What began in 1810 as a royal wedding celebration of Bavaria’s Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen, has become an annual event celebrated around the globe known as Oktoberfest. The traditional “people’s festival” is held in Munich, Germany, over a two-week period ending on the first Sunday in October with joyous beer swilling, feasting and a traveling fun fair.
But, is your beer vegan? Both beer and wine are sometimes processed using animal byproducts such as gelatin, casein, glycerin and isinglass, a form of gelatin obtained from fish. German and Belgium beers use traditional methods of brewing thanks to “purity laws” that rule only water, grain (barley or wheat), hops and yeast can be used as ingredients, making them vegan-friendly. Maui Brewing Co. confirmed all its craft beers currently on tap have not been processed with any animal byproducts.
Maui Brewing Co. on the Windward side celebrates Oktoberfest with a German-inspired food menu available from Sept. 16 to Oct. 3. Plant-strong eats include crispy french fries ($7.50), blistered shishito peppers ($9), edamame with Sriracha salt ($5) or shoyu and garlic ($6), and a creamy housemade beet hummus ($9) served with grilled flatbread, vegan mayo (upon request), carrots and cucumbers for dipping. The holy kale ($13) boosts nutrition with locally grown kale, shaved red onion, avocado, fried quinoa and a mustard vinaigrette. (Omit the feta if you’re plant-based.)
Signature MBC nachos ($16) can also be prepared with vegan-friendly toppings like mixed mushrooms, guacamole, jalapeños, cilantro and pico de gallo. For a hearty meal, check out the veggie burger ($16) — a housemade patty (black beans, brown rice, mac nuts, carrots, herbs and flax) — topped with avocado, butter lettuce, tomato, onions, pickled ginger and vegan mayo in a vegan bun. Wash it down with the pau hana ($8), a sweet European Pilsner malt balanced by a spicy hop, or a Pueo Pale Ale ($8) featuring citrus and piney aromas.
The Kailua location is open daily. Visit mbcrestaurants.com for more info.
Maui Brewing Co.
573 Kailua Road Ste. 105, Kailua
808-518-2739
Instagram: @mauibrewingco
Lillian Cumic is a vegan chef and author of Hawaii A Vegan Paradise and Tasting Hawaii Vegan Style. Her column is a guide for plant-based eating on Oahu. Follow Lillian’s journey at lillianvegan.com.
