The 20 Best Beers in Hawaii

BAR NOTES

Hand-toasted coconut, mocha, and roasted malt build a full-flavored porter that stays dry enough to keep the tropical richness in balance. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Let it warm for several minutes so the coconut and coffee-like roast can separate and deepen. Pair it with chocolate cake, kalua pork, or coconut custard; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Light caramel malt, restrained bitterness, and a soft tropical-fruit impression make this golden ale unusually easy to place beside food or sunshine. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Drink the Hawaiʻi-brewed version fresh and cold when you want a familiar introduction to Kona’s house character. Pair it with grilled fish, poke, or a simple cheeseburger; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Tropical citrus, grapefruit, and pine rise from dry hopping while a lean malt base keeps the finish crisp, bitter, and genuinely refreshing. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Check the package date and drink it fresh because its clean hop aroma is the reason this longstanding IPA still matters. Pair it with spicy tuna, fish tacos, or jerk chicken; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Citra, Simcoe, Cascade, and Centennial hops layer tropical fruit, citrus, and pine over a silky malt center with a long, purposeful bitterness. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Seek it fresh near the brewery and compare its classic hop structure with the softer shape of newer island IPAs. Pair it with grilled ono, barbecue ribs, or sharp cheddar; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Soft bread and honeyed malt meet restrained noble-hop spice in a clean, rounded lager whose gentle sweetness ends with brisk carbonation. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Pour it very cold after a beach day, then let the first glass warm slightly to expose its subtle malt depth. Pair it with garlic shrimp, grilled chicken, or fish and chips; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Toasty honeyed malt supports citrus, floral, and lightly resinous hops in a copper-colored pale ale with more structure than Big Wave. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Choose it when you want old-school American pale-ale balance rather than the saturated fruit and softer bitterness of modern haze. Pair it with Cajun shrimp, grilled steak, or a mushroom burger; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Toasted coconut and coffee fold into cocoa-rich malt, giving this robust porter a distinctly Hawaiian accent without turning it into liquid dessert. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Serve it cool instead of refrigerator-cold and compare it with Coconut Hiwa to find the brighter coffee and drier roast. Pair it with smoked pork, chocolate tart, or vanilla ice cream; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Maui Gold pineapple adds a ripe tropical aroma and gentle fruit sweetness to a smooth wheat base, followed by a light and tidy finish. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Keep it cold and pour gently so its fruit stays aromatic and fresh rather than reading as sugary. Pair it with teriyaki chicken, coconut shrimp, or fruit salad; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Columbus, Amarillo, Citra, and Mosaic deliver pine, grapefruit, dank resin, and berry hints over a dry base with an unapologetically bitter finish. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Drink it fresh when you want a sharper West Coast counterpoint to Hawaii’s golden ales and fruit-forward wheat beers. Pair it with spicy poke, carnitas tacos, or a blue-cheese burger; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Pale malt, faint honey, and delicate spicy hops form a smooth lager with clean fermentation, moderate carbonation, and a mellow dry finish. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Use it as the baseline in a Hawaii lager flight before moving toward the fruitier Maʻa or maltier Bikini Blonde. Pair it with poke bowls, grilled mahi-mahi, or pizza; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

All-pilsner malt gives the beer a rounded graininess while Kölsch yeast contributes quiet citrus and banana beneath delicate Hallertau hop aroma. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Pour it cold in a narrow glass and notice how its extra fermentation character separates it from a neutral American lager. Pair it with musubi, grilled chicken, or fried fish; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Local honey and citrus lift a dry saison base with floral sweetness, orange-like brightness, and peppery yeast character that finishes lively rather than sticky. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Serve it in a stemmed glass and give the carbonation room to carry its spice and delicate honey aroma. Pair it with goat cheese, roast chicken, or citrus salad; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Rich caramel malt carries citrus, pine, and floral hops in an intentionally old-school IPA whose firm bitterness contrasts with today’s softer examples. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Order it when you want a direct snapshot of the sturdy, malt-backed American IPA shape that preceded haze. Pair it with barbecue pork, pepperoni pizza, or sharp cheddar; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Hand-toasted coconut overlays banana, clove, and soft wheat in a creamy hefeweizen that feels tropical without losing the style’s yeast-driven core. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Roll the can gently before opening and pour into a tall wheat-beer glass to lift both coconut and fermentation aroma. Pair it with banana bread, Thai curry, or grilled shrimp; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Light grain, pear, apple, and herbal hops make a clean cream ale with a soft body, restrained bitterness, and a distinctly refreshing finish. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Choose it when a tasting needs a technically clean reset between stronger IPAs, fruit beers, and coconut-rich porters. Pair it with fried chicken, fish sandwiches, or salty fries; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Hawaiian-grown coffee reinforces roasted malt, cocoa, and caramel in a medium-bodied porter whose familiar surf-brand packaging hides real dark-beer balance. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Let it rise above refrigerator temperature and smell before sipping so the coffee reads as aromatic rather than simply bitter. Pair it with tiramisu, smoked brisket, or chocolate brownies; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

European pilsner malt supplies light sweetness while spicy hops and firm carbonation pull the beer toward a clean, snappy, dry finish. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Drink it fresh and very cold, ideally as the first beer in a flight before richer malt or fruit additions. Pair it with grilled sausage, fried fish, or a turkey sandwich; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Citrus, pine, and tropical hops lead a clear, malt-supported West Coast IPA with decisive bitterness and a dry, uncluttered exit. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Check freshness, then place it beside Overboard to compare two assertive Big Island interpretations of the same broad style. Pair it with spicy wings, grilled burgers, or ahi tacos; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Ground kiawe pods contribute nutty caramel and smoke, while vanilla smooths chocolate and roast in a creamy porter with a gently savory finish. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Pour a smaller serving and let it warm enough for the unusual kiawe character to move beyond simple sweetness. Pair it with pecan pie, smoked ribs, or aged Gouda; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.

BAR NOTES

Hawaiian and Tahitian vanilla meet chocolate, coffee-like roast, and a light body in a porter that closes the list with distinctly local character. It earns this position by adding a distinct flavor, technique, or piece of island brewing history to a balanced statewide tasting.

Taste it beside Kiawe Vanilla Porter to separate Lanikai’s softer vanilla emphasis from Ola’s nutty, smoky kiawe contribution. Pair it with chocolate mousse, grilled pork, or macadamia brittle; use a clean glass, protect the beer from heat and light, and give its aroma a moment to open before judging the finish.