Aww Snap; Honolulu On Tap

Having missed Honolulu on Tap my first year on the island, there was nothing that was going to stop my attendance this year!  As I walked into the Blaisdell Center, I was greeted by the sound of what seemed like a thousand conversations going on at once.  There were booths of beer vendors lining the exterior and vendors back to back running down the middle of the aisles.  Tiny glasses filled with tiny bubbles and giant smiles adorned everyone in the room.  All my local Hawaiian favorites made it: Waikiki Brewing, Maui Brewing, Lanikai, Home of the Brave, Honolulu Beer Works.  Some of the newer breweries on the scene like Beer Lab were also there.

Some of the beers I sampled stood out as new and interesting, like Belching Beaver's: Mexican Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout.  It was slightly spicy, with the smoothness of their usual PB Stout.  It was definitely worth a pint...but not more than one in a session.  Lanikai was serving up a Double Dry Hopped Sour Ale called Pinehopple Swipe that was a great Sour; not over the top with the pucker factor, smooth and drinkable.  The latest craze in IPAs  made it's showing with Heretic Bewing's Make America Juicy Again which was a great example of the hazy, juicy, and smooth style of IPA.  Beer Lab brought out several samples, which I tried all of…and vaguely remember that I really enjoyed their Rye Kage.

 I could go on and on about all the beers I remember sampling, but I love beer...so I don't remember all of them. Note to self, next fest...take better notes! If you have never been to a beer fest you should go now!