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Hawaii Tribune-Herald Island Beat Thursday, June 22, 2017 9 at Big Island Brewhaus, is doing some research of his own with aging in barrels. Hilo Brewfest guests will get to sample his latest limited release, which came out just last month. “We made a special version of our Golden Sabbath beer, a Belgian-style golden abbey ale — one of our more popular beers that we have been selling since we opened,” Kearns says. “This version we aged in chardonnay barrels and it’s also brewed with Hawaiian honey. It imparts a nice character that blends with the yeast, and it comes out tasting similar to a chardonnay: fruity with a dry finish. We decided to age it in chardonnay barrels to give it that more distinctive oaky character.” He says the Big Island Brewhaus has won many national and international awards with Golden Sabbath and it’s a real crowd pleaser; this limited edition Golden Sabbath is uniquely different in terms of flavor. Barrel aging is a “new-old method,” he says, the way beer was packaged before metal kegs came about. “Barrels are used with wine to mature and mellow flavors and add character,” Kearns says. “It does the same thing with beer. It helps the characteristics of the beer blend in one.” He says they had the opportunity to get American oak barrels, “and we have some room in our brewery to do the barrel-aged brewing so we thought we’d give people a new option to try something unique. We anticipate doing this kind of barrel brewing about once a year.” Kearns says he will be bringing a total of three beers on tap to the Hilo Brewfest, but he isn’t totally set on the other two selections. “We have a couple of fresh beers coming up which we may look at,” he says. “We’ll probably bring our double IPA Hoptopias. It’s stronger than our regular IPA and it has more hop character. It’s 7.5 percent alcohol with 65 IVUs.” Big Island Brewhaus has been brewing this beer for five years, but they brew in single batches and release several a year, which means they all have slightly different nuances. His third selection likely will be on the lighter side, as Kearns says they’d like to showcase their beer at the Hilo Brewfest the way they do at their Waimea brewery, with something for everyone. Hanley says festivals such as this one provide an opportunity to take a break from their favorite brands and try different beers they never ventured to try before. “It’s exposing people to new types of beer,” he says. “People discover, ‘Oh wow, I didn’t realize I would like a porter or a stout or an IPA.” Kearns says he participated with the festival from the start and continues to participate because “It’s a great event to get together, enjoy beer and friends and music the way we do at the Brewhaus every day. And the Rotary Club of Hilo does a lot of good things for the community.” Profits from the Hilo Brewfest go to support local causes. Last year, the event raised more than $45,000 and donated $13,849 each to two causes: the Hilo Medical Center Foundation and the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii. The Rotarians plan to donate a generous portion of this year’s proceeds to the same programs. One is the Hilo Medical Center Foundation in support of its Primary Physician Training Program, designed to not only train new doctors but also to encourage them to practice on the Big Island after the program. The other is the Friends of the Children’s Justice Center of East Hawaii, a nonprofit that helps children of abuse in the local community. The remainder of the proceeds will be distributed through the Hilo Rotary Club Foundation, funding additional smaller projects within the community. Parking is available near the old County Building at 25 Aupuni St. and buses will shuttle passengers to and from the event. Tickets are $50 and available online at www.hilobrewfest.com. BREWFEST From page 6 Courtesy photo Thirsty Hilo Brewfest attendees line up for a pour.


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