Hawaii's Favorite Beers: Local Brews And Island Favorites

Hawaiians have a diverse range of beers to choose from, with a surprisingly strong craft beer scene. While local hops are not harvested for production, local ingredients such as coconut, passion fruit, hibiscus, and pikake flowers are used to create unique and tasty brews. The Hawaiian beer scene is relatively young, with many interesting beers remaining exclusive to Hawaii. However, as the industry grows, more Hawaiian-made options are expected to become available on the mainland.

Hawaiian beers with local ingredients

Hawaiians drink a variety of beers, many of which are locally brewed. The Aloha State is home to several breweries, including the Maui Brewing Company, the Kona Brewing Company, and the Waikiki Brewing Company. These breweries produce a diverse range of beers, from refreshing lagers and ales to bold IPAs and porters.

When it comes to Hawaiian beers with local ingredients, here are some notable examples:

Coconut Hiwa Porter by Maui Brewing Co.

The Coconut Hiwa Porter by the Maui Brewing Company was the first beer to use Hawaiian coconut in the brewing process instead of a typical extract. It is crafted with six varieties of toasted coconut, along with malted barley and hops. This beer offers a delightful combination of coconut, chocolate, and coffee flavours, making it a perfect choice to pair with a dessert or enjoy after a barbecue.

White Mountain Porter by Big Island Brewhaus

The White Mountain Porter, brewed by the Big Island Brewhaus, is crafted with all-natural toasted coconut and roasted Hamakua Coast White Mountain Coffee. It presents hints of chocolate and hoppy spice, making it a unique and flavourful beer. This brew is an excellent choice to savour while taking in the breathtaking views from Hawaii's highest brewery.

Cocoweizen by Honolulu Beerworks

Honolulu Beerworks, located on the island of Oahu, crafts the Cocoweizen, a German-style ale. This beer is brewed with hand-toasted coconut, imparting a light and refreshing tropical aroma. The delicate coconut flavour enhances the beer's overall profile beautifully. Honolulu Beerworks is known for its use of locally sourced and imported ingredients, making the Cocoweizen a true Hawaiian treat.

Pineapple Mana Wheat by Maui Brewing Co.

The Pineapple Mana Wheat is an unfiltered, handcrafted American-style wheat ale infused with Maui Gold Pineapple. This beer is a favourite among visitors and locals, offering a crisp and refreshing flavour with a hint of spice that perfectly complements the pineapple. It's an ideal choice for happy hour, beach lounging, or even a leisurely Sunday brunch.

Kiawe Honey Porter by Aloha Beer Company

The Aloha Beer Company, referred to as the "Pioneer of Craft Beer" in Hawaii, brews the Kiawe Honey Porter. This beer strikes a perfect balance between light honey and roasted chocolate flavours. It is an excellent choice to savour on its own or paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an indulgent treat.

These beers showcase the creativity and craftsmanship of Hawaii's brewing community, incorporating local ingredients to create unique and refreshing flavours. So, when in Hawaii, be sure to raise a glass and cheers with a local brew!

Hawaiian beer and food pairings

There are many Hawaiian beers to choose from, and each has its own distinct flavour and aroma. Here is a guide to help you pair your Hawaiian beer with the perfect food.

Bikini Blonde Lager, Maui Brewing Co.

This is a light, refreshing, and smooth beer, often considered the closest thing to an American lager. It is the perfect summertime beer, especially for a tropical place like Hawaii. With its floral hops, Pilsner, and Munich malts, it is best enjoyed in the sunshine. It pairs well with light and refreshing foods, like salads, and can be enjoyed with just about any type of food.

Big Swell IPA, Maui Brewing Co.

This is a full-flavoured, hoppy beer, brewed with four different kinds of Northwestern hops and malted barley. It has a smooth, malty flavour with a kick of hoppy bitterness. It is best paired with rich, oily, and fatty foods, like barbecue pulled pork, burgers, and fried chicken.

Hula Hefeweizen, Kona Brewing Co.

