Ola Brew Expands Future Plans With The $7M Purchase Of Historic Wainaku Centre
As of this week, Ola Brew and their growing ohana of community and employee investors are excited to be the newest land stewards of the 12,000 square foot Wainaku Center in Hilo.
Guests will enjoy endless views of Hilo Bay set amongst lush tropical grounds.
Culturally, historically, and environmentally significant, Ola Brew looks forward to extensively renovating the former headquarters of C. Brewer & Co; one of Hawaii’s oldest companies, into a state-of-the-art distillery for their yet to be released 100% made + grown in Hawaii okolehao spirits.
Set on 12 lush acres fronting majestic sea cliffs, the former Hilo Sugar Mill property is just 1 mile from downtown Hilo and 15 minutes from Hilo International Airport.
Originally built in 1894 on one of the most prime oceanfront locations on the Big Island, the property was extensively renovated in 1997 using locally sourced Hamakua koa wood to transform the iconic property into upscale business offices and event spaces with scenic views of Hilo Bay.
Utilizing popular as well as rare and unique varieties of ti root which will be specially grown on their company farm just down the road from Wainaku, Ola Brew’s take on the legendary Hawaiian moonshine will be unlike any other product by the same name on the market.
Already in talks with Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) about creating a regionally specific requirement for any okolehao product, Ola Brew has big plans for pioneering the building and revitalization of ti-based beverages in Hawaii.
In addition to serving up their latest okolehao, beer, cider, hard seltzer and hard tea creations, Ola Brew also plans to offer visitors to the distillery multiple tasting room experiences, an elevated rooftop bar, educational tours, live music, special events, community spaces for hire, a recording studio, and world class dining ensuring a future legacy as the most premiere venue in the state; if not the entire country.
Ola Brew would like to acknowledge Kamehameha Schools for their support of $1M from their Food Systems Fund for this project to go towards helping to create a brighter and more sustainable future for Hawaii’s agricultural industry. Ola Brew is committed to their mission of increasing the production, distribution, and consumption of locally grown foods to build greater economic resiliency and opportunities for our local communities.
With renovations set to take place over the next two years, Ola Brew looks forward to giving the community a ‘taste’ of what’s to come during this year’s Brew Fest which is set to take place on the property on Saturday June 25th.
About Ola Brew
Ola Brew is an employee and community owned brewery whose mission is to increase the local agricultural economy through sourcing Hawai'i-grown ingredients and incorporating them into their beverages. The brewery has organically driven the beyond beer space in Hawai'i as the first locally produced hard seltzer and hard teas while also brewing up delicious beers and hard ciders. True to their mission, Ola Brew has sourced and purchased over $1.2M in local agriculture since their inception in December 2017.