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Beer, Hawaii, Maui · Last Updated: May 17, 2025

Cruising for a Boozing on Maui: Distilleries, Craft Breweries & Wine

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If you’re a boozy traveler like myself, you’ll want to read through this list about visiting Maui’s distilleries, craft breweries, and the only winery on Maui!

Here I go, writing about the boozy things again! Such is the life of a liquid libation-loving traveler. Visiting Maui as an adult (or anywhere, really) allows for a much different experience versus growing up there as a kid (I was born and raised on Maui, if you’re new around here). I can actually partake in enjoying the many offerings of adult beverages!

Now, I’m not talking about getting smashed at bars or on the beach. Though if that is your thing, there’s no judgement here. I’m talking about sampling local craft beer, spirits, and wine at their very own production facilities smack dab in the middle of paradise.

Here’s a little list where you can discover for yourselves the taste of Maui-made vodka, rum, gin, agave spirits, craft beer, and even a little wine!

Distilleries on Maui

For being a small island out in the middle of the ocean, Maui sure has become a little hub for a variety of distilleries! Each one offers a completely unique experience and I highly recommend a stop at each.

Maui Ocean Vodka

4051 Omaopio Rd, Kula, HI 96790
https://oceanvodka.com/our-farm/

First on the list is sampling Ocean Vodka at the Hawaii Sea Spirits Organic Farm and Distillery. Ocean Vodka is located in the beautiful Upcountry Maui town of Kula, my favorite part of the island!

I always love revisiting the “countryside” of Maui, even though I grew up there. On a clear day, you get some amazing views of the island from above. You also get to experience a different kind of climate/landscape than you would find down in the resort areas.

Read More: Best Things to Do in Upcountry Maui

What really makes the Ocean Vodka special, on top of the fact that it is organic, is that their vodka is distilled from sugarcane! They also use what they call deep ocean mineral water, which they explain in depth during their guided tastings.

TASTINGS AT Ocean Vodka

If you want a cool step-by-step learning experience on how their vodka is made, I highly recommend you book a guided tasting in advance, which will run you $17.28 per person (as of 2025).

It was fascinating to learn about all the different varieties of sugarcanes. Who knew there were so many? During our experience (which actually included a whole facility tour at the time), they took us past all the varieties of sugarcane growing on the farm. All of the sugarcane used for processing the vodka is grown right there on Maui!

At the end of your tasting, I recommend heading over to the café for a snack and to try some of their cocktails made with their spirits.

Hali’imaile Distilling Company

883 Haliimaile Rd, Makawao, HI 96768
https://haliimailedistilling.com/

Another great Upcountry distillery is Hali’imaile Distilling Company, located across the street from Hali’imaile General Store in another beautiful Upcountry Maui locale.

I accidentally stumbled across this distillery while researching things to do on the island. And yes, I still need to do that after all these years! I was excited to add this one to my boozy activity list.

Hali’imaile Distilling is currently home to three spirits brands: Pau Maui Vodka, Mahina Rum, and Fid Street Gin.

Ocean Vodka isn’t the only kid around with a unique distilling origin. Hali’imaile’s flagship spirit, Pau Maui Vodka, is distilled from none other than the pineapple fruit. Raise your hand if you associate pineapples with Hawaii!

Tours at Hali’imaile Distilling

The only way to get a tasting at Hali’imaile is to take the tour, which you can book via their website. I always find distillery tours interesting and informative. There is a lot of work that goes into making our booze!

Much like other distillery tours, a guide will walk you through the facility, explaining the process of how they make their products. The tour ends in the tasting room for a sampling of three spirits of your choosing. There are A LOT to choose from, so choose wisely!

Different dry ingredients for the gin
Tour Notes
  • Tours currently only run Monday through Friday, and last about 45 minutes.
  • The cost of the tours is currently at $17 per person (as of 2025).

Waikulu Agave

3275 Baldwin Ave, Makawao, HI 96768
https://www.waikulu.com/

Offering an even different distillery experience on the island is Maui’s newest distillery – Waikulu Agave in Makawao. At Waikulu, they’re making spirits with agave plants grown right on Maui! Typically tequila and mezcal are produced from the agave plant, but Waikulu simply produces “agave spirits.”

Agave plants thriving in Upcountry Maui!

Pre-booked appointments are recommended as they have a very tiny tasting room. However, they do take walk-ins as well (but you might have to wait 20 – 30 mins while appointments finish up). Or, you can just pop in to purchase bottles of their spirits (although, admittedly, these are a bit on the pricy side).

My husband and I each did our own tasting and selected the five-sample option for $22. I think it was worth it to get to try everything and 1/2-ounce pours were just right for that amount. The Ohana Reserve was our favorite!

Wine Tasting on Maui

Bet you wouldn’t think of visiting a winery in Hawaii! If you’re willing to make the drive, this should 100% be a spot that is on your itinerary, especially if you’re visiting the Upcountry area for any other activity.

