O‘ahu’s Newest Brewery Was Built to Help Restore Lē‘ahi

Photo: Alexander Gates

Honolulu’s newest brewery quietly opened in Aloha Tower Marketplace two weeks ago, with a singular stated mission. Lē‘ahi Brewing Co. was created to help restore the ecology of the slopes of Diamond Head. Its founders, CEO Mary Demonteverde and chief brewing officer Mike Romeo, have been doing just that at Kuilei Cliffs, where volunteers are replacing invasive species with native plants.

“We know we aren’t going to be around forever, so for our mission to continue it has to be sustainable,” Demonteverde says. “That requires financial backing, so we decided to open a brewery to ensure Kuilei Cliffs continues.”

Aloha Tower, long a beacon welcoming visitors to the Islands, has seen tremendous change over the decades. Lē‘ahi Brewing’s waterfront site, once home to Hooters and Gordon Biersch, is now part of a complex mostly taken over by Hawai‘i Pacific University; many of the commercial areas remain empty. Demonteverde and Romeo jumped at the chance to add a new chapter to the story.

Photo: Alexander Gates

On the waterfront overlooking Honolulu Harbor, Lē‘ahi Brewing is all open air, with seating in the beer garden plus oversized chairs, bar stools and tables inside. All the planters feature Hawai‘i endemic species.

SEE ALSO: Kalihi Beer Returns as Olohana Brewpub in Chinatown

The brewing side similarly reflects thoughtfulness and an emphasis on education. Romeo got his start in Colorado and honed his process at breweries in Denmark, South Korea, Australia and Honolulu. “Brewing education is important to us, with practicality over a book. I want to pass these skills on by teaching,” he says. Adds Demonteverde, “There aren’t a lot of opportunities for local students to gain this type of knowledge. We hope this will be a place for networking, including internships abroad for those who want to continue learning.”

Photo: Alexander Gates

The brewery has 18 taps and will develop around four core beers for canning. The rest of the taps will focus on variation. I tried the Amber Rice Lager (ABV 4.4%) as well as a variation made with māmaki tea. Beers will feature starfruit, mango, ‘ulu, mamaki, Kona coffee and other produce that sparks the brewer’s imagination. Money from every pint sold will go to Mahi‘ai Market, a Hawai‘i farm collective that sources the ingredients.

“We want to make beer with flavors that no one has made before,” says Demonteverde. “We asked ourselves how we can use this to help the most people. Supporting local farmers is the best place to start.”

There won’t be any food for purchase, so you’re encouraged to bring food from home or local restaurants. The space is also available for private group rentals, and catering an event through Mahi‘ai Market will match the local flavors of the beer with dishes featuring Hawai‘i-grown ingredients.

Photo: Alexander Gates

Beer is available on draft in 16-ounce pours for $7 or 8-ounce half-pours for $5. Look for Lē‘ahi Brewing cans in coming months. Your first hour of parking in the Aloha Tower Marketplace lots is free with validation and $2 an hour thereafter. The brewery is open limited hours for now; check social media for updates.

“We want to create a way to fund Mahi‘ai Market and Kuilei Cliffs way after we’re gone. It’s our way to care for the ‘āina and help rebuild Hawai‘i’s economy,” Demonteverde says. Cheers to beer doing great things, and thank you for supporting local.

Thursday to Saturday 3 to 7:30 p.m., Sunday noon to 7:30 p.m., 1 Aloha Tower Drive, Downtown, leahibrewingcompany.com, kuileicliffs.org, @leahibrewingcompany

Alexander B. Gates, a BJCP Certified Beer Judge and Cicerone Certified Beer Server, is a regular contributor to Frolic Hawai‘i. @alohastatebeer