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Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
In search of the perfect beer
I'm tired of all of this "Pliny the Elder" this and "Westvleteren" that. Are these legendary (mythical?) beers really that much better than a craft barley pop found at a local nanobrewery or Safeway beer case?
Yes, I consider myself a beer connoisseur and am even making strides toward becoming a decent brewer. Further, I am co-owner of Seattle's own Flying Bike co-op brewery (which any schmo with a few bills burning a hole in their pocket can also aspire to). So, I guess it is imperative that I strive for finding and tasting the excellence that is [insert fanfare, cue majestic movie trailer voice] Pliny the Elder and Westvleteren XII.
Pliny the Elder is a double IPA (also known as an Imperial IPA) brewed out of Santa Rosa, CA's own Russian River Brewing Co. They keep the batches of Pliny small both to ensure fresh consumption and to avoid the risk of altering the much-praised result, what many call the perfect beer.
In contrast, Westvleteren beers are brewed at a Belgian abbey by Trappist monks. Named by their batch number, these beers are also made in limited quantities and, apparently, are only being sold stateside for now to pay for some abbey upgrades (perhaps a remodeled silent home theater room?). Once sold out, they will return to "reservation only" sales.
The kudos for these godly ales have been repeated ad nauseum. Accolades like "100 out of 100," "A+," "Beer of the Year," "Best Beer in the World" have been bestowed by such publications as RateBeer.com, BeerAdvocate.com, Zymurgy magazine, et al. and re-printed by the likes of the Huffington Post, the Chicago Reader, and that bellwether of modern journalism, the Sacramento News & Review (thanks for selling us your Kings, by the way).
But can these beers really stand that far apart from a good Lagunitas or a Bridgeport? A Scuttlebutt or a Stone? An Elysian or a Deschutes? Even a FoggyNoggin or a Brickyard (shout out to Woodinville)?
Yes, I brew so I get that there are almost countless variables that go into making a batch (many more than wine; take that, oenologists) and when stars align and these variables mesh, you notice. But is there really that big a difference between "great" beers and these legends? Or, is it all hype? Is there money changing hands between the beer makers and raters (never trust a Belgian monk)? Is it all in the name? Are there underground, masterful marketers at these breweries who have found the formula through print and social media for creating the perfect hype machine?
When I eventually do get my hands on these ales (and I recently missed another chance for Pliny at Seattle's Taphouse Grill, d'oh!), it is almost certain that I will be disappointed given the height of the pedestal on which I have placed them. But, I hold onto the thought that maybe, just maybe, something transcendent will happen when I take that first sip. Thus, I will stay on Bottleworks Twitterfeed. I will continue to monitor eBay and scoff at the ridiculous reserves. I will continue to ask staff and patrons of local home brew stores. These are small prices to pay to continue the search for the incomparable quaff.
Until then, I will enjoy my latest home brew, an as-of-yet-named winter ale, and choose to believe that it is, in its own right, a legend...in my own mind.
Stay tuned for my next post where I will vilify all beers that violate Reinheitsgebot (and attempt to pronounce it). Black Raven Brewing, my eyes are on you!
Yes, I consider myself a beer connoisseur and am even making strides toward becoming a decent brewer. Further, I am co-owner of Seattle's own Flying Bike co-op brewery (which any schmo with a few bills burning a hole in their pocket can also aspire to). So, I guess it is imperative that I strive for finding and tasting the excellence that is [insert fanfare, cue majestic movie trailer voice] Pliny the Elder and Westvleteren XII.
Pliny the Elder is a double IPA (also known as an Imperial IPA) brewed out of Santa Rosa, CA's own Russian River Brewing Co. They keep the batches of Pliny small both to ensure fresh consumption and to avoid the risk of altering the much-praised result, what many call the perfect beer.
In contrast, Westvleteren beers are brewed at a Belgian abbey by Trappist monks. Named by their batch number, these beers are also made in limited quantities and, apparently, are only being sold stateside for now to pay for some abbey upgrades (perhaps a remodeled silent home theater room?). Once sold out, they will return to "reservation only" sales.
The kudos for these godly ales have been repeated ad nauseum. Accolades like "100 out of 100," "A+," "Beer of the Year," "Best Beer in the World" have been bestowed by such publications as RateBeer.com, BeerAdvocate.com, Zymurgy magazine, et al. and re-printed by the likes of the Huffington Post, the Chicago Reader, and that bellwether of modern journalism, the Sacramento News & Review (thanks for selling us your Kings, by the way).
But can these beers really stand that far apart from a good Lagunitas or a Bridgeport? A Scuttlebutt or a Stone? An Elysian or a Deschutes? Even a FoggyNoggin or a Brickyard (shout out to Woodinville)?
Yes, I brew so I get that there are almost countless variables that go into making a batch (many more than wine; take that, oenologists) and when stars align and these variables mesh, you notice. But is there really that big a difference between "great" beers and these legends? Or, is it all hype? Is there money changing hands between the beer makers and raters (never trust a Belgian monk)? Is it all in the name? Are there underground, masterful marketers at these breweries who have found the formula through print and social media for creating the perfect hype machine?
When I eventually do get my hands on these ales (and I recently missed another chance for Pliny at Seattle's Taphouse Grill, d'oh!), it is almost certain that I will be disappointed given the height of the pedestal on which I have placed them. But, I hold onto the thought that maybe, just maybe, something transcendent will happen when I take that first sip. Thus, I will stay on Bottleworks Twitterfeed. I will continue to monitor eBay and scoff at the ridiculous reserves. I will continue to ask staff and patrons of local home brew stores. These are small prices to pay to continue the search for the incomparable quaff.
