave’s flavor profile is consistent across production facilities, and this clone targets that profile regardless of corporate structure. If you’re in Hawaii, try the taproom version and compare it to your homebrewed clone, the difference is instructive.
