Big Island Brewhaus | Waimea, HI
Beer Trip: Big Island Brewhaus in Waimea, Hawaii
With the size of the Big Island, it’s somewhat of a chore to make the 1-hour trip up to Waimea from either Hilo or Kona - but visiting Big Island Brewhaus was well worth the venture! We could tell this place was popular with both locals and tourists alike, and we were able to experience both their great food and award-winning beer during our visit.
Awesome foliage surrounding the facility from the outside.
A brew dog spotted onsite!
The Brewery
The spacious covered outdoor patio
Big Island Brewhaus is hidden from the road via a bamboo fence that wraps nearly 3 sides of the building, creating an awesome ambiance for patrons seeking an outdoor experience. Directly inside the fence is the patio, which is where most of their seating is. The entire area is covered by a translucent canopy that offers plenty of shade while still letting in lots of natural lighting.
The inside space is pretty small, with about half a dozen tables and a 6-person bar. They display their beer awards with pride inside, with tons of medals and trophies lining the walls. Both the inside and outside sections feature artwork of their flagship beers scattered about, showing just how proud they are of their work. If you do opt to sit inside, you’re still sure to get great lighting through a large, overhead skylight.
Views of the impressive hand-built bamboo wall
The interior featuring fun ceilings and floor tiles
The Beer
A flight in a muffin tin was a first for us!
“Their beer is better than sex” is how the brews at Big Island Brewhaus were described to us by another beer enthusiast we encountered on our trip. While we were already planning on visiting, this certainly gave us additional incentive to make the drive. They consistently maintain 12 different taps, with about half of those being flagships and the other half rotating. During our visit, the selections ran the gamut with just about every style imaginable. Whether you wanted to try a rice lager, pilsner, Belgian strong, Scottish ale, or an IPA, they had the style to suit your fancy. One word of caution, though, when visiting, is that a good number of their brews are 8% ABV or higher.
With so many unique beers, we opted for a few full pours as well as a flight, which they serve in muffin tins. One brew worth noting is their Great American Beer Festival bronze winner, Golden Sabbath. This Belgian strong is boozy at 8.5%, with a nice, sweet honey taste mixed in. Our other top choice is the White Mountain Porter, which has also won several awards both locally and nationally. This brew has an awesome coconut flavor, pairing nicely with the smooth coffee base of the porter. Like most Hawaiian breweries, they source their fruits locally - and we believe you can truly taste the freshness in the glass.
Food, Merch, & More
The fried fish bites were delicious
Although it’s definitely a brewery, this place has a restaurant feel to it via the sit-down service. They have a full kitchen with food options like tacos, burritos, burgers, and sandwiches. We ordered garlic fries as an appetizer, paired with fish bites and a burrito - all of the food was top-notch! Their merchandise is displayed near the bar inside and includes t-shirts, hats, hoodies, biking jerseys, and glassware. Lucky for us, they also had stickers and a nice to-go beer selection for us to travel home with.
Additional views of the interior
We are glad we made the detour to Big Island Brewhaus to enjoy a lunch and sample some of the best beer on the island. If you make your way to the central Pacific, be sure to pay them a visit.
Garlic parmesan french fries with house-made aoli
We had a little gecko join us for lunch!
Some of the merchandise available