MauiWine

14815 Piilani Hwy, Kula, HI 96790
https://mauiwine.com/

Established in 1974, Maui Wine was originally called Tedeschi Winery until 2015. It’s still the same beautiful property producing the same quality wine!

Even if you aren’t super into wine, the drive alone to MauiWine is totally worth it. Depending on what part of the island you’re coming from, you’ll be driving through all the little towns that comprise Upcountry Maui, where you’ll experience sweeping views of the island and the greenery that thrives in the cooler mountain climate.

The grounds of the winery are very beautiful and I highly recommend taking some time to walk around either before or after your tasting to admire the beauty and history of this place.

Tasting experience at MauiWine

For a tasting at Maui Wine, I suggest making a reservation in advance as there is limited space for walk-ins. There are different tasting experiences you can book, along with guided tours of the property. The most affordable option is to do the tasting at King’s Cottage, where you can choose from different flights ranging from $12 – $25. Wines by the glass and wine cocktails are also available for purchase.

If you’re feeling snackish, they also now offer a menu of small bites to accompany your tasting! I highly recommend the goat cheese topped with lilikoi-pineapple wine syrup and black sea salt. It pairs especially well with the pineapple flight of wines!

When we were in the tasting room on one of our visits, we met the one and only Mick Fleetwood (of the iconic band Fleetwood Mac) who happens to have a residence on Maui. My mom happened to know his lady-friend and got us an introduction. Eek! My very first cassette tape my dad gave me to listen to was of Fleetwood Mac so that was a special experience.

Lastly, be sure to look for the jade plants that are outside the restroom building. It’s a strange place for something so pretty, but where else are you going to find these vibrant colors while listening to the glorious sound of flushing toilets?

You will definitely not be disappointed with your visit to MauiWine, wine lover or not.

Breweries on Maui

Maui has some great spots for craft brew these days! There are a lot of awesome bars of course, but this section details actual breweries that you can find on the island.

Maui Brewing Co.

605 Lipoa Pkwy, Kihei, HI 96753
https://mauibrewingco.com/

Maui’s craft beer pioneer, Maui Brewing Co., is not just a one-time visit kind of place. They will have you coming back for more and more! With a state-of-the-art, modern facility located in Kihei, you can take tours, sample a plethora of beers, and enjoy a meal from their restaurant (the pizzas are delicious!).

Maui Brewing Company also makes their own line of spirits and has a line of hard seltzers if you want something light and refreshing (the dragon fruit is my favorite seltzer flavor).

If you’re staying on the west side of the island, Maui Brewing Co. also has a brew pub in Ka’anapali, so you can get your fill of beers no matter where you’re at.

Don’t forget to check out my Guide to Maui’s Best Eats
for some awesome foodie finds!

Kohola Brewery

112 Wailea Ike Dr, Kihei, HI 96753
https://www.koholabrewery.com/

Kohola Brewery is a Maui craft brewery now located in Wailea as their Lahaina location sadly burned in the 2023 fire. Their new location is bustling though! And what’s even better is that they have a kitchen with full food menu. Get some unagi spam musubis to enjoy with your ice cold beers here.

We typically sip on their Lahaina Haze IPA, but their Mac Nut Stout is also a good option. You can also order cocktails, guest tap beers, and wine if you’re traveling with someone who isn’t into beer as much as you!

Waikiki Brewing

3750 Wailea Alanui Dr B-25, Wailea-Makena, HI 96753
https://www.waikikibrewing.com/

Waikiki Brewing, which originated on O’ahu, is located in The Shops at Wailea in the south Maui area. We haven’t personally visited this Waikiki Brewing location yet for review purposes, but I do know you can get your fill of all sorts of craft beers ranging from light lagers to specialty IPAs. They even serve beer cocktails, and have a full food menu to fill you up.

Ratings are mixed, but looks like that’s more for the food and service. I’ll pop in to Wailea soon to check it out. To be continued…

Mahalo Aleworks

30 Kupaoa St #101, Makawao, HI 96768
https://www.mahaloaleworks.com/

The newest kid on the Maui beer scene is Mahalo Aleworks in Upcountry Maui situated in a modern taproom that makes for the perfect hangout! Their beer is pretty great too (best on the island, in my opinion). I highly recommend trying a flight that includes their latest IPAs and tropical sours.

Foodies will be happy too as they partner with neighboring restaurant Marlow to bring in woodfired pizzas, and feature sausages from the Upcountry Sausage Co. food cart.

Other Boozy Stops on Maui

Aside from all the cool distilleries and craft breweries on Maui, here are a few extra spots for boozy travelers to consider visiting on their trip to Maui:

  • Maui Ku’ia Estate Chocolate for wine or spirits flights paired with their chocolates. This is a really cool spot to visit in Lahaina!
  • Tikehau Lounge – a well-rated tiki bar in Wailea that I haven’t gotten the chance to visit yet but it’s on my list! It’s right across from Kohola Brewing too.
  • South Shore Tiki Lounge in Kihei – visit for some happy hour Mai Tais or late night club vibes.