Until then, I will enjoy my latest home brew, an as-of-yet-named winter ale, and choose to believe that it is, in its own right, a legend...in my own mind.
Stay tuned for my next post where I will vilify all beers that violate Reinheitsgebot (and attempt to pronounce it). Black Raven Brewing, my eyes are on you!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Q: What do Kit Kats, David Hasselhoff, Disney comic books, Spam, 7-Eleven, Garfield, and Pabst Blue Ribbon have in common?
A: According to an old Cracked.com article, they're all US pop culture items that have huge followings overseas.
So, I will admit that Kit Kat's are one of my favorite candy bars. I always buy them at Halloween so that I get the leftovers. I frequently steal them from my daughter, too.
As for Garfield, I've read 90% of the Garfield literature out there (I owned up to Book #14 - Garfield Swallows his Pride - as a kid) and have created a new rabid fan in my son who never leaves the library without a Garfield book under his arm and regularly demands the Comics page from the newspaper so that he can read about the latest shenanigans of Garfield, Odie, Jon, Lyman, Nermal, Liz, Roz, and the rest of the gang.
I've also read a good number of Donald Duck comics. My favorites were Land Beneath the Ground, which took place in an underground kingdom where creatures called Terries and Fermies created earthquakes and The Golden Fleecing, an entertaining spin on the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts. I still count myself as a big Scrooge McDuck fan, too. I always wished that I had that much money, not so that I could buy a bunch of stuff and be powerful but so that I could literally swim in it. But probably my favorite characters from the old Disney comic books are the Beagle Boys. Why Disney hasn't already capitalized on these hidden gems with movies, TV shows, diapers, etc. is beyond me. Maybe it's because they're hardened criminals. (Or maybe they have and I am just out of the loop).
Further, I don't hassle the Hoff despite his post-Knight Rider career plunge. Bay Watch never piqued my interest and I never did get why his music is so successful (even though I'm half German). His America's Got Talent judging stint and, especially, his drunk Wendy's hamburger-eating viral video definitely brought him back up a few points on my scale, though. Odd side note: A good friend and musician formed an experimental band several years back called the David Hasselhoff 5. Not a tribute band per se but you can definitely tell that the Hoff was an influence (the man, not his music). Search it on Google and you may just find that there are still some vinyl copies out there for purchase.
Pabst Blue Ribbon? The All-American PBR? Yes, definitely my favorite non-craft domestic brew (i.e., piss water) and the coolest name and logo out there.
And, yes, I frequented the local 7-Eleven in my youth although the Circle K was closer and had better video games (wish I'd kept track of the number of quarters I pumped into Super Mario Bros.).
Spam? I just don't get Spam.
So, I guess you can say that I, too, have more than a passing interest in each of these topics like our foreign friends from afar. Why am I dedicating a Blog post to these seemingly random topics? Call it an experiment. I'll let you know how it went in a month or two.
So, I will admit that Kit Kat's are one of my favorite candy bars. I always buy them at Halloween so that I get the leftovers. I frequently steal them from my daughter, too.
As for Garfield, I've read 90% of the Garfield literature out there (I owned up to Book #14 - Garfield Swallows his Pride - as a kid) and have created a new rabid fan in my son who never leaves the library without a Garfield book under his arm and regularly demands the Comics page from the newspaper so that he can read about the latest shenanigans of Garfield, Odie, Jon, Lyman, Nermal, Liz, Roz, and the rest of the gang.
I've also read a good number of Donald Duck comics. My favorites were Land Beneath the Ground, which took place in an underground kingdom where creatures called Terries and Fermies created earthquakes and The Golden Fleecing, an entertaining spin on the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts. I still count myself as a big Scrooge McDuck fan, too. I always wished that I had that much money, not so that I could buy a bunch of stuff and be powerful but so that I could literally swim in it. But probably my favorite characters from the old Disney comic books are the Beagle Boys. Why Disney hasn't already capitalized on these hidden gems with movies, TV shows, diapers, etc. is beyond me. Maybe it's because they're hardened criminals. (Or maybe they have and I am just out of the loop).
Further, I don't hassle the Hoff despite his post-Knight Rider career plunge. Bay Watch never piqued my interest and I never did get why his music is so successful (even though I'm half German). His America's Got Talent judging stint and, especially, his drunk Wendy's hamburger-eating viral video definitely brought him back up a few points on my scale, though. Odd side note: A good friend and musician formed an experimental band several years back called the David Hasselhoff 5. Not a tribute band per se but you can definitely tell that the Hoff was an influence (the man, not his music). Search it on Google and you may just find that there are still some vinyl copies out there for purchase.
Pabst Blue Ribbon? The All-American PBR? Yes, definitely my favorite non-craft domestic brew (i.e., piss water) and the coolest name and logo out there.
And, yes, I frequented the local 7-Eleven in my youth although the Circle K was closer and had better video games (wish I'd kept track of the number of quarters I pumped into Super Mario Bros.).
Spam? I just don't get Spam.
So, I guess you can say that I, too, have more than a passing interest in each of these topics like our foreign friends from afar. Why am I dedicating a Blog post to these seemingly random topics? Call it an experiment. I'll let you know how it went in a month or two.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Road trip to Pullman
To state the obvious for PNW'ers, June-uary rain has been the order of every day lately so last weekend we decided we'd head for the rain shadow east of the Cascades to find some Vitamin D. We decided on Pullman as a destination (rare to see those two words so close to one another) via a scenic route defined only by two conditions 1) I wanted to drive some roads I've never driven before, and 2) Palouse Falls would be a required stop along the way.
