Hawaii
5 Must-Try Craft Breweries on Oʻahu for Beer Lovers – Hawaii Magazine
Hawai’i has a long history of beer making. Honolulu Brewery, established in 1854 (now closed), was the first commercial brewery on Oʻahu, followed by Primo Beer in 1901. After a long lull, the craft beer movement made its way back to the Islands in 1994 slowly growing over the years. Oʻahu has a tight craft beer community. From Kalihi to Kāneʻohe, brewers share their support for one another, as well as for local farms and restaurants, by creating collaboration beers. Besides having highly skilled, passionate brewers and a love for connecting with their community, these breweries are also all self-distributors, meaning the only place you will find their beer is on O’ahu.
Here are five to try.
Hana Koa Brewing Co.
Photo: Courtesy of Hana Koa Brewing Co.
“I like to cultivate memories with beers,” said Josh Kopp, head brewer at Hana Koa Brewing Co. His Midnight Pretender—a porter made with koshihikari rice from The Rice Factory in Kakaʻako—takes him back to his street racing days when he was underage, drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes in an Oʻahu parking lot until two in the morning. Once that tap runs dry Kopp will replace it with cortado, a coffee-infused stout he made in collaboration with TRY Coffee. The beer smells and tastes just like its namesake espresso drink with a hit of dark chocolate. My current favorite is Earth To Beer, a sour beer fermented with fragrant basil, lemongrass and lime that is so pure and bright it drinks like a muddled cocktail. Kopp’s go-to is the Rooftop, named after a time in his life when he and now-wife girlfriend and brewery co-founder would hang out on the roof of her apartment and drink Ballast Point Grunion pale ale.
Since expanding his business, Kopp has acquired a number of tools for quality control and offers lab services for other brewers on island. He has also offered to sell his hops to other brewers at cost and invites them to Washington to visit farms, so they can select the hops together to ship back to O’ahu.
“It’s kinda like if you were the kid in the neighborhood that got the Nintendo first you shouldn’t be a jerk and not let the other kids come over and play,” Kopp explains.
hanakoabrewing.com, @hanakoabrewing
Howzit Brewing
Inside Howzit Brewing.
Photo: Sarah Burchard
After a good surf sesh, owner Justin Heikkinen said he likes to pour himself a refreshing Put the Rad in Radler, Howzit’s lemonade slush infused delight. “It’s the gateway to beer,” he said. If the slushie radler is the gateway to beer, the Solar Journey is the gateway to IPA. Its fruity notes and lack of bitterness make it so easy to crush. Heikkinen, born in Seattle where the craft beer scene exploded, spent a good portion of his life in Portland where he became a home brewer. When Phil Pesheck, formerly of Burke-Gilman Brewing Co. in Seattle, became available he quickly snagged him to open Howzit. Beers here are ever-rotating. Heikkinen isn’t interested in having flagship beers. He wants customers to always have a new reason to visit. It will be a sad day for me when the Bonfire Baja runs out. The dark Mexican-style lager reminds me of my beer drinking days in my hometown San Diego. Still excited about the novelty of having a slush machine in a brewery I ordered the Kakaʻako Cold Brew, a coffee-vanilla cream ale, in slush form. Thick like soft serve, I could have eaten it with a spoon, but just like Heikkinen promised, as it began to melt the frozen golden ale turned into a frappuccino-like treat.
@howzitbrewing
Inu Island Ales
Inu Island Ales presents a unique, modern approach to brewing beer. Head brewer John “Magic” Montes De Oca makes beers that people will crave and keep reaching for, such as the Mango Colada, a coconut hard seltzer that is thick and fruity like a smoothie. The Mo-Waka, a West Coast-style IPA made with Mosaic and Riwaka hops, is another stand-out. The modern techniques and lager yeast he uses amplify the tropical notes in the hops and make it so smooth and well-balanced it tastes like it is in a category all on its own. Montes De Oca champions West Coast-style IPAs believing they have gotten a bad rap for being overly bitter. “The way people make them now with modern hops and techniques lends to a much better drinking experience,” he said. The Coco Fumes stout is akin to a Mexican hot chocolate dessert drink and is meant to be shared as such.
Collaborations happen organically. Tradition Coffee Roasters in Kailua is one of Montes De Oca’s favorite local roasters. After sharing with the owner that he wanted to make a blonde stout with pandan (a herbaceous tropical plant that grows in Southeast Asia) and coffee he invited Montes De Oca to the roastery and taught him how coffee is made and how he selects and roasts beans. They tasted several coffees together to decide which would work best resulting in a beer that smelled of vanilla cappuccino and grassy, nutty pandan.