Are there any other spots you’d recommend for boozy beverage-lovers visiting Maui?

Read Next:

  • Best Things to Do in Upcountry Maui
  • The Ultimate Maui Food Guide

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Comments

  1. Carrie Adelmann says

    September 23, 2018 at 12:23 am

    Awesome post, you guys! Contact us the next time you come to Maui, and we’d love to treat you to a Maui Craft Tours experience. We visit most of these same places, and focus on locally-produced craft wine, beer, liquor and farm-to-table food items. Sounds right up your alley. Cheers!

    Reply
    • Moani Hood says

      September 23, 2018 at 9:02 am

      Sounds fantastic! I didn’t know there was a tour service like this on Maui yet. We’ll actually be back this December but only for four short days.

      Reply

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Where to Get Craft Beer on Maui: A List of Craft Breweries on Maui

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About Me
Hello world! I'm Moani - a food, wine & beer-loving traveler based in the Bay Area of California. I created this space to share my love of traveling to new and amazing places, eating the most delicious foods, and taking in a good drink or two. My goal in life is to inspire others to set out on their own travel adventures and see the world in all its splendor!

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Day 3 in Iceland! 🇮🇸 Our third day in Iceland was Day 3 in Iceland! 🇮🇸

Our third day in Iceland was a day trip to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula - aka "Iceland in Miniature." It was very windy and cold here but much less busy than the routes of the South Coast! We saw such a variety of landscapes on the peninsula, though I wish we would have had a little bit more daylight to add more stops.

Back in Reykjavik for the evening, we had dinner and then went on a successful Northern Lights chase!

It was a long day but awesome!
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In all seriousness, this last year was nothing short of epic. I used to be afraid of entering this decade of life, but each year continues to give and for that, I'm thankful.

Onward, ho!

Also, let me know if you share any of my quirky food habits 😉
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Our second day was all about exploring Iceland's capital city - Reykjavik! This is such a chill city that's worth exploring, especially for the food scene. I see a lot of people hit the ground running with their road trips right away, but I think easing into things with Reykjavik for a day was a good idea for us.

Here's everything we did on our second day in Iceland:

- Took the most incredible food tour with @reykjavikfoodwalk. My favorite things we ate were the fried lobster tacos and seafood soup at @sjavargrillid!

- We did try the notorious fermented shark (it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be) and a shot of Black Death (the original Brennivin aquavit) which wasn't bad either.

- Explored more of Reykjavik, including more mural spotting and hitting up happy hour spots and spending all our money on cocktails and beer (Iceland is pricey!).

- We visited a Big Lebowski-themed bar @lebowskibar! I love me a good themed restaurant or bar. I had my very first White Russian here and it was actually quite good.

- We had to stop by BrewDog Reykjavik which sadly closed permanently later in the week. We visit one wherever we travel to that has one for nostalgia purposes (and their beer is pretty good).

- Our night ended at the Posthus Food Hall (recommended by our food tour guide), where we had a lamb birria burrito and some bulgogi buns.

If you don't know, I am sort of a burrito addict - it's my favorite food. I will try one in any country I see one - good or bad (this one was actually really delicious!).

What do you think about spending a day in Reykjavik before venturing out to see all the nature sights?
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Iceland itinerary ideas | one week in Iceland | Iceland travel | best things to do in Iceland | best things to do in Reykjavik | Iceland travel tips | visit Iceland | Iceland explore | Reykjavik food tour
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Would you travel to Iceland to eat hotdogs?

📍@baejarinsbeztupylsur

#iceland #icelandicfood #icelandichotdog #icelandtravel
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- Arrived to KEF airport around 9:30 a.m., hit up the duty free shop for some Brennivín, and picked up our rental car
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- Soaked in the Blue Lagoon (since it's not too far from the airport). It's relaxing but also helps keep you awake.
- Checked into our hotel @canopyreykjavik 
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- Had a nice dinner at @fiskfelagid 

Not a bad start!
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This dinner was entirely seafood based; however, they do have some meat options on the menu if you aren't into things of the sea.

The ambiance in the restaurant was dark and cozy - perfect for an intimate dinner. Service = impeccable. Presentation of all of the dishes was perfection. Sauces were rich in flavor. Everything was so well done!

I had never had arctic char before, and that's the dish that drew me in. The fish was super delicate and smoky - really unique and incredibly tasty. My favorite dish, however, turned out to be the fishcakes! In fact, it's one of the top things we ate during our week in Iceland.

Highly, highly recommend putting this on your Iceland foodie bucket list!
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Also, I tried my best pronouncing things in Icelandic properly but still probably butchered that (how did I do?).

XO- Forever dreaming of cinnamon rolls.

*Edit: I may have mixed up the original cinnamon roll with the vanilla. Either way, both are incredible.
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