Hawaii

[mammel]

My wife and I will be going to Maui and Kauaii next October.

I was wondering if anyone knew if there were any authentic hawaiin places that serve the awesome drinks of days gone by?

Thanks

[Edward Hamilton]

Like most places the landscape is changing all the time in regards to who is making good drinks. Most of the old tiki bars are gone but let me see what I can find out from a couple of distillers in Hawaii.

[Seminole]

If you are in Waikiki on your way to the other islands, there are 2 places I recommend. 1) Royal Hawaiian (where the Mai Tai was created I think) and 2) Rum Fire Bar at the Sheraton. The Rum Fire has a huge selection of high end rums as well as some good mixed drinks. I like the Lavender Cucumber Mojito made with 10 Cane rum.

[Seminole]

Also, the only true distiller in Hawaii that I know of is Haleakala Distillers who make Maui Rum and are there in Maui. Not bad and has won a couple of awards.

[Rum Balls]

Koloa Rum is relatively new on Kaua'i, and has a tasting room: http://www.koloarum.com/

See this post for a few other details on Koloa: http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=34960&forum=10&hilite=rum

Also, Haleakala Distillers on Maui is now making 'Okolehao...you may want to check them out, as well:
http://www.haleakaladistillers.com/

[mammel]

Thanks for the tip on Koalo Rum, i didnt know it was there. I was always planning on picking up some Haleakala distillers products. Its funny, i have now been on both websites, and finding actual information on their rums is hard. You'd think when making a website for a product, you would actually put some information about it on there.

[Edward Hamilton]

I share your frustration. Before they began production Koloa Rum sent me a few press releases but when it was disclosed that they hadn't actually begun making rum communication fell through the cracks.

From the looks of their management team they have very big ideas on making Koala a big success. I'd like to know more as well.

[yellowbird]

I also recommend Lewer's Lounge at the Halekulani hotel. Although they don't have as broad a rum selection as Rumfire, they do make good cocktails... this is mostly due to the fact that they actually measure! They also are the only bar on O'ahu (as far as I've found) that has Falernum. If you want a drink with a demerara 80 you are out of luck, though they have the Lemon Hart 151. No agricoles... bartender didn't even know what I was talking about.

I had a horrid experience at the Mai Tai bar at the Royal Hawaiian. Not only do those guys not care about measuring, they also don't know shit about spirits. One drink I ordered from them touted the flavors of curacao and cachaca as the highlight of the drink. The bartender asked me, "Do you want blue curacao in it?" -- Upon hearing this, I thought he was offering me a choice, blue Bols vs. clear Bols. I said, "well, if you have the regular Bols, I'll take that." He didn't know that curacao comes in anything but blue color and omitted the curacao entirely. The drink also called for muddled limes and pineapple syrup. He floated a lime wedge in the top of the drink. UGH.

Actually there are ZERO agricoles to be found in the state of Hawaii, period. Has to do with the one liquor distributor that runs things. If you want an ag, you gotta bring it in yourself.

[yellowbird]

I share your frustration. Before they began production Koloa Rum sent me a few press releases but when it was disclosed that they hadn't actually begun making rum communication fell through the cracks.

From the looks of their management team they have very big ideas on making Koloa a big success. I'd like to know more as well.


Also, it's Koloa Rum. It's named after a gulch called Koloa Gulch. Not the tree-hugging marsupial.

[Edward Hamilton]

Also, it's Koloa Rum. It's named after a gulch called Koloa Gulch. Not the tree-hugging marsupial.

Thanks for the correction. I need some new glasses and a vacation.

[Koloa Rum]

Aloha,
Koloa Rum is named after the first successful sugar plantation in Hawaii which was established near Kōloa Town on Kaua`i in 1835, where the original stone chimney from the Kōloa Mill can still be seen today.