LAHAINA, HAWAII – 14 September 2010 – Maui Brewing Co. (MBC) is very proud to share the news of their release of two new products in cans: Mana Wheat and Island Root Beer. Young and old, designated drivers or not, MBC beers are now for everyone! Initially, these new offerings are being distributed only in Hawaii, however Mana Wheat will see extremely limited West Coast availability. Of course, in time, both products will be found anywhere Bikini Blonde Lager, Big Swell IPA, and CoCoNut PorTer are found.
"Hefeweizen is a German-style wheat ale that is cloudy and known for its low-hop bitterness and high carbonation. In German, 'hefe' means 'yeast' and 'weizen' means 'white', implying that the beer is unfiltered and remains cloudy due to the suspended yeast. Our Mana Wheat is unique in that it is brewed with Maui Gold Pineapple," says Garrett Marrero. "It's been reviewed as a beer that is 'smooth and aromatic' with a 'sweet finish'. Pineapple is an iconic agricultural product, unfortunately American farms are on the decline; we brewed this to bring attention to this situation and hope that Americans will start focusing on buying local produce and supporting local agriculture in their communities."
Maui Brewing Co. Island Root Beer has long been a pub favorite as well as served at many events' "Designated Drivers" booths. This flavorful beverage is made with pure Maui cane sugar, Maui honey and Maui vanilla bean. This is an all-natural and local agricultural product. There is no high fructose corn syrup, no preservatives and it is naturally caffeine-free. "Historically root beer contained small amounts of alcohol but our version is completely non-alcoholic," adds Garrett. "We are very pleased to be able to add this to our product line. And again we support our local farmers. I think products such as these show consumers that local agriculture is superior is freshness and quality, not much more expensive and far more enjoyable."
Maui Brewing Co. is the only brewer and canner of craft beer in Hawaii as 100% of the beers are brewed and canned on Maui. Additionally, Maui Brewing Co. microbrews are officially Hawaii's #1 craft beer. With a strong commitment to the local economy, and deep concern for the environment, MBC microbrews 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, run a 7-barrel brewpub at the Kahana location as well as the 25-barrel full production brewery and canning facility in Lahaina. Maui Brewing Co. is a truly local beer as 100% of their products are made in Hawaii as opposed to other "Hawaiian" beers.