People come from all over to admire the natural beauty of Kauai—the heart-stopping heights of the Napali cliffs, the sheer grandeur of Waimea Canyon, the pristine white sand beaches, plus waterfalls, rainbows, rivers, lush landscapes, and more.
After exploring all of the Garden Isle’s stunning landscapes, why not relax with an authentic taste of Kauai—a beer from one of Kauai’s two excellent breweries? Or, if beer isn’t your thing, maybe you’d like to enjoy some small-batch rum—or even a glass of mead? You’ll find it all on Kauai, and we’ll show you where to go.
Kauai Beer Company
Started by a longtime Kauai resident who’s an even longer-time homebrewer, Kauai Beer has been brewing commercially on the Garden Isle since 2013. The brewery’s first beer, Black Limousine, was a dark lager—a Bavarian Schwarzbier that’s still in the rotation today. It’s been joined by a number of other creative brews, which you can sample alongside the tasty items from their pub menu. (Try the Brussels sprouts with kung pao sauce!) Even though Kauai Beer is known by their philosophy of “letting the beer lead the way,” their food menu is pretty darn good, too.
4265 Rice Street
Lihue, HI 96766
Kauai Island Brewing Company
Kauai Island Brewing Company got its start on Kauai’s west side as Waimea Brewing Company. When the brewery’s lease was up, the husband-and-wife owners, plus their brewmaster, moved over to a large, airy spot in Port Allen with indoor and outdoor seating, launching Kauai Island Brewing Company.
Today, Kauai Island’s beers are strongly influenced by their brewmaster’s West Coast origins. As a result, you’ll typically find a few IPAs in their regular lineup of more than a dozen. Oh, and if you’re the kind of craft beer drinker who likes to rack up stats, Kauai Island Brewing bills itself as “the world’s western-most brewery”—at least with respect to the International Date Line!
4350 Waialo Road
Port Allen Marina Center
Port Allen, HI 96705
Taps & Hops Eatery
Travel the Hawaiian Islands without leaving your barstool at Taps & Hops. You’ll find a great selection of beers from neighbor islands, like Oahu’s Honolulu Beerworks and Lanikai Brewing, the Big Island’s Ola Brew Company and Big Island Brewhaus, and Maui Brewing Company. If you’re hungry, you’ll find a diverse menu at Taps & Hops that runs the gamut from kimchi fried rice to sliders to pork belly bao.
4-885 Kuhio Highway
Kapaa, HI, United States, Hawaii
Street Burger
This micro-pub changed hands in July 2022 and reopened with a focus on showcasing ingredients from local farms. This is especially true of their 100% Hawaii grass-fed beef burgers, prepared classic-style or with some creative flair. (Your choice!) Like Taps & Hops, Street Burger also features an excellent selection of local Hawaii beer, both from Kauai and beyond.
https://streetburgerkauai.com/
4-369 Kuhio Highway
Kapaa, Hawaii 96746
Bonus Round: Mead & Rum
If you’ve got some non-beer drinkers in your crowd—or you just want to keep your taste buds guessing—you’ve got a few other options for locally crafted adult beverages on Kauai. Check out:
Nani Moon Meadery
If you’re not familiar with mead, it’s a fermented beverage made from honey, water, and yeast. (In comparison, beer is brewed from grain, hops, yeast, and water.) Mead is sometimes called “honey wine” and Stephanie Krieger, founder of Nani Moon Meadery, started making hers in her garage in Kapahi more than 20 years ago. Today, the Nani Moon Meadery Tasting Room is open five days a week in Kapaa. If you’d like to learn more about this unique beverage—and sample one of the six varieties at Nani Moon—book a mead tasting.
4-939 Kuhio Highway D
Kapaa, HI 96746
https://nanimoonmead.com/
Untappd
Koloa Rum
Sugar is no longer king in Hawaii. In fact, the last major sugar operation in Hawaii—Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar (HC&S) on Maui—closed in 2016. However, some distilleries in Hawaii, including Koloa Rum, still see a future for sugar in the Aloha State.
Whereas many types of rum are made with molasses, Koloa Rum is made from cane sugar. When Koloa started its operation, it bought up as much sugar as it could from Kauai’s Gay & Robinson sugar operation before it shut down, and it did the same from HC&S. Today, they have their eyes on using Kauai-grown sugarcane going forward. Like Kuleana Rum Works on the Big Island, Koloa is cultivating species of sugarcane that disappeared from Hawaii, some of which date back to before European arrival in Hawaii.
If you’ve flown Hawaiian Airlines recently, you may have already tasted one of Koloa’s products. Hawaiian pours Koloa’s Rum Punch as a complimentary drink on its domestic flights. If you missed that opportunity—or you just couldn’t get enough!—stop by Koloa Rum’s Company Store & Tasting Room, where tastings run daily on the hour.
3-2087 Kaumualii Highway
Lihue, HI 96766
Hanalei Spirits
Founded in September 2019, Hanalei Spirits is about as local as it gets; the founders grow a number of their ingredients right on their North Shore family farm. With offerings like sugarloaf pineapple rum, lilikoicello , taro vodka, and okolehao (a spirit made from the ti plant), Hanalei delivers distinctive tastes you won’t find anywhere else. Look for Hanalei Spirits in shops all over Kauai, or reach out to them to arrange a tasting.
Kilauea, HI
Enjoying All That Kauai Has to Offer
Even though Kauai is the smallest of the four major Hawaiian Islands—and the least populated—you’ll still be able to find plenty of locally crafted beverages on the island. Whether you want to enjoy Kauai’s finest beers, mead, or rum—or sample tastes from the entire Hawaiian Island chain—you’ll find several venues on Kauai to satisfy your cravings.
Oh, and keep your eyes on Hanalei Brewing Co. and Napali Brewing Co., two up-and-coming entries to the Kauai brewing scene.
Moving to Kauai? Our Lihue-based team would be happy to help you move your belongings to the Garden Isle. Just reach out for a free quote to get started. (And we’d be happy to talk about our favorite spots to grab a beer on Kauai!)