A traditional Bavarian-style weissbier with a banana and herbal flavour and aroma, this beer is a great choice for daytime drinking, especially after a swim or snorkel. It has a light and refreshing taste, pairing well with light salads, fish, and seafood.

White Mountain Porter, Big Island Brewhaus

This beer is brewed with all-natural toasted coconut and roasted Hamakua Coast White Mountain Coffee, offering hints of chocolate and hoppy spice. It is a rich and heavy beer, pairing well with desserts, like ice cream, or fatty foods like French fries.

Cocoweizen, Honolulu Beerworks

A light, refreshing German-style ale with a hint of tropical aroma, this beer is brewed with hand-toasted coconut. It is a versatile beer that can be paired with several foods, including spicy dishes, burgers, and fruity desserts.

Coconut Hiwa Porter, Maui Brewing Co.

This beer is brewed with six varieties of toasted coconut, malted barley, and hops, offering flavours of coconut, chocolate, and coffee. It is a rich and heavy beer, best paired with desserts, like a chocolate tart, or fatty foods like barbecue.

Pineapple Mana Wheat, Maui Brewing Co.

An unfiltered, handcrafted, American-style wheat ale infused with Maui Gold Pineapple, this beer has a crisp and refreshing flavour, with a hint of spice and pineapple. It is a versatile beer that can be enjoyed at happy hour, on the beach, or even for Sunday brunch. It pairs well with light and refreshing foods, like salads, and fruity desserts.

Aloha Spirit Blonde Ale, Waikiki Brewing Company

A light, refreshing, and slightly bitter two-row malt, this beer is brewed with Perle, Tettnang, and Cascade hops. It is a well-balanced beer that can be enjoyed with just about any type of food, especially light and refreshing dishes like salads, and spicy foods.

Kiawe Honey Porter, Aloha Beer Company

This beer offers a nice balance of light honey and roasted chocolate flavours. It is a rich and heavy beer, best paired with desserts, like a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or fatty foods.

Hawaiian beer and the perfect beach day

Hawaii is known for its tropical weather, beautiful beaches, and incredible national parks. The island's craft beer scene is also surprisingly strong, with local brewers taking advantage of indigenous ingredients such as coconut, passion fruit, hibiscus, and pikake flowers to create unique and tasty brews. While many of the most interesting beers are only available in Hawaii, the growing craft beer scene means that more and more Hawaiian-made options will likely become available on the mainland.

Maui Brewing Company

One of the most well-known breweries in Hawaii is Maui Brewing Company, which offers a range of beers perfect for a day at the beach. Their Bikini Blonde Lager is a light and refreshing beer, making it a great choice for sipping in the sunshine. It has a floral aroma with hints of hops, Pilsner, and Munich malts. With an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 5.2% and an International Bitterness Unit (IBU) of 18, it's an easy-drinking beer that won't overwhelm on a hot day.

Another popular option from Maui Brewing Company is their Big Swell IPA. This full-flavored beer is brewed with four different kinds of hops and malted barley, giving it a smooth, malty flavor with a kick of hops at the end. With an ABV of 6.8% and an IBU of 82, it's a hoppy beer that's perfect for those who enjoy a strong, flavorful brew.

For those looking for something a little different, Maui Brewing Company also offers the Pineapple Mana Wheat, an unfiltered, handcrafted American-style wheat ale infused with Maui Gold Pineapple. This beer is a favorite among visitors and locals, with a crisp and refreshing flavor that's perfect for happy hour or beach lounging. It has an ABV of 5.5% and an IBU of 18, making it a well-balanced and easy-drinking choice.

Kona Brewing Company

Kona Brewing Company is another popular brewery in Hawaii, known for their handcrafted Hawaiian ales and lagers. Their Hula Hefeweizen is a traditional Bavarian-style weissbier with a pronounced banana and herbal flavor and aroma, making it a perfect choice for a refreshing drink after a swim or snorkel. With an ABV of 5% and an IBU of 16, it's a light and flavorful beer that's perfect for a day at the beach.

