Native-Hawaiian & Women-owned small business supports non-profits with monthly collab beer
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Masters of Their Craft By Cheryl Tsutsumi -December 1, 20222371 0
Josh Kopp landed his first brewing job in 2014 as a packaging technician for E.J. Phair Brewing Company in Pittsburg, California, 60 miles north of San Jose where he was living at the time. For three months, he drove that 120-mile round trip five days a week to work full shifts before he finally found an apartment that was closer.
“Basically, I was a grunt, but the long drive was worth it,” said Kopp, who was born and raised in East Oʻahu. “It was an amazing, rewarding experience; I never would have learned what I did in a classroom. I woke up every workday hungry for knowledge. It was exhilarating!”
Prior to moving to California in 2009 to attend the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Kopp had volunteered at Aloha Beer when it was located on Nimitz Highway next to what is now Liliha Bakery (it’s now in Kakaʻako, Waikīkī and downtown Honolulu). He credits brewmeister Dave Campbell with igniting his interest in brewing.
“I started homebrewing in college when I found out you didn’t have to be 21 to buy the ingredients, which, in addition to water, are malt, hops and yeast,” Kopp said. “Before I got the E.J. Phair job, I moved in with a friend in San Jose and worked at a Starbucks downtown. I networked as much as I could to get into the beer industry and even passed out business cards that said, ʻAspiring Craft Brewer.’”
Through it all, Kopp yearned to return to Hawaiʻi and start his own business. In the summer of 2016, an ideal 10,000-square-foot space became available in Kakaʻako, and he; his father; his wife, Chrissie Pinney; and his brother-in-law decided to launch Hana Koa Brewing Co. there. Construction on a brewery and taproom began in December 2018, about a year after Kopp and Pinney relocated to Oʻahu. Hana Koa opened its doors in November 2019.
Unusual ingredients included in Kopp’s creations include Fruity Pebbles, Teddy Grahams and Purvé doughnuts. Kopp’s current favorite is Party Boy Pils made with Pilsner malt from Germany, hops from Germany and New Zealand, and rice from The Rice Factory across the street. He’s looking forward to experimenting with kalo, breadfruit and banana.
“I love learning through beer,” Kopp said. “There’s a lot of history behind brewing techniques, reasons why certain beers came to exist and what they’re like now. There are things only other brewers will understand. Brewing is a blend of art and science; often it’s knowing what to do, when to do it and what will taste good based on instinct instead of quantifiable data. And, frankly, it’s also being able to juggle a hundred things at once without burning down the building.”
Hana Koa Brewing Company Address: 962 Kawaiahaʻo Street, Kakaʻako, Oʻahu Phone: (808) 591-2337 Website: www.hanakoabrewing.com Number of employees: 52 Number of barrels produced in 2021: 1,200 Number of beers: 3 flagship beers (Unbreakable Blonde, Party Boy Pils, Rooftop Pale Ale) and 12 to 16 rotating beers Other places to find them: Cans at bottle shops and draft beer at bars and restaurants throughout Oʻahu Also of note: The company collaborates with businesses and nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations to create new “community-driven” beers once a month. Businesses appreciate the publicity that’s generated. Nonprofits receive a percentage of the profits from sales of “their” beer.
