Name: Beachcomber St. Augustines Big Wave - Kona Brewing Co., Hawaii Recipe
Cook time: 15 h
Total time: 15 h
Yield: 48 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 5 lbs Pale 2-row malt (base); 0.5 lbs Vienna malt; 0.25 lbs Carapils / Dextrine malt; 0.5 lbs Honey (light, optional for subtle fermentable and mouthfeel); 0.25 oz Saaz hops (bittering); 0.5 oz Willamette hops (flavor); 0.75 oz Citra hops (aroma / tropical fruit); 0.5 oz Mosaic hops (aroma / tropical / berry); 1 pack American ale yeast (clean, slightly fruity); 1 tsp Yeast nutrient (optional); 5 gal Brew water (treated to moderate bicarbonate, chloride/sulfate ratio favoring malt softness); 3 oz Corn sugar / sucrose (priming for bottle conditioning); 1 each Campden tablet (optional, for dechlorination)

Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

An American Blonde Ale with a subtle fruitiness & tropical hop aroma
(ABV 4.4%)

Crush the grains (Pale 2-row, Vienna, Carapils) to a medium-coarse crush. Heat 3.5–4.0 gallons of water to 165°F (74°C) to achieve a mash temperature around 152°F (67°C) after dough-in.

Mill and Heat

Dough in the crushed grains into the strike water, stirring to eliminate dry clumps. Target mash temperature: 151–153°F (about 66–67°C). Hold the mash for 60 minutes to convert starches to fermentable sugars and preserve a moderately light body appropriate for an American Blonde Ale.

After 60 minutes, perform an iodine test to confirm conversion. Vorlauf until the runoff is clear, then sparge with enough water at 170°F (77°C) to collect roughly 5.5–6.0 gallons of wort in the kettle (adjust depending on equipment losses).

If using 0.5 lb honey for subtle fermentable contribution: reserve honey and add it to the kettle near the end of the boil (last 5 minutes). Do not add honey to the boil earlier than 5 minutes to preserve volatile aromatics.

Bring the collected wort to a rolling boil. Total boil time: 60 minutes.

Add 0.25 oz Saaz hops at 60 minutes remaining (bittering). This is a low-bitterness pale base; aim for total IBUs around 15–18 to keep the beer balanced and malt-forward.

Add 0.5 oz Willamette hops with 15 minutes remaining in the boil for mild flavor and spice/earthy character.

Add the reserved 0.5 lb honey with 5 minutes remaining in the boil (if using) along with 0.75 oz Citra and 0.5 oz Mosaic hops for late-boil aroma. This late hop addition will produce subtle tropical and citrus top notes reminiscent of Kona's Big Wave.

At flameout, whirlpool the wort and allow it to sit for 10–20 minutes to extract additional hop aroma. If you want an even brighter tropical hop character, you can perform a short dry-hop during primary fermentation (see fermentation directions).

Cool the wort quickly to around 66–68°F (19–20°C) using a wort chiller or ice bath to minimize the risk of infection and oxidation.

Transfer the cooled wort to a sanitized fermenter, leaving trub behind as much as practical.

If using a liquid yeast, aerate the wort well (shake, splash, or use an aeration stone) and pitch the American ale yeast at 66–68°F (19–20°C). If using dry yeast, rehydrate per manufacturer instructions or pitch directly after aeration.

Optional: add 1 tsp yeast nutrient at pitching for a clean, healthy fermentation if using high percentage of adjuncts like honey.

Ferment at 66–68°F (19–20°C) for 5–7 days until vigorous fermentation subsides. Allow the beer to finish at slightly cooler temps (64–66°F / 18–19°C) for an additional 3–5 days to clean up any fermentation byproducts.

If you desire extra tropical hop aroma similar to Kona Big Wave, dry-hop 0.25–0.5 oz combined Citra and Mosaic after primary fermentation has slowed (typically 3–5 days) for 2–4 days. Avoid extended dry-hop times to minimize grassy or vegetal character.

When fermentation is complete and gravity is stable for 2–3 days, prepare for packaging. If bottling, dissolve 3 oz corn sugar in 8 oz boiled water, cool, and gently mix into the beer for priming. If kegging, carbonate to ~2.4–2.6 volumes CO2.

Rack beer off the yeast/trub to a bottling bucket or keg, taking care to minimize oxygen pickup. Bottle and cap, then condition at 68–72°F (20–22°C) for 10–14 days for natural carbonation. Age bottles for an additional 1–2 weeks cold if you prefer a slightly more mellow profile.

Chill before serving. Serve at 40–45°F (4–7°C) in a tulip or pint glass to showcase the delicate tropical hop aroma and subtle fruitiness. Expect a light golden color, moderate crispness, and a clean finish with ABV around 4.4%.

Sanitize all equipment that will contact wort or beer after the boil (fermenter, airlock, siphon, bottles, keg). Use a no-rinse sanitizer and follow contact time on the product label.

Pale 2-row malt (base)

Vienna malt

Carapils / Dextrine malt

Honey (light, optional for subtle fermentable and mouthfeel)

Saaz hops (bittering)

Willamette hops (flavor)

Citra hops (aroma / tropical fruit)

Mosaic hops (aroma / tropical / berry)

American ale yeast (clean, slightly fruity)

Yeast nutrient (optional)

Brew water (treated to moderate bicarbonate, chloride/sulfate ratio favoring malt softness)

Corn sugar / sucrose (priming for bottle conditioning)

Campden tablet (optional, for dechlorination)

Big Wave - Kona Brewing Co., Hawaii

Make Big Wave - Kona Brewing Co., Hawaii Recipe in just 15h . An American Blonde Ale with a subtle fruitiness & tropical hop aroma
(ABV 4.4%)

Big Wave - Kona Brewing Co., Hawaii

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

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