Special ro NHN

Big Island Brewhaus won one gold and two silver medals at the U.S. Open Beer Championships held in Atlanta, Georgia. The new Waimea microbrewery won a Gold for its Overboard IPA, a Silver for their White Mountain Porter, and a Silver for their Red Giant Ale in the announcement which was released July 4.

This competition is held every summer as an Open competition for commercial breweries world wide and unique to this event, like the U.S. open in golf and tennis, they allow qualifying for award winning homebrewers. Including a handful of homebrew entries, there were over 1,200 beers judged in 50 categories. For more information checkout the results online at: http://www.usopenbeer.com/

“It’s an amazing feeling to win in a big national competition with some of our first batches of beer,” says owner / brewer Thomas Kerns. “To win Gold in the IPA category is incredible, as I know how many great beers enter the competition. We have been very excited about all of our beers; we now have nine varieties on tap; and this validates what we are trying to do — to brew some of the best beers on earth for our community.”

Big Island Brewhaus, located in Waimea on Hawai’i Island, opened March 4. Owners Thomas and Jayne Kerns acquired well known Tako Taco Mexican Restaurant in Waimea in 2008 with a goal of adding a brewery to the location. The brewery was built behind the restaurant in an existing building and is capable of brewing a diverse selection of beers for the restaurant and bar up front. As with many microbreweries, Big Island Brewhaus sells beer to-go in growlers and jars, as well as pints and half-pints to be enjoyed on the premises. Within the coming months they do plan on selling kegs to individuals as well as select local bars and restaurants.

Big Island Brewhaus was recently voted by the readers of North Hawai’i News as the Best Place to Have a Beer, the Best Mexican Food, and the Best Open Mic.