Heading to Maui!

1st off, congrats on the marriage! Monkeypod Kitchen in Wailea & Rock n Bews in Paia, had good food & a great tap list at both. Whole Foods for bottles.

 

Copied from another thread where I posted the same info:

Hey man, if you look at the places guide you will find a lot of reviews I have added for Maui. I usually go once a year and I added some new spots from my last trip this past July.

http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/list?city=Kahului&c_id=US&s_id=HI
http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/list?city=Kihei&c_id=US&s_id=HI
http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/list?city=Lahaina&c_id=US&s_id=HI
http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/list?city=Makawao&c_id=US&s_id=HI
http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/list?city=Paia&c_id=US&s_id=HI

Here are my top recommendations for Maui:

* Maui Brewing - the tour at the production brewery is pretty interesting and for $10 you get the tour, a flight at the end of the tour, and a token for a full pour at the brewpub down the street. Visit both.
* Tamura's - good bottle selection
* Whole Foods - good bottle selection
* The Wine Corner - good bottle selection

 

I second UCLAB's recs. the Maui Brewing Brewpub is a must visit, but i 2nd the vote for visiting the production brewery as well and doing the tour. the tasting room there is a fun atmosphere.

Whole Foods there is the best place for bottles by far. i was there a few months ago and was pleasantly surprised by some of the stuff they had sitting on shelves, including tons of barrel aged Clown Shoes stuff

 

Flatbread in Paia has great beers and some of the best pizza i've had... ever... and i eat a lot of pizza.

i'd also advise that when doing road to hana, don't do what everyone else does and do it in one day bouncing around and getting nauseous... go super slowly, explore everything.. take it all in and spend a night there.

 

Nothing better than a FRESH growler of Maui Brewing's Coconut Porter ... the fresh thing really makes a difference in this beer!

 

The seasonal IPAs are pretty great on a hot day which is like every day. I was guzzling down Haleakala Sunryes (rye ipa) recently.

 

agree i usually spend a few nights in Hana. it's definitely dead as far as restaurants (and forget beer) but one of the most beautiful places on the planet

i like to take the highway the opposite way out too, around the other side of the island, when heading back

 

Yea I think one night would be enough for me in Hana. I need to make it to the Lahaina side next time. But we did the Road to Hana in one day and that was brutal. Kid hurled three times.

 

Anyone have any insight to when the new brewery opens? Headed that way in a month and staying in wailea.

 

I thought i saw something that said early 2015, but I'm not sure on that.

 

Not sure where OP is staying but if you are in Kaanapali Beach (You made the right choice!) there is a new tap room at the Marriott. They were just opening when I was there and still trying to figure out the food side of things, but they had some interesting things on tap including Grapefruit and Habenero Sculpin.

Imperial Coconut Porter was probably my favorite beer of the trip. Draft only at the brew pub.

Second Monkepod - they do a nice job.

 

Congrats!

I have only a couple things to add to the lists above. You will probably be hungry after the long flight, stop by Da Kitchen for a fat meal. Mmmmm moco loco!

If you decide to do the road to Hana, get the gypsy app. It's gps triggered so you don't have to watch mile markers. If you do it in one day stick to the 5 main stops the app will mention. We did only the 5 main stops and it took almost 12 hours from Lahaina and back.

While your at Maui Brewing company say what's up to Lindoln, he is a Cali transplant and used to work at stone.

 

The blowhole is a must. No beer is served there but the place is majestic.

 

if you go North of Lahaina there are some great snorkeling / swimming spots near the Ritz Carlton

in the very off chance that you skate, Lahaina has a world class skatepark. Hana has an awesome one too

 

Better than Etnies in Lake Forest, SoCal???

 

wouldn't say better, but up there. definitely World Class. I give it a 94. not sure what the Bros would give it

 

When I was there in March both WF and Tamura's had Eclipse variants without the standard Maui mark-up...they were still the $30 I find them for here on the mainland.
While Monkeypod is nice and has a solid tap list, given the area, price and selection, I'd be curious as to how fresh the kegged beers are. Even the Old Rasputin I had on tap tasted off but that could also be the lines.