After typical Friday afternoon stop-go traffic on 405, our progress steadied once eastbound on I-90. We hurdled over Snoqualmie Pass, stopped for a snack in Cle Elum, then took the Hwy 26 cutoff after crossing the Columbia (or, from the kids' perspective, watched three episodes of "Sponge Bob," two episodes of "Adventure Time," and half of "Despicable Me"). Instead of continuing eastbound on 26 we headed south along the Columbia on 243 (the start of my satisfying route condition #1).
We soon hung a left at what Google maps calls "Rd 24 SW" which put us in Mattawa, a small, sleepy town in a parched but fertile region cradling orchards, vineyards, and cropland. The unemployment rate seemed much lower here than in the rest of the country as evidenced by the many "Trabajos" signs posted along the highway.
East of Mattawa, Rd 24 SW is free of traffic and straight as an arrow for as far as can be seen so after a quick roadside pee-stop for Zach (especially quick after informing him that he was actually peeing on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation) I decided to test the high-speed handling of our 2006 Honda Odyssey. No, I'm not proud to drive a minivan but I don't want to hear smack-talk from any of you minivan haters out there until you've driven a 2006 Odyssey with 103K miles on it at 102 mph on a high desert road (while the kids watch Sponge Bob on the rear entertainment system). And, at 102 mph our tach was only at 3500 RPM so I could've pushed it much further…but my dad instincts kicked in at that point.
At the end of Hwy 24, we navigated a shortcut just south of Othello through to Hwy 17. Agriculture still dominated the sight-seeing. We came to realize how important the extensive canal systems are to this arid region (although I'm guessing whatever local joe that removed the first "C" from the roadside "Canal Siphon System Project #76" sign probably did not appreciate their importance as much as we did).
Connell was the next town to approach and recede followed soon after by the turnoff to Palouse Falls State Park. Palouse Falls is probably the most underrated waterfall in the Western U.S. (and maybe even the galaxy). The fact that a waterfall exists amongst this stark, rolling, arid scrub-land is astonishing in itself. But, after passing the gate to the park, we were believers once again upon catching sight of the deep horseshoe-shaped bowl and the roaring rush of white water pouring into it.
So we stopped, dropped jaw at the first lookout point for a spell, then made our way around the ledge-hugging pathway to the other lookouts. The kids chased the numerous, cliff-dwelling marmots and snapped pictures with their iPods while Amy and I read the viewpoint markers describing the ancient, great floods that carved this rugged and diverse landscape.
After departing Palouse Falls we made good time getting to Colfax and soon after found ourselves rolling into Pullman with a bit of daylight still left. We had dinner at Sella's (me: my standard "The Italian" calzone with a one-quart Mason jar of Hefeweizen) then checked into our motel for the night.
After the morning motel continental breakfast frenzy we headed for "The Dunes," the closest thing to a beach that WSU students have. It is a sandy slice of riverfront on the Snake River about 45 min outside of Pullman just past the Lower Granite Dam. Thanks to the terrorists (or our overreaction to them), the dam is gated at both ends and we had to show ID's prior to driving across.
We lucked out on the weather-front with partially sunny skies and comfortably warm temps and had the whole river shore to ourselves, an eerie experience as I was used to sharing the space with hundreds of fellow collegians back in the day. We explored a bit then waded out onto the sandbars where we found ourselves only knee deep in water even when over 100 yds from shore. Then, we hiked inland, climbed the largest dune, and did a little dune jumping.
We lucked out on the weather-front with partially sunny skies and comfortably warm temps and had the whole river shore to ourselves, an eerie experience as I was used to sharing the space with hundreds of fellow collegians back in the day. We explored a bit then waded out onto the sandbars where we found ourselves only knee deep in water even when over 100 yds from shore. Then, we hiked inland, climbed the largest dune, and did a little dune jumping.
We soon decided to yield our space to the younger groups that had slowly begun filtering in so piled into the van and hit the road once again. On the way back, on a whim, we decided to stop at the Lower Granite Dam visitor center and have a look around. Despite being the only people in the visitor's center, I asked the lady at the desk if she'd take us on the dam(n) tour. She reluctantly agreed. This lady was a trip. An Alice Cooper look-alike (in his better days if there ever were any), she adeptly gave the whole tour on a pair of crutches and spoke in a whisper-like voice despite the roar of turbines, spillways, or air conditioning units around us. She frequently reminded us that she had a headache. I think that she thought we were a bunch of rubes so wasn't too keen on giving us even the nickel-tour but she warmed some when she found out that I had an engineering background. Despite her quiet voice and perturbed demeanor, I still got a lot out of the tour but I think that the kids were bored as hell. Only their apparent fear of our guide kept them on point.
We rambled back into Pullman while listening to the occasional emergency broadcast radio alerts for the severe T-storms in the area (we never experienced the 60 mph winds and 50-cent piece sized hail, thank God) and had a late lunch at the Paradise Creek Brewery, located in the historic Pullman Post Office which I was happy to see being reused and revitalized (it was a movie theater when I was at WSU). I had sampled this brewery's beer at the Washington Brewers Festival a week before and was not all that impressed, but the selection I had here, Hop Hammer IPA, was excellent. I highly recommend it.
Sight-seeing in Pullman followed (again, two of those words don't normally belong together) including a stop at the Grizzly Bear center where we all got a kick out of getting up close and personal with the adult grizzlies and watching the young cubs play. We also checked out the Martin Stadium remodel which was quite impressive, especially for Pullman. The new addition more than doubles the size and height of the original south seating area. I have mixed feelings about the modernization and "ritz-ification" of Martin Stadium. I guess it's progress but I hope that the old-school, blue-collar, tight-community vibe is not lost. After an ice cream stop at Cougar Country, we headed east once again for a low-key night in Moscow, 7 miles and one state border from Pullman.