Kona Brewing Company also offers a range of other beers, including the Kona Light Blonde Ale, Duke's Blonde Ale, and Longboard Island Lager, which are all refreshing and easy-drinking options perfect for a day in the sun.

Honolulu Beerworks

If you're looking for something a little different, Honolulu Beerworks is a neighborhood brewery that has been gaining attention for its innovative beers. Their Cocoweizen is a German-style ale brewed with hand-toasted coconut, giving it a light, refreshing flavor with a hint of tropical aroma. With an ABV of 5.5% and an IBU of 14, it's a delicate and well-balanced beer that's perfect for those who want to enjoy a taste of Hawaii.

Honolulu Beerworks also offers a range of other beers, including the South Shore American Stout, El Guapo American Blonde Ale, and Hop Island IPA, which are all worth trying if you're looking for something a little stronger and more flavorful.

Big Island Brewhaus

For those looking for a unique beer to enjoy on the beach, Big Island Brewhaus offers the White Mountain Porter, a beer brewed with all-natural toasted coconut and roasted Hamakua Coast White Mountain Coffee. This beer offers hints of chocolate and hoppy spice, making it a perfect dessert beer or even an adult-approved ice cream float. With an ABV of 5.7% and an IBU of 40, it's a flavorful and well-balanced beer that's perfect for those who want something a little sweeter.

Big Island Brewhaus also has a range of other beers, including the Red Sea of Cacao Imperial Red Ale, Overboard IPA, and Golden Sabbath Belgian Pale Strong Ale, which are all worth trying if you're looking for something a little different.

So, there you have it! The perfect Hawaiian beer for a beach day, depending on your taste preferences. Whether you're looking for something light and refreshing, full-flavored and hoppy, or sweet and dessert-like, there's a Hawaiian beer that's perfect for you. So, grab a 6-pack or a growler, find a spot on the sand, and enjoy the perfect combination of Hawaiian beer and a beautiful beach day.

Hawaiian beer and its history

Hawaiians have a long history of brewing, with the first record of beer being brewed in the islands appearing in the diary of a Spanish settler, Francisco de Paula Marin, who lived in Honolulu, dated 2 February 1812. However, the islands' first commercial brewery, The Honolulu Brewery, was not established until 1854. The brewery was owned by J. J. Bischoff & Co. and was short-lived, with the building being put up for sale in 1857.

Between 1857 and 1865, there was no production of beer in Hawaii. In March 1865, Thomas W. Warren and Willard H. Francis teamed up to operate The Hawaiian Brewery on the island of Oahu, but the partnership only lasted four months. Warren left to start another brewery to compete with Francis, who remained at The Hawaiian Brewery. Both breweries only survived for a few months, with Francis leaving the islands and Warren deciding to get into the distilling business.

In 1888, The National Brewery opened in Kalihi, but it lasted only a few years, closing its doors in 1893. This signaled another hiatus in beer production on the islands, which lasted until 1898 when the Honolulu Brewing & Malting Company (HBMC) was established. HBMC introduced Primo Lager, which became the beer most closely associated with the islands. HBMC and Primo Lager prospered until the arrival of Prohibition in 1918, two years before it was imposed nationally.

Following the end of Prohibition in 1933, The American Brewing Company took over the brewery formerly occupied by HBMC, while the brewing of Primo was now done by The Hawaiian Brewing Corporation in a newly constructed brewery. The American Brewing Company ceased operations in 1962, and The Hawaiian Brewing Corporation was purchased by Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company in 1963. In 1979, Schlitz closed its Hawaii brewery and shifted production of Primo to Los Angeles.

In 1986, the Pacific Brewing Company opened in Wailuku on the island of Maui, but it too was short-lived, closing down in 1990. In 1994, the Gordon Biersch Brewery opened in Honolulu, and since then, Hawaii has not been without a brewery. Today, there are about 10 breweries and brewpubs on the islands, with a range of craft beers available to suit different tastes and preferences.

