Good Beer on Oahu and Kaua'i

Discussion in 'Pacific' started by sanford_and_son, Jul 26, 2013.

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  1. sanford_and_son

    sanford_and_son Initiate (0) Jul 23, 2012 Washington

    Going to both islands in October, haven't been to Hawaii since I was old enough to enjoy beer. Any good beer spots I should check out? Thanks in advance.
     
  2. rrryanc

    rrryanc Pundit (896) May 19, 2006 California

    My advice would be not to get your hopes up too much. There are some reasonable beers and spots scattered around HI, but it's really not a beercation spot by a long stretch. The IPAs tend to be really old (no surprise there), and anything strong doesn't really match the weather. Enjoy the Mai Tais...
     
    jtmartino likes this.
  3. bugdoc

    bugdoc Initiate (0) Apr 4, 2011 California

    Real A Gastropub in Honolulu is solid - I was told that one of the Shelton brothers (that we all know and....love?) has an ownership stake in the place, which would explain the 'loons in the cooler and the otherwise headscratching selection of a place in Hawaii as one of the worldwide Zwanze Day sites this year and last.
     
    Justinsosmart likes this.
  4. dvnbtn

    dvnbtn Zealot (504) Sep 9, 2012 California
    Trader

    I'll cosign Real A Gastropub. They have a good selection on tap and bottles. I didn't get a chance to check out other places, however.
     
  5. LKFH

    LKFH Pundit (876) Apr 9, 2007 California

    The ABC Stores in Waikiki surprised me by their selection of Coronado and Ballast Point beers.
     
  6. dcgunman

    dcgunman Pooh-Bah (2,682) Jul 1, 2009 California
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Yardhouse in Honolulu/Waikiki.
     
  7. flexabull

    flexabull Initiate (0) Mar 9, 2006 California

    The Kauai Island Brewery on the southern part of the island is a worthy spot. Their beers aren't great, but they are good/decent, and it's a pretty fun place to hang out. I also heard that a new brewery is opening in Lihue sometime soon. It might already be open, I was in Kauai in May.

    Maui brews were easy to find, plus Sierra, Kona, Widmer, and Deschutes. But in general, Hawaii isn't a great place for beer.
     
  8. aquazr1

    aquazr1 Maven (1,325) Jul 27, 2013 California

    Kauai Island Brewery is only about a year old and worth a visit. Their offerings are decent and there isn't much else on near them. Flexabull pretty much summed it up.
     
  9. islandboi8204

    islandboi8204 Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2011 New York

    Mark, you guys should definitely fly over for Zwanze day. I can't kick the keg all by myself :sunglasses:
     
  10. Rollzroyce21

    Rollzroyce21 Pooh-Bah (2,211) Oct 24, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah

    I highly recommend checking out Side Street Inn in Honolulu. Rogue brews a special pale ale just for this establishment and I haven't seen it served anywhere else. The beer isn't mind blowing, but still hit the spot and pairs real well with their famous pork chops.
     
  11. CoolEthan

    CoolEthan Initiate (0) Jan 9, 2013 California

    Any Maui advice? I'm leaving in two weeks.
     
    ASUBeer likes this.
  12. bugdoc

    bugdoc Initiate (0) Apr 4, 2011 California

    Haha, damn you - if you don't earn the Six Pack badge on Untappd off the Zwanze Day beer, I'll be very disappointed.
     
    Justinsosmart and islandboi8204 like this.
  13. chinochino

    chinochino Initiate (0) Jul 29, 2013 Washington

    This guy does a pretty good job in keeping Hawaii beer info up to date.

    http://beerinhawaii.com/

    Hawaii does suffer from being an island. Not a lot of breweries are willing to ship there (freshness issues). For that, craft brewing is growing steadily there. The last time I was there, I really enjoyed the Maui Brewing Company offerings. Look for the cans pretty much everywhere. Big Island Brewhaus is doing well on the Big Island. Hawaiian Island Brewing is also starting up on Oahu.

    Here is something for you Californians:

    http://beerinhawaii.com/2013/07/09/poll-which-california-brewery-do-you-want-most-in-hawaii/

    Many years ago, I used to show up at the beach with a 12 pack of pretty much anything and shared it with anyone who wanted it. That sometimes led to more 'sharing' and sometimes led to some really memorable stories. "do you want to go pig hunting with us" is one of my personal favorites. If you are into stuff like that when on vacation, try packing some good California beer into your checked bag.

    Just sharing the Aloha!!!!
     
  14. Justinsosmart

    Justinsosmart Initiate (0) May 14, 2013 California

    Maui Brewing has a brewpub in West Maui, it's amazing. There is also a WF by the airport and a bottle shop in Pa'ia.
     
    ASUBeer likes this.
  15. chinochino

    chinochino Initiate (0) Jul 29, 2013 Washington

    @bugdoc- Almost forgot. Thanks for the info on REAL. That makes total sense now. I knew they had a hookup somewhere based on their selection but never delved into it.
     
  16. sanford_and_son

    sanford_and_son Initiate (0) Jul 23, 2012 Washington

    Thanks for the info everyone. Definitely going to check out a few of these spots.
     
  17. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    They bottle it and sell it around the island. I got a bottle at one of the Tamura's locations.
     
    Rollzroyce21 likes this.
  18. sanford_and_son

    sanford_and_son Initiate (0) Jul 23, 2012 Washington

    that blog is awesome! definitely gonna check out the Feral Pig on Kaua'i.
     
  19. eaterfan

    eaterfan Devotee (375) Jul 10, 2013 California
    Trader

    I'm fairly new to the craft beer scene. Can someone tell me what Zwanze day is? I know it's off topic.
     
  20. islandboi8204

    islandboi8204 Initiate (0) Jul 28, 2011 New York

    http://lmgtfy.com/?q=zwanze day

    It's an annual event tapping a Cantillon beer at the same time around the world.
     
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