If you’re planning to attend just one beer festival this year, make it Craft, a Hawaii Craft Beer Festival, slated for Saturday at Bishop Museum.
While the many beer festivals held throughout the year are mostly identical experiences — more about all-you-can-drink than the beer experience — Craft is different. This festival is all about Hawaii- brewed beer, and it’s organized by the breweries and the Hawaiian Craft Brewers Guild.
The local brewing industry has gone through historic growth over the last five years, and we now have multiple breweries on each major island. With a total of 18 breweries in Hawaii, the brewing industry generated $277 million dollars in economic impact in 2017 and provides more than 2,000 well-paying jobs. Our local breweries are major tourist destinations while providing us with fresh, high-quality beer.
The guild, founded by independent craft brewers who brew 100 percent of the their beer in Hawaii, was created to promote the local industry. Recently, the guild introduced a bill to the state Senate that would lower the tax rate on beer production. Hawaii’s beer excise tax, the fifth highest in the country, is one of the reasons local beer costs more than products shipped in from the mainland.
Festival customers enjoying some of the finest beers in the state will also be supporting the industry, as the event raises funds for the guild. Brewery owners, brewers and staff members will all be on hand to talk story and share their passion. You just don’t get that at other festivals!
Brewers will be serving a number of special beers, many crafted with locally sourced ingredients.
“Supporting our local community is a big deal for us,” said Geoff Seideman, Honolulu Beerworks owner and brewmaster, “which is why we use local ingredients and partner with local organizations whenever possible, creating unique and inspiring beers.”
CRAFT, A HAWAII CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL
>> Where: Bishop Museum, 1525 Bernice St.
>> When: 5:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday
>> Tickets: $55, includes 10 drink tickets; $20 designated driver ticket good for nonalcoholic drinks (purchase at 808ne.ws/craft)
>> Parking: $5 at the museum, with overflow parking after 6 p.m. at Kapalama Elementary School
>> Note: Food trucks will be in attendance
SAMPLING OF BEER SELECTIONS
>> Beer Lab HI Hazy IPA with local tangerines
>> Big Island Brewhaus Mac Nut Brown with Big Islandgrown macadamia nuts
>> Honolulu Beerworks Pia Mahi‘ai with locally grown citrus, lemongrass and honey
>> Kauai Beer Co. Guava Wheat
>> Kohola Pineapple Blonde with Oahu-grown pineapple
>> Lanikai Hawaiian Wild Ale fermented with local wild yeast
>> Ola Brew Co. Kiawe Vanilla Porter with Waianae kiawe
>> Waikiki Kahalu‘u Blonde with local lemon grass and turmeric
Tim Golden, a certified cicerone, shares his obsession with all things craft beer on the third week of each month. He is part owner of Village Bottle Shop in Kakaako.
