As more novice drinkers discover craft beer, brewers are turning to trendy ingredients that appeal to a wider demographic. Flavors like pineapple, grapefruit, lilikoi and watermelon are finding their way into beers made all over the United States. But getting creative like this is inherently more difficult for brewers in Hawaii, where high land and transportation costs along with a lack of availability of many ingredients mean it’s easier to stick with the same old ale, lager and IPA recipes.
“The problem with us is that most of our ingredients come from the mainland. You can’t get around it,” said Honolulu Beerworks owner Geoff Seideman. “Besides using local water, using other ingredients is the way to go and we’ve been doing that since we opened. We’ve done a sour with kalamansi (limes) and pineapple, which was awesome. We did another collaboration that used poha berries.
“As much as we can, we want to use local products, but it’s about finding the ingredients and then the time to fit it into our brewing schedule (without) taking away from our core styles.”
This summer, Honolulu Beerworks and another Oahu brewery turned to local mangoes, while a tiny brewing operation in Waikiki is taking a huge step forward with a new canned option that incorporates strawberries and orange peel.
Letting it ‘Dango’ in Kakaako
Most people know Geoff Seideman as the affable owner and brewmaster at Honolulu Beerworks, the successful brewpub that opened in Kakaako nearly three years ago. But what you might not realize is how active a role he’s taken in supporting local farmers through his partnership with Kamehameha Schools and its Mahi‘ai Match-Up agricultural business plan contest.
It starts with one of the brewery’s top-selling beers, the Pia Mahi‘ai Honey Citrus Saison. Seideman’s take on a classic Belgian farmhouse ale was created as a “tribute to the farmers of Hawaii,” according to the brewery’s website, and brewed in connection with the first Mahi‘ai Match-Up. It’s so popular that Seideman keeps it on tap as a core offering.
This year, Seideman created a limited-edition pale ale using fruit from a farm that won $10,000 in seed money in 2014. Mapulehu Farms utilized organic and Hawaiian-based farming practices to revive an 80-year-old mango orchard on Molokai.
“Every year we’ve talked to the Mahi‘ai Match-Up folks about what is in season,” Seideman said. “When they told me the mangoes were from the same guys as the farm on Molokai, I said, ‘Let’s do one.’ The whole point of opening a brewery is for people to know where their beer comes from.”
The result was Dango Yo Mango, which the brewery describes as the “juiciest, most fruit-forward beer” they’ve ever made. Mapulehu mangoes were used in the brew, some added early in the process, with the rest pureed and added at the finish to help dial in the flavor.
At 5.3 percent alcohol by volume, or ABV, it’s an easy-drinking beer with a faint aroma of the familiar fruit. Seideman’s decision to use Citra hops provides an additional element of citrus that makes this a great choice for summer picnics, beach parties or any outdoor situation that calls for something light and refreshing.
After making its debut at a private Mahi‘ai Match-Up winners gala, remaining kegs were tapped in Kakaako a few weeks ago and quickly sold out. The good news, however, is that Seideman is working with Mapulehu Farms to acquire more mangoes and create more Dango Yo Mango before the year is over and expects to continue serving it for the foreseeable future.
Visit Honolulu Beerworks at 328 Cooke St. or call 589-2337.
Dropping a ‘Bomb’ in Kailua
Local craft beer fans currently have one other option for beer brewed with mangoes, but you’ll have to move fast. Lanikai Brewing Co.’s Mango Bomb triple IPA made its debut last week and promises to sell out soon despite limiting sales to one growler fill per customer per visit.
While Dango Yo Mango is a study in the subtlety of contrasts between the fruit and hops used in brewing, Lanikai Brewing turned to the community to help create a one-two punch of sweet mango and bitter hoppiness that clocks in at more than twice as strong with an 11.4 percent ABV. Family, friends and fans of the brewery from Kailua and Haleiwa crowdsourced the fruit used in this beer, and it’s interesting to see how well the juicy, sweet flavors stand out despite the presence of what tastes like an insane amount of hops added during brewing.
Pick up a 22-ounce bottle of Mango Bomb for $15 and a 64-ounce growler for $24 at the brewery, 175 Hamakua Drive, from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Individual tastes are also available for $2 each.
‘Hana Hou’ in a can
Not all local breweries put island-grown flavors front and center. Some, like Waikiki Brewing Co., incorporate them into more mainstream-style brews that remain true to the flavor profile casual customers expect. That’s what it’s done with its Hana Hou Hefe, an unfiltered American-style hefeweizen made with strawberry puree and lemon peel from island-grown fruit.
Brewed at 5.8 percent ABV, I like how the Hana Hou Hefe is crisp, but still has a lot of body. Unlike some macro beers that taste watered-down and lack any semblance of grain flavors, this beer is unfiltered and the wheat and barley notes come roaring through at the start, followed by a faint hint of strawberry that makes you smack your lips and take another sip.
What I love the most about the Hana Hou Hefe, however, is it marks a new step for the brewery that shares space with Cheeseburger Waikiki at 1945 Kalakaua Ave. Instead of contract brewing on the mainland and having filled cans shipped to Hawaii, Waikiki Brewing bought its own portable canning line and completes the entire process of producing its beer for retail sale in-house. Pick up a six-pack for $8.99 during regular business hours, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily (open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays). Call 946-6590.
Jason Genegabus has written about Honolulu bars since 2001. Contact him at jason@staradvertiser.com with suggestions of places to visit and drinks to try; read his blog at inthemix.staradvertiserblogs.com.
