Aloha, from the tropical paradise of Hawaii! I’ve always wanted to utter those words and I finally got my chance this summer, thanks in large part to an unexpected airfare sale that sent round trip flights plummeting to price levels I hadn’t seen before. This opportunity was long in the making and once I safely landed on the Big Island, I was ready for some beer. And the first attraction I added to tourist schedule was Kona Brewing, Hawaii’s largest craft brewery, located near the island’s west coast.
Tour and Tasting
Kona Brewing offers regular tours of the facility and to make sure a place in line is saved with your name on it, advance reservations are a must. If you don’t make a reservation and show up at the door, there may not be any space left and if there isn’t, you will be asked to wait until the next tour. I thought they might show some leniency with this rule but when I was there, I witnessed some people who didn’t have reservations trying to take part in the same tour as me. They were politely asked to schedule a tour for later. This can happen to anyone, so play it safe and reserve a tour online before you visit.
Kona Brewing starts its tours outside with some brief background information on the brewery. Then, visitors are led over to the main brewery where they learn more about the brewing process and other fun facts that set Kona Brewing apart. Did you know that Kona was started by a father and son team who moved to Hawaii from the mainland? Did you know that the brewery is owned by the Craft Brewers Alliance, a publically traded company? Did you know that, at present, only kegged beer is brewed and sold on the island and that all of the bottled Kona beer in Hawaii is actually imported from the mainland? These and other unique facts keep the tour interesting.
Once the walking part of the tour is complete, it’s time for the best part: The tasting. The tour guide leads everyone back to a tasting room where they are served small samples of several beers. This is a great opportunity not only to sample new beer, but also to meet new people. Hawaii attracts international travelers, many of whom love great beer. During my tasting, I met a couple from Scotland and one from Germany. It was fun getting to know these individuals and talk about beer and beer culture in their respective countries.
Go Green, Young Man
Tours and tastings often mark the end of a brewery visit, but not at Kona Brewing. That’s because this Hawaiian brewery also has its own pub and restaurant, serving up some delicious pub grub along with larger, full fills of your favorite Kona beer. My wife and kids stayed inside the pub/restaurant while I did the tour (young children cannot do the tour, per Hawaii law) and they loved their meals and beverages. I, too, was filling a tad hungry and still thirsty at the end of the tour and the convenience of the pub and restaurant was exactly what I needed. I ordered a sandwich and selected a couple pints of different Kona beers to try. The pub taps the usual, well known offerings like Kona Longboard Lager, Firerock Pale Ale, and others. But they have hard-to-find options as well and given my reputation as a person who prefers variety, I opted for some brand new brews. I tried Wela Red Ale, a smoky, Scottish style ale and one of Kona’s Mehana Series beers; and Lavaman Red Ale, a smooth beer featuring tastes of caramel and chocolate.
Besides serving as a refuge for the hungry and thirsty, Kona Brewing’s restaurant can claim an important distinction: It’s a 4- star green certified restaurant by the Green Restaurant Association. At the moment, there are only 20 restaurants in the United States that have reached this level of environmental friendliness. It’s a very difficult designation to achieve and it proves Kona Brewing’s commitment to sustainability.
Aloha From Hawaii!
See? I just like saying that phrase and I also like that the word “aloha” can mean so many different things. People often say aloha when they meet and when they part and while I wasn’t willing to say aloha a second time and turn away from my visit to Kona Brewing, I knew that all good things must come to an end. There was more island to explore, more beer to sample, and more food to experience.
I liked my time at Kona Brewing and I recommend a tour, tasting, and restaurant visit to everyone who happens to vacation in America’s 50th state. Fresh, tasty beer, an inexpensive tour and tasting (just $5 when I was there), delicious pub fare, and a commitment to the planet are all good reasons to add Kona Brewing to your list of must- visit places on Hawaii’s Big Island.
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