The trip home was quick and uneventful as we opted to take Hwy 26 only as far west as Washtucna before cutting up to I-90, the express way home.
Despite the lengthy windshield time, this was a great trip. Time seems to slow down a bit once east of the mountains so we felt as if we'd been gone a week instead of three days. The character of the coarse terrain of central Washington and the beauty of the fertile, rolling hills of the Palouse provided a much needed "spirit reset" for me as well.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Northwest Pale Ale in the Fermenter
So I finally got around to brewing a new batch of beer yesterday. It's been months since my last batch and I've been getting much encouragement to get back in the game. Even our monthly house-cleaner is pushing the issue - his subtle hint was to drop off two half-racks of 32 oz Corona Familiar bottles, a couple of them unopened (bonus!). I had not heard of this variant of Corona before, but apparently it's just the same stuff but in a big, brown bottle....I guess he gets it at a local Hispanic market.
I brewed a Northwest-style Pale Ale modeled roughly after Deschutes Mirror Pond Ale. 6 gallon recipe follows:
10 lb Pale Ale Malt
0.75 lb Crystal 60L Malt
0.3 lb Dextrin malt
2 oz Cascade Hops (0.75 for 90 min, 0.75 for 30 min, 0.25 for 15 min, 0.25 for 5 min)
Wyeast 1335 British Ale II (I wanted 1318 London Ale III but Mountain Home Brew, my nearest home brew store, was out)
Mash efficiency was the best I have achieved to date: 88%! For non brew-heads, this means that I was able to extract 88% of the fermentables (sugars) out of the malted grain. I believe that I can attribute this excellent result to 1) maintaining the mash temp at 153 deg and sparge water at 170 deg - I've undershot my mash and sparge temps the past few batches so I really focused on aiming high and maintaining the temps this time around, and 2) lautering very slooooowly - took me over an hour to capture the needed volume of wort.
I've been having trouble honing in on the evaporation rate of my setup for the boil. For the second consecutive batch it was around 1.25 gal/hr so I'm sticking with that for future recipes.
Regarding the hop schedule, I really have a hard time believing that boiling the small amounts for such short time periods at the end of the boil makes a noticeable difference in the end product's taste but I suppose there's a chance that gifted palates will appreciate it.
The fermentation was slower to take off than past batches; after 12 hours, I was still only seeing a bubble exit the airlock every ten seconds or so. I didn't do a yeast starter this time and went with an unknown-to-me yeast strain but hopefully it will all work out.
This may be Greek to a lot of you so perhaps I will dedicate a future blog to a quick overview of the all-grain home brew process. I've only been at it for a year or so but my results have been very good to date (with the exception of an acrid batch of Amber Ale...still not sure what went wrong there but suspect it was high fermentation temps.) I still have a few procedures to iron out but I'm happy with my setup and equipment.
UPDATE: Fermentation is now going very nicely. Healthy-looking krausen and rapid bubble-age in the airlock...
I brewed a Northwest-style Pale Ale modeled roughly after Deschutes Mirror Pond Ale. 6 gallon recipe follows:
10 lb Pale Ale Malt
0.75 lb Crystal 60L Malt
0.3 lb Dextrin malt
2 oz Cascade Hops (0.75 for 90 min, 0.75 for 30 min, 0.25 for 15 min, 0.25 for 5 min)
Wyeast 1335 British Ale II (I wanted 1318 London Ale III but Mountain Home Brew, my nearest home brew store, was out)
Mash efficiency was the best I have achieved to date: 88%! For non brew-heads, this means that I was able to extract 88% of the fermentables (sugars) out of the malted grain. I believe that I can attribute this excellent result to 1) maintaining the mash temp at 153 deg and sparge water at 170 deg - I've undershot my mash and sparge temps the past few batches so I really focused on aiming high and maintaining the temps this time around, and 2) lautering very slooooowly - took me over an hour to capture the needed volume of wort.
I've been having trouble honing in on the evaporation rate of my setup for the boil. For the second consecutive batch it was around 1.25 gal/hr so I'm sticking with that for future recipes.
Regarding the hop schedule, I really have a hard time believing that boiling the small amounts for such short time periods at the end of the boil makes a noticeable difference in the end product's taste but I suppose there's a chance that gifted palates will appreciate it.
The fermentation was slower to take off than past batches; after 12 hours, I was still only seeing a bubble exit the airlock every ten seconds or so. I didn't do a yeast starter this time and went with an unknown-to-me yeast strain but hopefully it will all work out.
This may be Greek to a lot of you so perhaps I will dedicate a future blog to a quick overview of the all-grain home brew process. I've only been at it for a year or so but my results have been very good to date (with the exception of an acrid batch of Amber Ale...still not sure what went wrong there but suspect it was high fermentation temps.) I still have a few procedures to iron out but I'm happy with my setup and equipment.
UPDATE: Fermentation is now going very nicely. Healthy-looking krausen and rapid bubble-age in the airlock...
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Family-Friendly Maui Beaches
The beaches of Hawaii have gathered many deserved accolades in all kinds of media. And, Maui's beaches, if not pronounced the best, at least deserve recognition as the brightest of Hawaii's hidden gems. We spent quite a lot of time on a handful of these beaches during our recent stay so I thought it helpful to pass on some intel and lessons learned to assist in other's Maui beach planning.
