We recently caught up with brewer and general happiest guy we ever met and asked him a few questions. Please meet Garrett Marrero from Maui Brewing Company. We recently caught up with the brewer which offers beer made in Hawaii and shipped to the mainland. There are a few confusing brands out there that claim to be shipped from Hawaii and Garrett will attempt to clear that up for us.
Tell us about Maui Brewing Company.
We have been shipping our brand to Texas and it’s been selling really well, the biggest problem has just been keeping up. We realize that’s a problem and we have been gearing up to give Texas more of what they want.
The main beers we sell in Texas are Mana Wheat, Maui Gold Pineapple, Coconut Porter which is a robust hand crafted porter made with toasted coconut, Bikini Blonde Lager, a German lager and Big Swell IPA. We also create limited drafts for this market.
What makes Maui Brewing different than some of the other brewers?
We are very green and very local. I know there is another beer sold here in Texas [Kona] that claims they are made in Hawaii but it’s actually made in New Hampshire. Hawaii has 6 breweries but none of them sell on the mainland with the exception of Maui.
We market our beer as being better and local from Hawaii. So no matter what you are looking for, if you are having a luau, going to the river or beach we have a beer that will stand up to the occasion.
How did you get into this business?
I started the company after leaving investment consulting. I fell in love with Maui and thought I would really love to make some great beer and do something truly local. Making something that didn’t exist at the time; this brewery has brought a lot of attention to Hawaii. It’s also part of that locavore mentality. Knowing where you food is from, your beer and spirits and supporting your local farmers.
Why cans and not bottles?
Many reasons. We are a very green company and cans make great sense for the environment. It is also better for the beer itself, which is the main reason we choose cans. With cans there are virtually no oxidation problems plus we require cold storage from all our distributors.
Where can we find your beer locally?
Whole Foods is a strong supporter locally, Central Market, Market Street, anywhere better beers are sold.