Hawaiian beer and the rise of craft beer

Hawaiian beer has a surprisingly strong craft beer scene. While Hawaiians are not harvesting local hops for production, locals are taking advantage of select indigenous ingredients and throwing them into tasty batches of brew. These include coconut, passion fruit, hibiscus, pikake flowers, and more.

The Hawaiian beer story is a promising one. From large outfits like Kona Brewing, with production facilities in Hawaii and the lower 48, to small operations like Beer Lab or Lanikai Brewing, there is a wealth of quality craft beer in Hawaii.

• Maui Brewing Big Swell IPA: It's not the happiest or most unique IPA, but it's surely one of the most balanced. It's easy on the palate and won't overwhelm on a scorching hot day, probably because Hawaiians need thirst-quenching qualities in addition to a dose of hops after a day in the sun. The dry-hopped beer has a nice tropical quality with a slight sizzle of citrus.
• Kona Brewing Hibiscus Brut IPA: While Kona's staple beers like Longboard Island Lager and Big Wave Golden Ale are plenty refreshing and available in most stores, Kona has a more creative side depending on the season. One of the label's newest creations is arguably its best — the Hibiscus Brut IPA. Deceptively big at 8% ABV, this beer is salmon in color, brewed with a tasty dose of hibiscus and grape-y Nelson Sauvin Hallertau Blanc hops. It’s a nice mix of the cleanness that comes with a good brut IPA plus just the right amount of bitterness and that floral, tea-like kick only hibiscus can offer.
• Hilo Brewing Company Mauna Kea Pale Ale: Most of Hilo Brewing Company’s work stays in the archipelago, but a few beers occasionally make it to the mainland. The label’s pale ale is delicious, having won a few awards with its focused flavors and squeaky clean build. It’s the perfect antidote to spicy food and what you should be reaching for after an afternoon spent riding waves or biking through town.
• Maui Brewing Imperial Coconut Porter: Another fine option from Maui Brewing, this beer is the heavier sibling of its popular standard coconut porter. It’s as smooth as molasses, with nicely integrated flavors of coconut, baking chocolate, malt, and a hint of toffee. Try it with your favorite mole dish or by itself as a post-meal dessert in a glass that will whisk you away to the land of volcanoes and surf. A bigger beer through and through, it’s more suited for evenings and nightcaps than daytime refreshment.
• Ola Brew Tangelo Milkshake IPA: While you can’t yet get it on the mainland, this beer is still worth a mention and should give you one more enticement to visit Hawaii. Look to sample it in-house or on the beach by way of a growler next time you’re on the Big Island. It’s like a piña colada masquerading as an IPA.
• Bikini Blonde Lager, Maui Brewing Co.: The closest thing you’ll find to an American lager, this is the perfect summertime beer, and in Hawaii, it always feels (and looks) like summertime. Light, refreshing, and smooth, this beer is brewed with floral hops, Pilsner, and Munich malts, making it the perfect drink to sip in the sunshine.
• Hula Hefeweizen, Kona Brewing Co.: A traditional Bavarian-style weissbier with a pronounced banana/herbal flavor and aroma, accomplished by a special type of yeast strain used during the brewing process. This beer is the perfect choice after a refreshing swim or snorkel.
• White Mountain Porter, Big Island Brewhaus: Brewed with all-natural toasted coconut and roasted Hamakua Coast White Mountain Coffee, offering hints of chocolate and hoppy spice. Try it on ice cream for an adult-approved ice cream float.
• Cocoweizen, Honolulu Beerworks: A German-style ale brewed with hand-toasted coconut. The taste is light and refreshing, with a hint of tropical aroma. The coconut flavor is super delicate and decorates the beer note beautifully.
• Coconut Hiwa Porter, Maui Brewing Co.: Brewed with six varieties of toasted coconut, malted barley, and hops, this delicious-smelling beer offers flavors of coconut, chocolate, and coffee while not being overly sweet for a beach day in paradise.

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