As indicated in my previous post, the home base of our recent Maui vacation was the Ka'anapali Beach Club. Ka'anapali is on the northwest coast of the island about 3 miles north of Lahaina (for those familiar with Polynesian mythology and the island's shape, Ka'anapali is at Maui's forehead). Although we observed many beaches on our drive from the airport and while on some extended car ventures to the southern regions of the island, I am confining my comments in this post only to those beaches that we actually visited and found to be family-friendly. All happen to fall within 8 miles of our aforementioned home base. I am by no means proclaiming that these beaches are the best on Maui, but will confidently state that they are well-worth a visit. A couple of quick notes before diving in further:
Ka'anapali Beach South of Black Rock
Directions: From Hwy 30 northbound, turn left on Ka'anapali Parkway (about 2 miles north of Lahaina). The main beach access trail is approx. 0.7 miles from the turnoff.
Parking: Challenging. Pay to park at the Sheraton or Westin or try one of the two "super secret" lots with free parking for beach goers. One is a row of spots at the Westin valet lot adjacent to the beach access trail. The other is also adjacent to the beach access trail but on the north side in the the bottom level of a parking garage
Facilities: Bathrooms available courtesy of the nearby resorts
Description: This long stretch of beach paradise primarily serves the resort district patrons (Westin, Sheraton, Hyatt, etc.) but be advised that all beaches in Hawaii are available to all comers despite what some high-end hotels/resorts might state or represent (cough, cough, RitzCarlton, cough). A thin strip of beach with beautiful white sand, clear turquoise waters, gentle surf, and mild trades, this is is an ideal lounging beach for the family. It is rather crowded, though, which is great for people-watching but go elsewhere if seeking solitude. And oh is the people-watching great! We were surrounded by Griswold-esque families with lobster-skinned dads; cell-phone-gabbing mom's; feral kids; and more Cousin Eddie's than you can shake a stick (or snorkel) at. Speaking of snorkels, the jewel of this beach is Black Rock, a rocky headland at the far north end that probably has the most easily accessed, quality snorkeling on Maui (although Kapalua is in the running). Black Rock is also a popular spot for cliff jumping. If you require significant personal space while snorkeling then find another beach. The crowds are well worth it, though, as the sea life you will see here is surprisingly diverse and plentiful. Rumor is that the local resorts clandestinely spread food to attract the sea life. This feeding appears to be a common albeit frowned-upon practice. By the way, if "sea turtle" is on your snorkeling bucket list, you are almost guaranteed to see one at Black Rock. A tight cluster of 5 or more snorkels is your best turtle-sighting indicator.
North Ka'anapali Beach
Directions: From north Hwy 30, turn left onto Lower Honoapiilani Road. Take first left onto Kai Malina Parkway/ Hanoapiilani Park Access Rd and stay to the right. An overflow lot will be immediately on the right or drive to the end of the access road where there is usually ample parking near the turnaround
Parking: Plentiful.
Facilities: Restrooms/showers available courtesy of the many beach-side resorts in this area
Description: This thin sliver of a beach offered no real perks over the other listed beaches and is not really a "destination" beach like the others I list in this post. I only include it as I did spend ample time here since its north end is right in front of the Ka'anapali Beach Club where we stayed. This beach is less crowded and "touristy" than south of Black Rock. The surf is weak but the trades can whip up the waves considerably and the currents can be a bit strong for weaker swimmers. Red Flag postings were commonplace during our stay. Surprisingly, there was worthwhile snorkeling along some resort-planted buoys right in front of the Beach Club though this snorkeling was not in the same league as our experiences at the other destination snorkeling beaches in this listing. Also worth mention is an inland boardwalk that parallels the beach between Black Rock (to the south) and Honokowai (to the north). At between 1 and 2 miles long, it is ideal for a pleasant and scenic out-and-back walk or an early morning run.
Kapalua Bay Beach
Directions: From Hwy 30 northbound, turn left on Napilihau St. Turn Rt on Lower Honoapiilani Rd. Drive about 1 mi and turn Left at the "Merriman Kapalua" sign
Parking: Large lot but fills up fast. Get here early. Street parking is available as well.
Facilities: Bathrooms/showers available adjacent to parking lot
Description: This horseshoe-shaped bay between Napili Bay and Namalu Bay cradles the ideal beach for learning to snorkel: Kapalua Bay Beach. For those with water issues or young kids who are hesitant to venture into the ocean, this is the beach to visit! Unlike Honolua Bay (see below) with its rocky shores and sometimes murky shallows, donning snorkel gear while wading in the shallows is a snap. The fish are plentiful throughout the bay but are mostly concentrated at the outer edges. Odds of experiencing an encounter with a sea turtle wandering through the shallows are decent. Tropical fish can be seen by just wading out and dipping one's mask into the clear water. No swimming required! Our kids also enjoyed a seemingly-daring, but actually safe foray out onto the rocky shore at the north end of the horseshoe where they found many tidal pools to explore.
DT Fleming Beach
Directions: From Hwy 30 northbound, drive 1 mile past the Kapalua Resort turnoff (Office Road) and take a left onto Lower Honoapiilani Road
Parking: Plentiful. Multiple lots.
Facilities: Bathrooms available adjacent to parking lot
Description: DT Fleming Beach (or DT Flemering Beach as my kids preferred to call it, not sure why) is probably the perfect beach for kids and adults wanting to learn to body surf and boogie board. Waves crest near the shore so rides are short but the shallow water is ideal for learning the timing and technique needed to catch a wave. "Beach cleaner!" became the oft-exclaimed tagline for our visits to this beach since, at seemingly regular intervals, a particularly large wave would crest, break, and "clean" the beach of any towels, toys, or mothers-in-law set too close to the ocean's edge. Most of the beaches north of Black Rock can get rather windy and DT Fleming was no exception so contact-wearers beware. The beach, itself, is very deep and long so there's plenty of space to stretch out. Kids averse to playing in the surf will still enjoy themselves here since the beach offers a plethora of drift wood ideal for building forts and shelters. Safe rocky crags and caves at the south end are also available for youngsters to climb and explore. Note that this beach is definitely NOT for standup surfing due to the late wave break and shallow water.