inuislandales.com, @inuislandales
Beer Lab HI
Photo: Courtesy of Beer Lab HI
Co-founder Nicolas Wong believes that living on an island means we need to support one another. Beer Lab HI does its part by constantly highlighting local businesses and sourcing Hawai’i-grown ingredients. For a chill beer garden experience visit Beer Lab’s newest location on Beretania Street in Honolulu, which offers 12 picnic tables covered by umbrellas are surrounded by two walls of murals, a modest walk-up bar (which also includes whiskey and wine) and a poke counter with smoked marlin dip, fruit tarts and dog treats. On a warm evening I sampled some new and old brews while music by Red Hot Chili Peppers played in the background: Omakase, seemingly everyone’s go-to, including mine, is a hazy IPA with low bitterness and citrus notes; Chasing Sunrises is a bright and refreshing sour made with passion fruit and the newest release, Green Rivah, is a collaboration with the iconic Rainbow Drive-In that tastes just like the local favorite lemon-lime soda.
beerlabhi.com, @beerlabhi
Kalihi Beer
Originally Broken Boundaries Brewery, founder and head brewer Chris Cook changed the name to Kalihi Beer to better reflect what was most important to him. “We took on the name Kalihi because we are proud of our community,” he said. “Kalihi is the blue-collar lifeblood of this city, and while Kalihi, like any other community, has its challenges, you’ll find people here with extraordinary determination and ambition who are making a way to succeed despite lacking the resources that some others may have. We are proud to be a part of this, and we wanted our name to reflect that pride.” To connect with Kalihi the brewery hosts events and collaborates with a number of Kalihi nonprofits such as Hoʻoulu ʻĀina, the Kalihi Watershed Management Partnership, Fire Station 31 and The Pōpolo Project. On any given night you can experience live music, local art and conversations about conservation in Kalihi and Kāpalama.
Beers range from the most bitter of IPAs, such as the Hi-Fi, to Cook’s “desert island beer,” Bierfurdeinkin Hefeweizen, which is refreshing and pairs well with food. Cook takes what he knows about traditional brewing and applies them to an audience who is looking for something modern and new. His wildly popular Pop Top Kolsch can be found on draft in some of Oʻahu’s best restaurants, such as Peter Merriman’s Monkeypod Kitchen and natuRe Waikīkī.
kalihibeer.com, @kalihibeer
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Signed Franchise Agreement Signals New Nontraditional Sector Development Exploration
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Multi-Unit, Multi-Brand Operator Specializing in Travel Plazas Adds Exceptional Coffee Concept to Growing Portfolio
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19,000-square-foot Travel Plaza Set to Open in Q2 2025
KENOSHA, Wis., Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii, a leading coffee franchise renowned for its premium sourcing of Hawaiian coffees and unforgettable cafés, announces a new signed agreement that will bring a nontraditional location to the greater Kenosha market in Q2 2025. Bad Ass Coffee is set to become the flagship concept in a 19,000-square-foot travel plaza at County Highway E, I-94 Exit 339. This exciting development marks a major step in the brand’s expansion into nontraditional locations, highlighting significant growth opportunities on the horizon.
At the helm of this agreement is Paul Bhardwaj, CEO and founder of Golden Oil, which operates 12 travel centers and employs over 400 team members. In addition to building a multi-million-gallon fuel company, Bhardwaj is well-versed in the QSR space, owning franchises of top brands like Subway, Dairy Queen, and Cinnabon, among others. With over 30 years of industry experience, he’s witnessed shifting consumer preferences and evolving amenities. Driven by the demand for speed and quality, Bhardwaj sought a standout coffee concept to anchor the all-new travel plaza.
“Coffee is an untapped market for us with massive potential,” said Bhardwaj. “For a travel plaza, it’s a natural fit, and being near three college campuses positions us perfectly to become a go-to coffee destination. When we set out to find the right brand, we were looking for something truly distinctive and premium. Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii stood out – not only for its exceptional product, but also for its proven business model and impressive financials, making it a smart and seamless investment.”
Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii leadership share Bhardwaj’s enthusiasm for tapping into nontraditional expansion opportunities as a complement to the brand’s overall franchise development strategy.
“As we continue to grow, it’s crucial in this competitive market to identify nontraditional opportunities that will build awareness for our brand, while presenting an attractive business opportunity for our franchisees,” said Gregg Koffler Chief Development Officer of Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii. “With consumer accessibility and convenience top-of-mind, we’re committed to bringing our quality product to consumers through a wide variety of nontraditional locations, including travel plazas, airports, convenience stores, colleges, and other high-trafficked venues.”
The family of a 30-year-old Hawaii resident is searching for her in Los Angeles after she missed a connecting flight, sent unusual text messages and then went silent, the relatives said.
Hannah Kobayashi arrived in Los Angeles on Nov. 8 en route to New York City but missed a connecting flight because a 30- to 45-minute window to get to its departure terminal may not have been enough, aunt Larie Pidgeon said in an interview.
Kobayashi, of Maui, stayed in Los Angeles as she awaited an opening for a last-minute flight to New York and used the time for sightseeing, family members said. She went to The Grove shopping center in the Beverly Grove neighborhood, about 12 miles north of Los Angeles International Airport, to see a Nike marketing event on Nov. 10, they said.
Kobayashi’s Instagram account, verified by NBC News, includes a photo she posted that depicts a Nike notice of filming, apparently at or near The Grove.
