Name: Maui Brewing Company
Location: Laihana, HI
Type: Production
Available in DC Market: Yes
What you need to know: When Garrett Marrero and Melanie Oxley founded Maui Brewing Company in 2005, the Hawaiian beer scene was a bit lacking; visitors were hard-pressed to find a decent pint. Seizing the opportunity, the husband and wife team have developed a strong following and raised the standards for the 50th state by crafting unique beers from 100% Hawaiian ingredients. MBC is seriously committed to local and sustainable brewing; it’s only recently that they’ve made the leap into our market with a few flagships. While they will be pouring one beer already in the market (and a tasty one at that), there’s something special coming to SAVOR from the Aloha State…
Beer #1: CoCoNut PorTeR (robust porter / 6.0%)
Notes: Man oh man, is this a good one. The creamy tan head, silky texture, and forward aroma combine to evoke a coconut mocha from your favorite coffee shop – in a good way. The hand-toasted coconut just barely peeks out from behind a veil of roasted malt; it’s got sweet, bitter, and even a little sour in just the right proportions. While a few reviewers argue that this would more properly be termed a stout, they all agree that this is one tasty beer.
Beer Advocate: 90 (295 reviews)
Rate Beer: 98 overall, 99 style (789 ratings)
Beer #2: Sobrehumano Palena ‘ole (red ale / 4%)
Notes: Maui teamed up with the Michiganders at Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales to create this special beer to debut at SAVOR (its name means Superhuman Without Limits in Spanish and Hawaiian). It works like this: MBC and JP will each brew up a batch of the stuff at home, using cherries and liliko’i (aka passionfruit); MBC will conventionally ferment it, can it, and pour it at SAVOR, while JP will sour it, bottle it, and distribute it as far as the yield allows. Given the outstanding stuff both breweries have been putting out, this one is a can’t miss, especially when you get it poured to you by the good folks who brewed it themselves.
Beer Advocate: N/A
Rate Beer: N/A
Summary: Maui is a fantastic addition to the growing roster of beers distributed in and around the District. Make a point of thanking them for bringing their tasty stuff to these parts and cajoling them to release more styles for distribution. Oh, and wish them a safe trip home – it’s a long flight.
This profile is a part of the DCBEER.COM SAVOR Brewery Profile series. For more information, follow the link to see profiles of all 2012 SAVOR participants.
Beer Review Disclaimer: The beer reviews found on Beer Advocate and Rate Beer do not represent the opinions of this site. We provide these in the hope that they will serve as a resource showing what some craft beer fans have thought of the beers. These reviews can be a helpful guideline, but are not the be-all end-all about a beer’s strengths or weaknesses.