Mokule'ia Bay Beach AKA "Slaughterhouse"
Directions: On the shoulder of Hwy 30 about 1.6 miles miles past the Kapalua Resort turnoff (Office Road)
Parking: Tight. Parking on the highway shoulder is provided, but be careful as the highway is windy here and the room to maneuver young ones past the unpredictable traffic is limited. Access to the beach is via a long staircase.
Facilities: None. Yes, none.
Description: This beach truly feels "local." It is sheltered by a wide cove and has surf that appeals to the intermediate body surfer/boogie boarder, but is mild enough for beginners, too. The early break of the waves is conducive to long, satisfying rides. After tapering out of a particularly exhilarating body-surf wave, I popped up and took a quick look around at others who had caught the same wave. Every one of them, from my 10-year old son to a middle-aged Aussie vacationer to an elderly gentleman, were grinning ear-to-ear. These were definitely the funnest waves of this trip. Do keep your eyes open for rocks, though, as a few of these stragglers in the shallows may supply you with a bloody knee if disregarded. The ominous "Slaughterhouse" moniker comes not from the effect of these stray rocks but rather from a long-since closed slaughterhouse on a nearby ranch. I did see some snorkelers at the outer edges of the bay, but this is definitely a body-surfing/boogie-boarding beach first. One final point of note: We saw many more bright, tropical birds here than at any other beaches we visited.
Honolua Bay Beach
Directions: Trail head is inside of a Hwy 30 switchback about 2.3 miles past the Kapalua Resort turnoff (Office Road)
Parking: Ample roadside parking in the inside of and just to the south of the Hwy 30 switchback
Facilities: Honey Buckets at the trail head but that's it
This is an off-the-beaten-path snorkeling beach about 20-30 minutes north of Lahaina. The 10-minute hike to the beach is via a winding trail through quiet, lush jungle. Fans of the TV series Lost will be wondering if they'll run into Sawyer or Kate around the next bend. The confines of this bay are good for snorkeling only so the surf- and boogie board should be left in the car (with the exception of the uber-experienced surfer...turns out that the northern outer fringe of Honolua Bay is actually a famous surf spot boasting what some say is THE perfect surfing wave in Hawaii. After our visit to the beach, we drove north to an overlook where we watched the surfers catch these amazing waves. The rides were impressively long). As a sign near the trail head warns, come back another day if the trades and/ or surf is particularly high, not because of dangerous conditions (the beach is well-sheltered) but rather that the water would then be murky enough to make it not worth one's time. This is a rocky beach so plan to keep sandals on until in the water. It is also rather difficult, especially for little ones and beginners, to put on snorkel gear and enter the water due to murkiness, uneven surfaces in the shallows, and the constant push-pull of the small waves. Fish are most plentiful at the outer edges of this bay, but I found that the right (north) edge was the best snorkeling experience as it had more elaborate and plentiful coral formations. This side is where the the commercial catamaran snorkeling charters will often bring their customers.
That's all for now. Feel free to drop me a line if you'd like more info.
...and stay tuned for my next post in which I plan to review the Lahaina/Ka'anapali-area restaurants that we visited...
As indicated in my previous post, the home base of our recent Maui vacation was the Ka'anapali Beach Club. Ka'anapali is on the northwest coast of the island about 3 miles north of Lahaina (for those familiar with Polynesian mythology and the island's shape, Ka'anapali is at Maui's forehead). Although we observed many beaches on our drive from the airport and while on some extended car ventures to the southern regions of the island, I am confining my comments in this post only to those beaches that we actually visited and found to be family-friendly. All happen to fall within 8 miles of our aforementioned home base. I am by no means proclaiming that these beaches are the best on Maui, but will confidently state that they are well-worth a visit. A couple of quick notes before diving in further:
- I learned quickly that in Hawaii one does not speak of "winds." Instead, one call them "trades." When in Rome...
- Buy foam noodles for any inexperienced snorkelers. Many supermarkets in the area carry them for a couple of bucks each. When looped across the chest and under the armpits they provide ample flotation (but should not be considered as a replacement for a life vest)
- Snorkel gear rental shops on the island all seem to employ bait-and-switch tactics in their ads and fliers. Yes, full snorkel packages can be had for $8-$9 per week but as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for:" Leaky, blurry masks, stumpy snorkels, and blister-inducing fins. It is well worth upgrading to the superior equipment that comes with the $20-$30 per week rental packages. We personally rented from Snorkel Bob's as it was across the street from our hotel. They have a cool 24-hour gear return service to meet any traveler's schedule. We were satisfied with Snorkel Bob's service and quality of gear so can recommend them for rentals
- Red flags on the beaches mean dangerous winds and/or currents
- The snorkeling no-no's: Don't step on the coral, don't feed the fish (even if the conniving rental shop provides food), don't chase or corner turtles, never capture any fish
- Reviews are listed geographically from south to north
- Clicking on the beach name in the heading will show the beach location on Google Maps
Ka'anapali Beach South of Black Rock
Directions: From Hwy 30 northbound, turn left on Ka'anapali Parkway (about 2 miles north of Lahaina). The main beach access trail is approx. 0.7 miles from the turnoff.
