HISTORY
History of Beer and Brewing in Hawaii
Beer was first made in the islands as early as 1812, but no proper brewing company took hold until 1854 when a company in Honolulu advertised an alcohol-free beer in the weekly newspaper. Beer as we know it today started in 1901 with the founding of the Honolulu Brewing & Malting Company on Queen Street. Its Primo Island Lager was brewed in a red brick building that still stands; its elaborate brick architecture is unique for the islands and offers a classic photo opportunity for beer historians.
Prohibition brought an end to brewing in Hawaii until its repeal. World War II also brought thirsty soldiers to Pearl Harbor. Countless breweries came and went throughout the subsequent decades, succumbing to the same effects of consolidation felt across the mainland in the mid 20th century. Even Primo in its original form did not last—after Schlitz acquired it in 1963, production was moved away from Hawaii in 1979. While still widely available, the brand is now produced by Pabst. It was not until the 1980s and ’90s that microbreweries and brewpubs appeared. Modifications of state liquor laws beginning in 2005 allowed brewpubs to distribute beer and made allowances for growers, bottles, and kegs to be sold, which unleashed a tsunami of local beer.
-Excerpt from "Where to Drink in Honolulu" from BeerAdvocate Magazine 2018 by Alexander Gates