The next day, she sent concerning text messages to loved ones, family members said.
“Hannah’s last message to us was alarming — she mentioned feeling scared, and that someone might be trying to steal her money and identity,” Pidgeon said on Facebook.
“She hasn’t been heard from since, and we are gravely concerned for her safety,” she wrote.
Pidgeon confirmed her Facebook account name, Larie Ingrum, by text. She was one of three relatives who recently sat for an interview about Kobayashi.
The three were part of a larger group of family members and loved ones who gathered in Los Angeles in recent days to launch a search effort.
Pidgeon said Kobayashi, an art fan and aspiring photographer, saved for the trip to New York City and was excited before she left Honolulu on Nov. 8.
She planned to visit the Museum of Modern Art and absorb Manhattan’s art scene as part of her effort to establish a career, Pidgeon said.
“She was really trying to school herself on how to become ‘it’ in New York,” she said.
Relatives have said they reported Kobayashi missing to the Los Angeles International Airport Police Department and the FBI, but the Los Angeles Police Department said it is the primary investigating agency on the case. Officer Tony Im, an LAPD spokesman, said Kobayashi was reported missing to the department Friday.
Pidgeon said texts sent Nov. 11 were alarming and at times didn’t sound like they were written in Kobayashi’s voice.
Family members quoted one of the texts, according to a video report from NBC affiliate KHNL of Honolulu: “I got tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds for someone I thought I loved.”
Pidgeon said the texts describe what amounts to identity theft.
“She said that someone was stealing her identity, that she felt scared,” Pidgeon said.
It appeared Kobayashi was at Los Angeles International Airport at the time, she said. Another aunt, Geordan Montalvo, whom Kobayashi was to visit in New York, tried to reach her, Pidgeon said.
“Her phone pinged at LAX at 4 p.m. and then after that, Geordan kept trying to talk to her, and then it went dark. Her phone went dead, and her communication cut off completely,” Pidgeon said.
The Nov. 11 texts were the last family members heard from her.
On a Facebook group called Help Us Find Hanna, which includes the participation of family members, a post by the RAD Movement — a San Diego County, California, missing persons nonprofit group — says security video in the area of Pico Boulevard and Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles shows Kobayashi with someone and has sparked concern.
Family members said they couldn’t speak about it in detail because they don’t want to hinder investigators. It’s not clear when the video was recorded. Pidgeon said that based on the video, there’s reason to believe Kobayashi “is not OK.”
Relatives say Kobayashi booked her trip to New York with a boyfriend with whom she has since broken up. They said the unidentified man was on the same flight to Los Angeles but didn’t have contact with Kobayashi and made the connection to New York City. They described him as very cooperative.
The group gathered in Los Angeles is focusing its own search on the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Hill Street, near the Convention Center, LA Live and Crypto Arena, family members said.
Father Ryan Kobayashi is among them.
“Everything is just a blur it seems, because I haven’t slept well since I’ve heard the news, and I really don’t know … it’s just really concerning,” he told KHNL earlier.
In 2013, the story of missing Canadian tourist Elsa Lam, 21, sparked international headlines when her body was found in a water tank on the roof of a run-down hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Security video of Lam pacing inside a hotel elevator and pressing multiple buttons before her death helped inspire conspiracy theories, but the Los Angeles County medical examiner determined she drowned accidentally in an event influenced by her bipolar disorder.
On Monday, citing speculation that Kobayashi needed a “break,” Pidgeon sought to reassure the public that she didn’t suffer from mental illness.
“Hannah has never once suffered from a mental illness,” she said. “She has no record on that. She is not on medication. Hannah’s someone that we can call and she’s going to call us back within an hour.”
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Local artists will help tell the stories of Oahu’s historical and cultural landmarks through a new public art initiative launching next year.
“Wahi Pana: Storied Places” will explore the layered and profound histories of Oahu’s aina, or land, to inspire respect and provide educational experiences for residents and visitors alike.
The initiative will feature 12 artists and 11 sites across the island, such as Waimea Valley, Haleiwa Beach Park and Hanauma Bay.
“The art will be expressed through various forms of storytelling, including sculpture, video, photography, poetry, painting, and mele,” said Kaʻili Trask O’Connell, executive director, Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts. “By deepening historical and cultural awareness with residents and visitors, the initiative encourages more meaningful engagement with Hawaii’s aina and its people.”
Cory Kamehanaokalā Holt Taum will create vinyl bus wraps for selected city buses that will depict the journey of Hiiaka, Pele’s youngest sister.
“This project is a chance for us as artists to connect with our communities and to bring the spirit of each wahi pana, each storied place to life,” he said.
Carl F.K. Pao will create tiled murals at Fort Street Mall that transform Hawaiian into a visual language.
Brandy Nālani McDougall, 2023–2025 Hawaii State Poet Laureate, will compose poetry relating to the presence and perception of Leahi, or Diamond Head.
The project, supported by a $1 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge, will begin installations in February 2025 and will run through March 2028.
Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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