Parking: Challenging. Pay to park at the Sheraton or Westin or try one of the two "super secret" lots with free parking for beach goers. One is a row of spots at the Westin valet lot adjacent to the beach access trail. The other is also adjacent to the beach access trail but on the north side in the the bottom level of a parking garage
Facilities: Bathrooms available courtesy of the nearby resorts
Description: This long stretch of beach paradise primarily serves the resort district patrons (Westin, Sheraton, Hyatt, etc.) but be advised that all beaches in Hawaii are available to all comers despite what some high-end hotels/resorts might state or represent (cough, cough, RitzCarlton, cough). A thin strip of beach with beautiful white sand, clear turquoise waters, gentle surf, and mild trades, this is is an ideal lounging beach for the family. It is rather crowded, though, which is great for people-watching but go elsewhere if seeking solitude. And oh is the people-watching great! We were surrounded by Griswold-esque families with lobster-skinned dads; cell-phone-gabbing mom's; feral kids; and more Cousin Eddie's than you can shake a stick (or snorkel) at. Speaking of snorkels, the jewel of this beach is Black Rock, a rocky headland at the far north end that probably has the most easily accessed, quality snorkeling on Maui (although Kapalua is in the running). Black Rock is also a popular spot for cliff jumping. If you require significant personal space while snorkeling then find another beach. The crowds are well worth it, though, as the sea life you will see here is surprisingly diverse and plentiful. Rumor is that the local resorts clandestinely spread food to attract the sea life. This feeding appears to be a common albeit frowned-upon practice. By the way, if "sea turtle" is on your snorkeling bucket list, you are almost guaranteed to see one at Black Rock. A tight cluster of 5 or more snorkels is your best turtle-sighting indicator.
North Ka'anapali Beach
Directions: From north Hwy 30, turn left onto Lower Honoapiilani Road. Take first left onto Kai Malina Parkway/ Hanoapiilani Park Access Rd and stay to the right. An overflow lot will be immediately on the right or drive to the end of the access road where there is usually ample parking near the turnaround
Parking: Plentiful.
Facilities: Restrooms/showers available courtesy of the many beach-side resorts in this area
Description: This thin sliver of a beach offered no real perks over the other listed beaches and is not really a "destination" beach like the others I list in this post. I only include it as I did spend ample time here since its north end is right in front of the Ka'anapali Beach Club where we stayed. This beach is less crowded and "touristy" than south of Black Rock. The surf is weak but the trades can whip up the waves considerably and the currents can be a bit strong for weaker swimmers. Red Flag postings were commonplace during our stay. Surprisingly, there was worthwhile snorkeling along some resort-planted buoys right in front of the Beach Club though this snorkeling was not in the same league as our experiences at the other destination snorkeling beaches in this listing. Also worth mention is an inland boardwalk that parallels the beach between Black Rock (to the south) and Honokowai (to the north). At between 1 and 2 miles long, it is ideal for a pleasant and scenic out-and-back walk or an early morning run.
Kapalua Bay Beach
Directions: From Hwy 30 northbound, turn left on Napilihau St. Turn Rt on Lower Honoapiilani Rd. Drive about 1 mi and turn Left at the "Merriman Kapalua" sign
Parking: Large lot but fills up fast. Get here early. Street parking is available as well.
Facilities: Bathrooms/showers available adjacent to parking lot
Description: This horseshoe-shaped bay between Napili Bay and Namalu Bay cradles the ideal beach for learning to snorkel: Kapalua Bay Beach. For those with water issues or young kids who are hesitant to venture into the ocean, this is the beach to visit! Unlike Honolua Bay (see below) with its rocky shores and sometimes murky shallows, donning snorkel gear while wading in the shallows is a snap. The fish are plentiful throughout the bay but are mostly concentrated at the outer edges. Odds of experiencing an encounter with a sea turtle wandering through the shallows are decent. Tropical fish can be seen by just wading out and dipping one's mask into the clear water. No swimming required! Our kids also enjoyed a seemingly-daring, but actually safe foray out onto the rocky shore at the north end of the horseshoe where they found many tidal pools to explore.
DT Fleming Beach
Directions: From Hwy 30 northbound, drive 1 mile past the Kapalua Resort turnoff (Office Road) and take a left onto Lower Honoapiilani Road
Parking: Plentiful. Multiple lots.
Facilities: Bathrooms available adjacent to parking lot
Description: DT Fleming Beach (or DT Flemering Beach as my kids preferred to call it, not sure why) is probably the perfect beach for kids and adults wanting to learn to body surf and boogie board. Waves crest near the shore so rides are short but the shallow water is ideal for learning the timing and technique needed to catch a wave. "Beach cleaner!" became the oft-exclaimed tagline for our visits to this beach since, at seemingly regular intervals, a particularly large wave would crest, break, and "clean" the beach of any towels, toys, or mothers-in-law set too close to the ocean's edge. Most of the beaches north of Black Rock can get rather windy and DT Fleming was no exception so contact-wearers beware. The beach, itself, is very deep and long so there's plenty of space to stretch out. Kids averse to playing in the surf will still enjoy themselves here since the beach offers a plethora of drift wood ideal for building forts and shelters. Safe rocky crags and caves at the south end are also available for youngsters to climb and explore. Note that this beach is definitely NOT for standup surfing due to the late wave break and shallow water.
Mokule'ia Bay Beach AKA "Slaughterhouse"
Directions: On the shoulder of Hwy 30 about 1.6 miles miles past the Kapalua Resort turnoff (Office Road)
Parking: Tight. Parking on the highway shoulder is provided, but be careful as the highway is windy here and the room to maneuver young ones past the unpredictable traffic is limited. Access to the beach is via a long staircase.
