All the Deets on Maui Brewing Company
If you haven’t already heard, Maui Brewing Company is an awesome local microbrewery that is located on the Hawaiian island of Maui (naturally). They are Hawaii’s largest craft brewery and their products are distributed throughout the United States (and supposedly Canada, but I haven’t seen it yet). Since 2005, they have been whipping up a variety of island brewed ales and lagers, along with a few limited releases, and their non-alcoholic handcrafted sodas.
And we all know that delicious beer must be accompanied by delicious food! So, we decided to drop into one of the four restaurant locations to check out their recommended pairings.
Right off the bat, the restaurant highlights the seven flagship beers, as well as some seasonal variations. With tons to choose from, you can either ask for a recommendation (their staff are super friendly and knowledgeable) or you can check out the drinks menu for descriptions of each year-round beer. Due to the nature of the brewery, almost anything you opt for will contain some sort of island flare. I’m talking citrus, coconut, and even pineapple. I have been reaching for porters recently because I enjoy the richness of dark ales, so I chose the Coconut Hiwa. It was deep and robust and is flavoured with hand-toasted coconut & hints of mocha. Really delicious, really enjoyable, 10/10 would recommend!
There are two words I’d use to describe the food options at the Maui Brewing Co. restaurant in Lahaina: beer food. You know the kind, the type of food that goes perfectly with an ice cold pint. Everything is great for sharing, with favourites such as nachos, hot wings, sliders, and flatbreads, but they offer solid entrees as well. Think: Thai beef salad with shaved papaya, the Kahuna Burger that is 50% grass-fed beef and 50% bacon, and local classics like Loco Moco and a teriyaki rice bowl. We just had to try the shrimp cakes with jalapeño tartar, the teriyaki chicken and cheesesteak sliders, and the seared ahi cobb salad.
And the menus vary slightly from location to location which means you can bar hop to try new things! Head on over to Kihei for a fried chicken katsu sandwich, Waikiki’s got ahi poke bowls, and in Kailua, it’s all about the house-made beet hummus made with local beets and served with grilled flatbread.
If you live in the States, with easy access to Maui Brewing Co. beer, consider yourself lucky. When I get home, the hunt is on to find the Coconut Hiwa anywhere near me! Have you tried Maui Brewing Co. yet? Which is your favourite beer? Been to the restaurants? Let me know your thoughts below. And if you haven’t had the pleasure of sampling these craft beers, let me know which you’d try first!
