Big Aloha Brewery, at Sam Choy's Breakfast, Lunch, & Crab

Alright, for those of you in the know, this isn't a newsflash: there are only two places on Oahu that actually brew on premise. Currently, there is only Big Aloha Brewing, and Gordon Biersch. Is it just me, or is that just plain sad?

There are many reasons to visit your local brewery. Sustainability: there is little or no packaging wasted on your beer and it wasn't shipped from a place thousands of miles away on massively polluting, gas guzzling boats. Also, if the beer is on cask-- a relatively unknown concept on the island-- there is a lower carbon footprint.  Taste: the beer is optimally fresh and your hops are hoppy, your grains are grainy-- again because there is no long sea voyage under unknown storage conditions. Economy: you are helping employ residents of our state in areas from shipping, to construction, to hospitality, to tourism (beer tourism is BIG), to the actual brewing.

But what about the Big Aloha's Beer?

Well, it seems that they have about five house brews on tap at any given time. Now and then the brewer, David Campbell may sneak in a seasonal beer of his design. At the time that I visited, there were only the five normal beers on tap. The James Cook IPA, which is an English style IPA, (Cook was an Englishman) was nicely balanced and just hoppy enough to keep me entertained. The Ehu Ale was a real surprise for me. Malty and complex, this is a beer that I wouldn't have chosen based upon the description, but it exceeded all expectations. I would go so far as to say that this may be the best beer in the house!


(Side note: Their Friday Luau plate is GREAT!)

Highlights: Ehu Ale, James Cook IPA

Missing: American IPA, or for this holiday season, a winter warmer.

Selection: 7/10 (Only judging how many styles they cover. I think they need 1-2 more on tap.)
Location: 7/10 (free valet, but you should tip)
Price: 7.5/10
Friendliness: 8/10
Beer Knowledge: 10/10 (based on the quality of the beer, Campbell is no dummy)
Over all grade: B