Liliko’i Kepolo, Avery Brewing, Boulder

Style: Belgian White

Serving Type: 12-ounce cans (4-packs)

ABV: 5.4 percent

Malty? Hoppy? Fruity and Tart more than anything

Reviewed: July 2015

My experience with “fruity” beers is … well, let’s just say that Wild Blue ruined all of them for me ages ago. I’m much more apt to pick up a sixer of a new lager or pale ale before I adventure back into the sugary depths again. (Don’t even get me started on the cider craze—after the obsession with Woodchuck, I can never look at apples the same way.)

What it all comes down to is balance. With “fruity” beers, it seems to be common practice to try and mask any trace of alcohol, hops, or anything else characteristic of a beer with heaps of sugar. Good beer balances sweetness and bitterness, tangy and tart, fizzy and flat. Avery’s Liliko’i Kepolo is the model that all other “fruity” beers should follow.

First and foremost, don’t pour it into a glass. Yes the head is impressively thick, but the color is so hazy it’s nearly opaque, so there’s no point in pouring a pint unless you just love the smell of passionfruit and unnecessarily washing dishes. This beer is canned for a reason: It belongs in a can, in a koozie, in your hand, on the sand.

This spritzy, refreshing witbier is beachy, to say the least. From the tiki can art to the passionfruit and spice blend, few brews can drop you into a vacation-in-Hawaii mindset like the Liliko’i Kepolo. Be warned though, these things go down easy, and they’re pretty darn pricey. By the time you figure out how to pronounce the name, you’ll be reaching for another $12 four-pack.

Would We Buy It Again? Yes, but at $12 for a four-pack, we’re not sharing.

(Read more beer reviews from 5280 editors)