Beer festival offers chance to try suds not sold in isles

Whether you are a beer expert or a beginner, there is no better way to sample a wide variety of beers than at a beer festival. In recent years, beer festivals have exploded across the country, and Hawaii has a number of great events each year. On Oahu the premier event is the Real Beer Festival, 2 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at Kakaako Makai Gateway Park.

The second annual Real Beer Festival will feature more than 65 beers from international breweries and food from 15 local restaurants. A ticket buys you 10 4-ounce tasting tickets and unlimited food, plus a commemorative mug.

The gateway park is next to Kakaako Waterfront Park, at 741 Ilalo St. Tickets are $60 and available at realbeerfestival.com, Real a Gastropub or Brew’d Craft Pub.

With so many great beer options available, here are some strategies and recommendations. And don’t forget to drink lots of water, pace yourself and sample food as well.

» Start with something light: A superhoppy IPA or big bold stout will prevent your palate from appreciating the lighter, more delicate brews. Start off light before moving along to bigger and bolder beers.

I suggest kicking off with Widmer Brothers Brewing Saison A’ Fleurs, a farmhouse-style ale brewed with chrysanthemum, jasmine and Szechuan peppercorns. The light body with soft notes of crisp malt leaves lots of room for the floral notes and lingering notes of peppercorns and zesty saison yeast.

» Pucker up and try a sour beer: Don’t be afraid; you may actually love the tart, acidic and incredibly crisp finish sour beers offer. American breweries are now producing some of the best sour beers in the world, and isle drinkers were recently introduced to Breakside Brewery Passionfruit Sour Ale from Portland, Ore..

With a mouth-puckering tartness followed by wonderfully complex tropical fruit notes, this sour will remind you of a crisp, delicious sauvignon blanc. Aged with lilikoi, this beer is light and incredibly refreshing. You may find yourself sampling it more than once.

» Keep it local: Hawaii has a vibrant and growing brewing industry, and many of our local breweries will be represented at the festival. Support them and try their beers, including Valhalla Wheat Wine from Maui Brewing Co.

A 4-ounce pour is a perfect sampling size of this big and boozy beer, with 8.9 percent alcohol by volume and a large amount of white wheat that gives it a silky-smooth mouth feel. The bold citrusy hops balance the bready sweetness from the wheat and malt to make this a great sipper.

» Take a trip to San Diego: Known as one of the top craft-beer cities in the world, San Diego offers dozens of world-class breweries, and a few of them will bring offerings to the festival, including Hess Brewing, Karl Strauss and Pizza Port Solana Beach.

I suggest sampling something from each of these breweries, because their beers aren’t currently distributed in Hawaii.

» Be bold and get hoppy: IPAs are the most popular style in America, and there will be plenty of big hop beers to sample.

Yes, IPAs are meant to be bitter, but they are also filled with incredible flavors that range from bright citrus zest to vibrant tropical fruits.

I recommend sampling IPAs during the second half of your 10 tastings because the bold bitterness and hop flavors can dominate your palate.

Be sure to try Green Flash Brewing West Coast IPA, one of the original bold IPAs from the West Coast.

This beer is all about huge flavor that starts off distinctly piney and mellows with bright pineapple and citrus zest.

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Tim Golden shares his obsession with all things craft beer monthly in the Star-Advertiser food section. See his blog, “Beer in Hawaii,” at beerinhawaii.com.