Craft-beer lovers, rejoice! Our brewery scene is alive

It has been an incredible year for the beer scene in Hawaii. There has never been a greater selection of amazing beers, and we have more local breweries than ever before. This means tons of options for beer fans — it’s actually easy to find world-class beer in the islands, and it’s only going to get better in 2016.

In the past year, along with dozens of new breweries distributing to Hawaii, we’ve seen an explosion of local breweries open up. There are now 13 operating in the state, and at least four more are readying to open in early 2016. That might seem like a lot for our small state, but the breweries will service four islands, and the demand for locally brewed beer has never been higher.

The availability of all this great beer, both local and international, is creating healthy competition. Local breweries must not only compete with each other, but also with the amazing selection that now can be found everywhere from Tamura’s to Foodland.

Increased competition is a good thing. In top U.S. brewing cities such as Denver, San Diego or Portland, Ore., there are dozens of breweries vying for new fans. The competition keeps quality high. Don’t bother opening up a brewery in San Diego with a subpar IPA.

In Hawaii the same phenomenon applies. With high exposure to quality beer, isle consumers have more refined taste than ever before, and this keeps the bar high. Plus, local competition is a great way for brewers to consistently strive for better and improved beers as well as innovation and creativity.

Can there be a point of oversaturation? Sure, but I don’t think we are close. There’s plenty of room here for more breweries and beer, as long as it’s well made.

As more and more people discover craft beer, we’ll need more local options. It’s exciting to see new producers open up with new ideas, and we’ve only scratched the surface of what local breweries can deliver.

So here’s to a prosperous and beer-filled 2016. Drinkers can contribute by trying new beers and learning about new styles. And it’s important to be critical. The more we learn about beer and what great beer tastes like, the more we can help raise the level of quality. Most important, get out and visit our local breweries, new and old.

Certified cicerone 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.