Ola Brew Co | Kona, HI
Beer Trip: Ola Brew Co. in Kona, Hawaii
From our perspective, all good vacation destinations feature breweries - and Hawaii is no different. We were able to try all four breweries on the Big Island, with Ola Brew Co. being our first stop. Ola means “life” in the Hawaiian language and from our experience, this place offers life in abundance through its beer, food, and community fellowship.
The Brewery
Ola is somewhat of a destination brewery, as there isn’t much else directly around it. This was actually a positive in our book, as it made for ample street parking, and you didn’t have to pay to park like you do in the rest of downtown Kona (and you’ll pay a pretty penny for it). Walking up, you see two separate outdoor patios on each side of the front doors, each one featuring roughly six umbrella-covered tables. The inside space is large, with white walls and geometric artwork perfectly placed. The whole place has a very modern look. While seated, you can look through large windows that provide an overview of the brewing facility.
In the left half of the room sits a 15-person U-shaped bar, while the right half is occupied by tables and chairs. Further yet to the right, they have a separate room with its own bar that appears to be reservable for events. We showed up just before normal working hours ended and, based on the crowd that soon followed, Ola seemed to be a popular destination for happy hour.
Inside the extra space you’ll find the walls covered with gorgeous, hand-painted murals featuring Ola brews and florals.
The Beer
Ola typically maintains about 12 beers on tap at any given time. We were informed that roughly half of those are their flagship offerings, and the other half of the menu rotates. The brewers seem to be big fans of IPAs, as that style occupied six taps during our visit. One thing we thought was awesome about Ola is that they work with over 120 different local farmers in the area, sourcing local fruits and vegetables for their unique brews. You don’t see that very often on the mainland!
While nothing we tried completely wowed us from a beer perspective, everything we tried had a solid foundation. Perhaps the best IPA of our entire trip was their flagship Ola IPA. This beer was on the citrusy side, mixed with a nice bitterness. If you’re a banana fan, then their Double Hefeweizen is a must-try. A lot of hefeweizens have a banana taste, but this was on steroids! We aren’t sure how they brewed it, but we wouldn’t be surprised to hear if it included real, local fruit. The last one worth noting is the Kiawe Brown. This brew is unique in its bitter taste for a brown, but it still encompasses the malty and even caramel flavors you would expect.
Food, Merch, & More
Ola has a lot going on besides just beer! They make an entire line of hard juices, seltzers, and teas - and are even in the process of starting to distill spirits. In addition to this, they have a full kitchen with offerings of salads, burgers, fish, and pizza. We tried the Farm Fries (fried green beans!) appetizer and they were absolutely delicious with their house-made dipping sauces.
The merchandise selection here will rival nearly every brewery out there, with an entire section of items to choose from. Of course they have your standard shirts and hats, but also had signs, nice mugs, blankets, and even dog toys that look like their beer cans. Luckily for us, they distribute most of their beer - so we made sure to fly a few six-packs back with us to Kansas.
Ola Brew Co. was a great way to wind down after a busy day about the island. Make sure to pay them a visit and allow them to share some of their Aloha spirit. Although we chose to visit their original location in Kona, they also have a stop in Hilo as well.
Cheers!
