Maui brewing fest aims for accessible
POSTED: Saturday, May 16, 2009
When staffers were pondering how to celebrate the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's 15th anniversary, they agreed whatever gala they planned should appeal to a large segment of the community, just like MACC's diverse array of presentations. Each year, more than 260,000 people attend MACC's art exhibits and performances, which range from symphony, slack key guitar and storytelling to hula, ballet and plays.
THE HAWAII BEER BOOK
This is the essential guide for beer lovers in Hawaii! Author Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi covers everything you need to know about beer, from history, trivia and cooking with beer to home brewing, profiles of local craft brewers and the best places in the islands to find the perfect pint. The Hawaii Beer Book retails for $15.95 at bookstores and gift shops throughout the state. For more information, check out Watermark Publishing's Web site www.bookshawaii.net or call 587-7766 on Oahu or toll free (866) 900-BOOK.
MAUI BREWERS FESTIVAL
» Place: Maui Arts & Cultural Center » Date: Saturday, May 30
» Time: 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.
» Admission: The Liquid Aloha Lounge VIP Ticket includes access to the VIP tent; VIP pupu selection (and access to all the general admission pupu, too); shaded seating; commemorative T-shirt, commemorative mug, free parking and a wristband with eight four-ounce beverage tickets. Kona Brewing beer will be featured in the VIP tent. However, you may roam throughout the event area to sample other selections. Cost is $150; $175 if purchased the day of the event.
The Brewers Ticket includes a wristband good for eight four-ounce pours, all-you-can-eat pupus and a commemorative mug. Cost is $50; $75 if purchased the day of the event.
» Phone: (808) 242-SHOW
» E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
» Web site: www.mauiarts.org
» Notes: Tickets may be purchased either by phone or on the Web. Attendees must be at least 21 years old. You can buy additional pours of beer beyond the eight that come with each ticket, and non-alcoholic drinks will be available for designated drivers. Bring your own lawn chairs; there will be shaded seating only in the Liquid Aloha Lounge.
» Maui Brewing Co. is offering West Maui attendees a $75 package that includes admission, a Maui Brewing Co. T-shirt, and round-trip transportation between MAAC and its brewpub at Kahana Gateway Plaza. Call (808) 669-3474 for more information.
|
“;Rather than a fancy, expensive event, we wanted to throw a casual party that more people could and would attend,”; said Toni Rojas, MACC's director of corporate sales and special events. “;The Maui Brewers Festival was the answer to the question: How can we celebrate the anniversary with a fun, affordable event that would also raise much-needed funds?”;
Six months in the making, the inaugural Maui Brewers Festival is set for May 30, with Big Island-based Kona Brewing Co. as the presenting sponsor. All proceeds will support MACC's arts education programs and enable it to continue to bring the world's best performing and visual artists to Maui.
The format for the Maui Brewers Festival will be similar to the Kona Brewers Festival in March, which Kona Brewing Co. has been spearheading for 14 years. Twenty-three breweries will be offering samples of 46 different beers, including Caldera in Ashland, Ore.; Lost Coast in Eureka, Calif.; and Port Brewing in San Marcos, Calif., whose products aren't distributed in Hawaii. Other than the Kona Brewers Festival, the Maui Brewers Festival is the only opportunity that beer aficionados in Hawaii have to taste these beers.
Also, some breweries will be offering beers that are only served at their pubs; among them is Kona Brewing Co.'s Oceanic Organic Ale, a Belgian-style saison made of organic malt, hops and spices.
The two other local craft breweries that will be participating are Maui Brewing Co. in West Maui and Hawaii Nui, which has production facilities in Lihue on Kauai and Hilo on the Big Island. Hawaii Nui will be pouring Mehana Humpback Blue and Hapa Ale. Maui Brewing Co. will be debuting its first two handcrafted sodas made with organic honey from Manoa Honey Co., Maui Gold pineapple and Maui Brand Natural Cane Sugar, along with two new seasonal beers, Yellow Submarine and Black Powder IPA.
Admission prices include all-you-can-eat pupu such as seafood wontons, barbecue ribs, lilikoi meatballs, mini crab cakes, chicken satay and Maui Brewing's beer-battered Maui onion rings. Also planned are prize giveaways and sales of festival shirts and logo items from the breweries.
Emcee Kawikaveeka, program director and weekday morning drive host for 92.5 FM radio, will introduce a live entertainment lineup featuring Erin Smith and the Throwdowns, Off Tomorrow, Celtic Tigers and the Island Rumors Band.
Two thousand people are expected to attend the Maui Brewers Festival, including, Rojas hopes, a good percentage of visitors. “;This is a new event that will give them a chance to meet and mingle with kamaaina in a fun, relaxing environment,”; she said. “;There will be great beer, island food and entertainment—all to support a worthy cause. What better way is there to spend a Saturday afternoon?”;
