Maui Brewing – Pushing The Limits With Onion Beer

Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii – Maui Brewing Co. (MBC) announced that they will feature a special onion beer at the May 6th Maui Onion Festival Beer Dinner at the Hula Grill. This dinner precedes the 22nd Annual Maui Onion Festival scheduled for Saturday, May 7.

This festival has been held at Whalers Village since 1990 and is dedicated to the cultivation and promotion of the world-famous Maui Onion. Thousands of visitors and residents attend every year to enjoy recipe contests, games and prizes, a beer garden, chef demonstrations, live entertainment and food booths.

The four-course dinner at the Hula Grill features the Maui Onion and beer pairings with several Maui Brewing Co. craft beers. Garrett Marrero comments, “We are excited to debut our newest and arguably oddest creation in the beer world. It definitely pushes the limits as to what most would consider beer but I think all will be pleasantly surprised.” MBC uses a variety of Hawaiian agricultural products in their recipes including coconut, pineapple and lilikoi. So, why not the world-famous Maui onion? After all, they are known as some of the sweetest onions in the world! “Clearly onion isn’t the first flavor that comes to mind when thinking of beer but we decided it’d be a fun challenge. The beer style is a malty American Brown Ale and we twisted it a bit by using the Maui Onion both carmelized and grilled; you just have to try it,” adds Garrett.

For more information on the Maui Onion Festival visit http://www.whalersvillage.com/onionfestival.htm.

Maui Brewing Co. is one of only two truly local Hawaiian breweries, brewing and packaging 100% of product in the state. Maui Brewing Co. and Hawaii Nui (on the Big Island) are very proud to be wholly produced “on-island”. Maui Brewing Co. has been recognized as Hawaii’s #1 craft beer since 2005 and the company has a strong commitment to the local economy, and deep concern for the environment. MBC craft beers are packaged with the most eco-friendly materials. Although cans and bottles are both recyclable, bottles still break and may pose a risk at beaches. The cans are manufactured on Oahu and designed by local Maui artists; they have the added bonus of protecting the beer in the best possible manner, protecting the product from both light and oxygen damage which can seriously compromise the taste. Plastic rings are dangerous to marine life and therefore, a unique, recyclable plastic carrying device is used to hold the products. The spent grain from beer production is donated to local ranchers for cattle feed and composting; and any cans damaged in production are donated to the Maui Humane Society. MBC purchased equipment from Maui Land & Pineapple, preserving a piece of Hawaii’s canning history.

Founder Garrett Marrero and his wife, Melanie, operate a 7-barrel brewpub at the Kahana location as well as a 25-barrel production brewery and canning facility in Lahaina. Maui Brewing Co. is a truly local beer as 100% of their products are made in Hawaii.