The Bottom Line
There is more to this book than its 183 pages attest. Tsutsumi’s matter of fact writing style avoids windy passages about the virtues of beer leaving room to pack in quite a lot of information. For instance the chapter about homebrewing, while only 12 pages long, has enough substance to give a beginner a solid start.
However it’s not so dense that it's unapproachable. After an initial read-through, the best use of this book is as a quick reference for beer in the Islands. Short chapters and clear headlines make finding information about a specific brewer, nearby good beer joints, or general beer trivia easy.
However it’s not so dense that it's unapproachable. After an initial read-through, the best use of this book is as a quick reference for beer in the Islands. Short chapters and clear headlines make finding information about a specific brewer, nearby good beer joints, or general beer trivia easy.
Pros
- Fun, easy read
- Great way to get started with Hawaiian beer
Cons
- Found myself wanting more information
- No serious reviews of Hawaiian brewed beer
Description
- This book is a great way to start at zero and learn a lot about beer in Hawaii.
- Good overview of beer and the beer scene in Hawaii.
- Nice first-timers reference book for beer.
Guide Review - The Hawai’i Beer Book by Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi
Ask a beer lover to name some world class beer location and the response will include places like Munich, Germany; Portland, Oregon or anywhere in Belgium. Hawai’i is not likely to be on the list. But after reading The Hawai’i Beer Book for the first time in my unaquatic life this beer geek actually has a reason to head for the islands. An amusing German song printed in the front of the book pretty well sums up the prejudices I shared. The singer, a young man, can’t marry his love because she wants to honeymoon in Hawaii but that’s a problem because, as the song says,
“There is no beer in Hawaii
There is no beer
That’s why I won’t go to Hawaii
That’s why I’ll just stay here.”
Whether or not these kids need couples counseling is a discussion for elsewhere but the prospective groom is most certainly mistaken about the beer in Hawaii. This is lots of it. With at least eight brewers reviewed in The Hawai’i Beer Book and one of them, the Gordon Biercsh Brewery Restaurant specializing in German beer, our thirsty friend should find plenty of slake.
The Island’s existing breweries are all relatively young – the oldest were founded in 1994. But Hawaii’s beer heritage is richer than one might think. The first chapter of the book discusses this history recounting the first Hawaiian brewery which opened in 1812, Hawaii’s best known brand, Primo, and the arrival of craft beer in the 1990s. Chapter two takes a closer look at the existing brewers in Hawaii discussing their beers, their brewing philosophies and where one can find their brands. Subsequent chapters focus on homebrewing, breweriana, beer trivia and the Island’s good beer bars. I particularly looking forward to trying some of the delicious looking recipes in the Beer Cuisine chapter.
“There is no beer in Hawaii
There is no beer
That’s why I won’t go to Hawaii
That’s why I’ll just stay here.”
Whether or not these kids need couples counseling is a discussion for elsewhere but the prospective groom is most certainly mistaken about the beer in Hawaii. This is lots of it. With at least eight brewers reviewed in The Hawai’i Beer Book and one of them, the Gordon Biercsh Brewery Restaurant specializing in German beer, our thirsty friend should find plenty of slake.
The Island’s existing breweries are all relatively young – the oldest were founded in 1994. But Hawaii’s beer heritage is richer than one might think. The first chapter of the book discusses this history recounting the first Hawaiian brewery which opened in 1812, Hawaii’s best known brand, Primo, and the arrival of craft beer in the 1990s. Chapter two takes a closer look at the existing brewers in Hawaii discussing their beers, their brewing philosophies and where one can find their brands. Subsequent chapters focus on homebrewing, breweriana, beer trivia and the Island’s good beer bars. I particularly looking forward to trying some of the delicious looking recipes in the Beer Cuisine chapter.
