Dear Mainland, Aloha (Volcano, Kilauea: association, place, market)

[Dthraco]

Originally Posted by mdand3boys

And don't bring that to a local party, it is viewed as a tourist beer - locals drink the "green bottles", you know, dakine?

Originally from the NW, and a bit of a beer snob, the green bottles taste better IMHO.

Still love the commercials though. Clever.

[merced mullet]

Originally Posted by mdand3boys

And don't bring that to a local party, it is viewed as a tourist beer - locals drink the "green bottles", you know, dakine?

Eastside Kaua'i (Kapa'a, Anahol'a, Lihu'e) - Heineken
Westside Kaua'i (Waime'a, Kekah'a) - Keystone Light...or whatev'a on sale
"Haole-wood" (Poi'p'u, Hana'lei, Princeville, resort and gated communities) - Kona Brewing products

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by merced mullet

Eastside Kaua'i (Kapa'a, Anahol'a, Lihu'e) - Heineken
Westside Kaua'i (Waime'a, Kekah'a) - Keystone Light...or whatev'a on sale
"Haole-wood" (Poi'p'u, Hana'lei, Princeville, resort and gated communities) - Kona Brewing products

I really didn't mean this to get into a debate about the merits of different beers, I just loved the humorous attitudes of these two commercials, with their gentle island style vs mainland style diss. Made me laugh, even after several viewings. But I realize now that those without a sense of humor (not you) could fail to "get it."

In any case, yes, I've seen suitcases of the green bottles of "Steinies & Heines" fly out of Puna stores at Pau Hana hour, but lets face it, cheap beer will always be popular in working-class neighborhoods.

Meanwhile craft beer has definitely taken a solid foothold in Hawai'i. In their Memorial Day flyer I notice that KTA (Hilo Supermarket) is featuring 12 bottle cases of Sierra Nevada or Sam Adams at $13.97, and I imagine they'll sell a ton. On the other hand Foodland is featuring 12-packs of Coors, Bud, or Miller for $10.99, and they'll also sell a ton, or Hey! 30 bottle suitcases of Rolling Rock, Papst or Keystone for $23.88!!... you know, if you can get some guys to pitch in together.

Personally I was getting into the offerings of Mehana Brewery on Kawili Street in Hilo a couple of years ago, until they screwed things up and went bankrupt. Now there's a new owner, and a plan to package their beer in aluminum cans for distribution, and they should reopen soon. Big Island Brewhaus in Waimea is coming on strong with some very interesting and innovative brews, possibly the best on the island. Kona Brewing is the 800 pound gorilla of Big Island local brewing, and justifiably, because their beer and their restaurants are good, and quite popular, and have lasted over time.

Meanwhile, digging for facts, I came across this... quite a surprise... Blowfish, the Hangover Remedy, recently commissioned a survey to determine the top beer choice in each state, and according to them, Hawai'i's favorite beer comes in a clear bottle... Corona Extra - La Cerveza Mas Fina.

Blowfish for Hangovers — Intoxication Nation

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by mdand3boys

And don't bring that to a local party, it is viewed as a tourist beer - locals drink the "green bottles", you know, dakine?

Heinekin?

[Rain Monkey]

Stopped by the Kona Brewing pub/restaurant in Hawaii Kai this weekend. Didn't resemble the
attached YT ads. I ordered a cold Steinie (an attempt at a joke), The server didn't laugh. Of
course the humidity has been around 80% and the temp in the mid-80's. Seems like folks are
a little 'hotter' than normal. Hope the trades return soon!

[R_Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by mdand3boys

And don't bring that to a local party, it is viewed as a tourist beer - locals drink the "green bottles", you know, dakine?

I don't know....
I drink what I like drink. I no care what someone else thinks about my drink!

And when did that become a problem? I lived there 30 years and always brought all kine interesting beers to parties. Corona is made from corn and tastes like it to me. Heinie - meh. I like beer with body. Kona Longboard is pretty good. As a matter of fact, I'm drinkin' one right now!

I just bought a mix case of Kona beers and brought it to a party today for Memorial day (Happy Memorial Day Everyone!!) and it went over big. Yeah, I'm in Phoenix right now. But remember, we have over 150,000 people from Hawaii living here now...)

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by R_Cowgirl

I just bought a mix case of Kona beers and brought it to a party today for Memorial day (Happy Memorial Day Everyone!!) and it went over big. Yeah, I'm in Phoenix right now. But remember, we have over 150,000 people from Hawaii living here now...)

We have this thing called stinkeye here. And you'd get it here in Hawaii if you showed up with Longboard.

Unless of course, they ran out of everything else

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Rain Monkey

Stopped by the Kona Brewing pub/restaurant in Hawaii Kai this weekend. Didn't resemble the attached YT ads. I ordered a cold Steinie (an attempt at a joke), The server didn't laugh.

Owie! I hope you tipped your server well.

Originally Posted by R_Cowgirl

I don't know....
I drink what I like drink. I no care what someone else thinks about my drink!

Precisely right. And really, have you ever known a local Hawaiian to turn down a cold, free beer, no matter what the brand? Naahhh, me neither.

[KauaiHiker]

Wow, stink eye for bringing the "wrong" beer to a luau or potluck, I must still be in the malihini circle of purgatory. Don't worry, I drink Steinlager at home, even the "pure" label (though to tell you the truth, I can't tell the difference). So is there any beer brewed locally and accepted by the "local" customs?

You know, I was excited at first when Primo came back, not because I was here to remember it the first time, but because it represented a local beer for locals. I think it was even brewed under license on Kauai for a while. But then it switched to being imported from Long Beach and it's just a label for marketing now (at least it's not Long Island--New York? Get a rope! For those who remember).

But I love me some Wailua Wheat, the one with a hint of Lilikoi, and the pipeline porter with coffee. The Maui coconut porter is tasty too. I like flavored beers if you can't tell, at least they stand out, though I wouldn't drink them every day.

And now we have 2 microbreweries on Kauai: Kauai island brewing in port Allen that relocated from Waimea, and the newly opened Kauai Beer company in Lihue. Actually, I think we still have Keoki brewing (no restaurant, just store sales) and it looks like they've rebranded to Hawaii Nui.

Originally Posted by Rain Monkey

Stopped by the Kona Brewing pub/restaurant in Hawaii Kai this weekend. Didn't resemble the
attached YT ads.

Actually, that was the one thing that was off in the ads: Hawaii doesn't have palapas selling beer on the beach the way they do in Mexico, and purposefully so (keeping the beaches public and free of structures). Maybe it was part of the joke (as in over-stereotyped) but it was still odd to see typical and genuine Mexico scenery mixed with Hawaiian tourist-fake decor.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by KauaiHiker

So is there any beer brewed locally and accepted by the "local" customs?

I can't claim over Memorial Day weekend I got diehard "local" with bbq's/parties in Waimanalo or Waianae, but at the ones I did stop by I didn't see any Primo, Kona, Maui, or Kauai labeled beer now that I think of it. Heavy emphasis on Heineken, Corona, some of the Oregon niche beers like Rogue, and also plenty of Bud Light.