First Timer in Maui
March 2017
As with most vacation destinations nowadays, the tropical island of Maui is taking advantage of the surging levels of alcoholism amongst travellers (you might say they’re riding the wave??). That is to say local beer, cider, wine, spirits are becoming not only a worthwhile sight-seeing stop for many, but also an entire reason for choosing a particular destination to others. I would place Maui in the former category and not the latter, nonetheless we found some great spots I will recommend to you in the following. Too many good restaurants and other neat finds to list. If you’re planning your first trip to Maui I’d be happy to provide some more recommendations as I’ll focus on beer in this article.
Great tap list at “What Ales You” in South Kihei a short stumble from our accommodation.
Our first find came while I was googling nearby restaurants that were walkable from our South Kihei vacation rental. A beer bar 10 minutes away, you say? Why yes, I think that will do nicely. “What Ales You” is a small beer focussed pub with a nice outdoor space and some good local colour (sit at the bar and chat!). Some highlights on tap were the Eel River Brewing Raven’s Eye Stout on Nitro and Firestone’s Pivo Hoppy Pils amongst some other more common to find favourites from mainland USA.
Rock & Brews offered an extensive burger and draught list with a great indoor/outdoor layout
After surviving an amazing day on the infamous Road to Hana we explored the quaint surf town of Paia. We came across Rock & Brews which is one of a chain of restaurants owned in part by Gene Simmons of KISS. **Apparently Maui is a retired rock-star haven as Sammy Hagar, Willy Nelson, and Mick Fleetwood are also said to frequent the area. Rock n’ Brews had some great Californian favorites like Green Flash, Sierra Nevada and Stone Brewing but our favorite was the Maui Imperial Coconut Porter which, as luck would have it, was one of the current Maui Brewing seasonals being offered at the time.
Maui Brewing now has two locations; the original Brewpub as well as an impressively modern Brewery with a large and welcoming tasting room (pictured above).
Maui Brewing will be on most people’s list to see as due to their tasty brews and increasingly wide distribution outside of Hawaii. The ‘new’ brewery was located a short drive from our Kihei accommodation whereas the original brewpub is located about 45 minutes north in Napili. Driving up to the brewery feels like you’re visiting a tech giant in the Silicone Valley. The concrete and glass building is immense and the palm tree lined boulevard and nearby golf course are all immaculate. I’ve heard that Maui is partly owned by Stone Brewing which would help explain their spending power and mainland distribution. Once inside the belly of the beast we were immediately at ease on the spacious patio and once again enjoying the Imperial Coconut Porter amongst other delicious offerings. Another seasonal was the Double Overhead DIPA which was also delicious. There were over 30 different beers and ciders available at the brewery as well as some hard to come by seasonal bottles available for off-sales so I would budget your time and sobriety for more than a quick flight.
Above photos: A highlight and total surprise was stumbling upon Kohola Brewery in Lahaina
We had spent the day walking around the gorgeous yet crowded town of Lahaina. During our walk back to the car a fellow walked past us carrying a growler. My craft beer senses were tingling and I started searching the interweb for any sign of “Lahaina Craft Beer”. PING! Kohola Brewing was just across the highway in a small industrial park and we were on our way. In comparison to Maui Brewing this place was quaint and peaceful. Kohola had only been open for about a year, had taco truck out front and was somewhat hard to find, All in all it was a beer tourist’s jackpot! We saddled up to the bar admiring a very nice open space warehouse interior on our way. Glancing up at the ten different (and very diverse) beer styles offered on the chalkboard absolutely sealed the deal – this place is awesome. The Belgian triple, Farmhouse and Brown had our votes here but everything offered was delicious.
In addition to the handful of beer bars and breweries, Maui also boasts a winery, distillery, and a tiny little Kombucha bar. As this is CAMRA and not TASTE magazine I’ll only provide a few cliff notes on the above...
Maui Wine (or more accurately Ulupalakua Vineyards) is located on the lesser visited South West corner of the Maui. While the wine was not memorable, the drive, surrounding area and beautiful property the winery is located on make it well worth the hour or two it will take for the return journey.
Hali-imaile Distilling is also well worth a visit and located in the middle of the island and near the road up to the Haleakala Crater. You have to arrive during available touring hours so a phone call or email is recommended as these can book up with bus tours some days. The tour itself is brief but informative and before you can say ‘Aloha Friday!’ you’re in the tasting room trying samples of Vodka, Whiskey, and Rum. I was very impressed with the Vodka which is distilled using sugar from Maui grown Pineapples. *Another great reason to visit the distillery is a phenomenal restaurant located just across the street called “Hali’imaile General Store” (lunch is a bargain but dinner is $$$$).
The Kombucha bar was an adventure to get to as the main road to the small town of Haiku was closed and required some detouring. Haiku is barely an intersection of a town but provides a rural, off the beaten path experience compared to the larger resort towns. The small Kombucha shop offered health foods and some locally made desserts and we were able to fill up mason jars for a picnic lunch.
A quick word on Kona Brewing as it was also prevalent in most restaurants/bars. Due to their connection with InBev and the Craft Brew Alliance we skipped this brand despite the brewery being located on Hawaii’s nearby ‘Big Island’.
The incredible food, views, wildlife and waterfalls we experienced in Maui definitely stand out as the highlights from our trip. There is nonetheless a growing craft booze scene emerging from underneath the shadow of Maui Brewing worth exploring. A rental car will likely be an important part of your visit to Maui so please explore responsibly and/or utilize a designated diver, taxi, or UBER.