Maui Brewing Company
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Maui Brewing Company is the largest craft brewery in the state with five brewpub/restaurant locations across Maui and Oahu. They have a wide selection of year-round beers in addition to interesting rotating seasonal selections and a growing slate of hard seltzers. They even have their own Island Root Beer and Ginger Ale for those under 21 or who prefer to avoid hard beverages. Oh, and the food is pretty good too.
For those interested in learning about their brewing process, they also offer VIP tours and beer tastings for a fee at their Kihei location, though be sure to book your appointment ahead of time as the slots fill up fast.
Lanikai Brewing Company
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Opened in 2014, Lanikai Brewing is located in Kailua on the east side of Oahu. Their unique approach to craft brewing means they use at least one local ingredient in each of their beers. For example, pikake flowers are used in their popular Moku Imperial IPA. Definitely worth trying for those who can tolerate a beer that packs a punch.
For those looking for something a little more adventurous, check out one of their seasonal sours and wild ales. They’ve also recently added food in-house, partnering with Valentina’s to offer delicious pizza and appetizers to pair with your next brew.
Waikiki Brewing Company
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Waikiki Brewing Company opened back in 2015 and quickly racked up several awards and accolades in addition to expanding to a total of three locations, including a beautiful brewery on the island of Maui in Lahaina. Each location offers your standard bar fare and solid daily happy hours in the early afternoon and (depending on the location) just before closing.
Of their core offerings, the Aloha Spirit Blonde Ale and Jalapeno Mouth Amber are absolutely the must-try beers. Their brewers also aren’t afraid to mix it up with their special releases either — they’ve got a knack for brewing up an epic Barleywine.
Hana Koa Brewing Company
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There’s a lot to like about Hana Koa Brewing Company. Their impressive taproom is the largest in the trendy Kaka‘ako neighborhood of Honolulu. A killer food menu compliments an expansive tap list (including plenty of rotating guest beers), a full cocktail bar, and a respectable selection of wine.
There’s also more to do than just try the beer. On Sundays, they offer “Yoga and a Pour” as well as brewery tours on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month (that come with a complimentary 10 oz pour of one of their beers).
Heads up for visitors, they’re closed on Mondays!
Big Island Brewhaus
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Big Island Brewhaus, established in 2011 and located on (you guessed it) the Big Island of Hawaii, is the state’s highest-elevation brewpub located at 2,764 feet above the sea.
The place has a great atmosphere, and there’s often live music to accompany one of their superb island brews. They have a full bar for folks who are more inclined to reach for a margarita than a hefeweizen. Still, you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t grab a flight and find out why this is one of the best breweries in town. For those particular to the style, they have one of the best rice lagers you can find, the Migato.
Kona Brewing Company
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As a nationally distributed craft beer, you’ve likely seen a lot of what Kona Brewing Company has to offer at your local grocery store. Even so, if you find yourself near one of their two taprooms (either Hawaii Kai or Kailua-Kona) you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t stop by. In addition to their expansive menu of delicious bar food, the tap rooms also have some beers that you can only get on the island.
There’s also an informative hour-long tour of their brewery on the Big Island that includes a complimentary sample of one of their beers
Aloha Beer Company
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Aloha Beer Company has two lively, dog-friendly locations in Honolulu, one in Kaka’ako and the other in Waikiki. Their food menu is standard bar fare, though of all the taprooms on the island that serve pizza, this is among the best. There’s live music most weekends and a weekly trivia night for anyone with a competitive streak. Oh, and the beer is pretty darn good too. The Queen Street Pils and the Hop Lei IPA are some of the best brews you’ll find in the city.
If you’re looking for a slightly different experience, check out the HI BRAU, the speakeasy located above the Kaka’ako taproom.
Beer Lab Hawaii
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Beer Lab HI opened its first tasting room in 2016 and has since expanded to two more taproom locations on the island of Oahu. Keeping with the implied gimmick in their name, this team of beer enthusiasts uses small-batch brewing to keep a constant rotation of new and interesting selections. Essentially, there’s likely to be something new to try on every visit.
They make excellent use of their space, often having special events featuring local food and vendors. And they make it very easy to reserve space if you’re looking to host a party.
The in-house food menus vary significantly depending on the taproom so be sure to check ahead.
Ola Brew
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Ola began its life as a cidery, though they’ve since expanded to producing beer as well as hard tea and seltzer. Ola Brew has two taproom locations to visit on the Big Island. As they state on their website, Ola is invested in helping grow the local agricultural community of the island, and they make an effort to source their ingredients from local farmers.
The event calendar features plenty of live music and your obligatory trivia night (see you Tuesdays) to liven up the atmosphere while you try another delicious beer. Their Da Hazy Light IPA is a crushable session that should be a winner for any craft beer fan.
Kauai Beer Company
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Kauai Beer Company is one of two breweries on the Island of Kauai and worth a visit to any beer enthusiast who finds his or herself on the “Garden Isle.” Their first two brewed beers, the Black Limousine and the Lihue Lager remain the go-to selections for drinkers stopping by the laid-back taproom. They’ve also got a respectable collection of wine a small but winning cocktail menu and standard bar fare that should please any pallet — all served by a team of friendly staff.
Like any self-respecting brewery, there’s also the occasional food pop-up, as well as monthly events featuring local musicians and vendors.