Facilities: None. Yes, none.
Description: This beach truly feels "local." It is sheltered by a wide cove and has surf that appeals to the intermediate body surfer/boogie boarder, but is mild enough for beginners, too. The early break of the waves is conducive to long, satisfying rides. After tapering out of a particularly exhilarating body-surf wave, I popped up and took a quick look around at others who had caught the same wave. Every one of them, from my 10-year old son to a middle-aged Aussie vacationer to an elderly gentleman, were grinning ear-to-ear. These were definitely the funnest waves of this trip. Do keep your eyes open for rocks, though, as a few of these stragglers in the shallows may supply you with a bloody knee if disregarded. The ominous "Slaughterhouse" moniker comes not from the effect of these stray rocks but rather from a long-since closed slaughterhouse on a nearby ranch. I did see some snorkelers at the outer edges of the bay, but this is definitely a body-surfing/boogie-boarding beach first. One final point of note: We saw many more bright, tropical birds here than at any other beaches we visited.
Honolua Bay Beach
Directions: Trail head is inside of a Hwy 30 switchback about 2.3 miles past the Kapalua Resort turnoff (Office Road)
Parking: Ample roadside parking in the inside of and just to the south of the Hwy 30 switchback
Facilities: Honey Buckets at the trail head but that's it
This is an off-the-beaten-path snorkeling beach about 20-30 minutes north of Lahaina. The 10-minute hike to the beach is via a winding trail through quiet, lush jungle. Fans of the TV series Lost will be wondering if they'll run into Sawyer or Kate around the next bend. The confines of this bay are good for snorkeling only so the surf- and boogie board should be left in the car (with the exception of the uber-experienced surfer...turns out that the northern outer fringe of Honolua Bay is actually a famous surf spot boasting what some say is THE perfect surfing wave in Hawaii. After our visit to the beach, we drove north to an overlook where we watched the surfers catch these amazing waves. The rides were impressively long). As a sign near the trail head warns, come back another day if the trades and/ or surf is particularly high, not because of dangerous conditions (the beach is well-sheltered) but rather that the water would then be murky enough to make it not worth one's time. This is a rocky beach so plan to keep sandals on until in the water. It is also rather difficult, especially for little ones and beginners, to put on snorkel gear and enter the water due to murkiness, uneven surfaces in the shallows, and the constant push-pull of the small waves. Fish are most plentiful at the outer edges of this bay, but I found that the right (north) edge was the best snorkeling experience as it had more elaborate and plentiful coral formations. This side is where the the commercial catamaran snorkeling charters will often bring their customers.
That's all for now. Feel free to drop me a line if you'd like more info.
...and stay tuned for my next post in which I plan to review the Lahaina/Ka'anapali-area restaurants that we visited...
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Family vacation to Maui
[UPDATE 02/09/2015: DON'T BOOK LODGING THROUGH TONYA WILLIAMS (DREAM TRAVEL INC.). SHE RECENTLY DECLARED BANKRUPTCY AND MAY HAVE FLED WITH OTHER TRAVELERS' MONEY (INCLUDING MINE). We booked our annual Maui trip through Tonya as usual in November 2014 for a April 2015 trip. Others who had booked through her VRBO Kaanapali Beach Club listing later received an email notice stating that the listing may no longer be valid. After searching further, we found evidence that Dream Travel was in bankruptcy and Tonya may have fled with recent booker's money. There is a Facebook page called "Have you been a victim of fraud by Tonya Williams of Dream Travel LLC?" that I encourage you to visit if you were a victim of Tonya's fraud.]
My family and two other families from the Wedge recently spent nine rejuvenating days in the mid-Pacific paradise of Maui. It had been 13 years since my last visit to Hawaii. How I managed to let this much time escape without a return is beyond me. I won't let that happen again.
Here is a snapshot of the current weather forecast for Ka'anapali, Maui where we stayed:
My next profession: Weatherman in Ka'anapali. I think I can handle it.
So, yes, the weather was perfect and we had a relaxing and fulfilling vacation, but I do have one rant regarding this vacation which I will get off of my chest up front. Our lodging reservation, although it eventually panned out, was a nail-biter from the beginning.
Along with being a slacker, I am notoriously cheap so I spend unreasonable amounts of time seeking out the "best deals" online especially when it comes to travel. This habit has me perusing sites on the fringes of the inter-webs, far from the tried-and-true Expedia's and Orbitz's (who usually end up having the best deals anyway). Eventually, I happened across an amazing deal on vrbo.com, a site that I have used exactly once in the past, albeit successfully. The offer was through a firm dubiously named Dream Travel, Inc. run by a woman named Tonya Williams. Cost was $1249 for 8 nights. This price was amazing for two reasons:
Weeks later after a few email prods, Tonya sent me the reservation confirmation. It was noticeably sparse; no confirmation number or lengthy disclaimers, but I thought this apropos for a vrbo.com transaction. Two days prior to takeoff I decided to call the Beach Club to confirm our reservation directly.
"Sorry, sir, but we see no such reservation. What is your confirmation number?"
"I don't have one..."
Damn. Emailed Tanya and, luckily, got an immediate response: She had just been in touch with the front desk and confirmed the reservation. It would be "loaded into their systems" that evening.
"OK, fine, but at least give me a confirmation number."
She replied with one that I used in a successful confirmation during a second call to the resort the next day.
Check-in was guaranteed for 4p. We arrived at 3:50p and I approached the front desk and gave my name.
"Sorry sir, I see no reservation under that name."
So, I gave her the confirmation number. She found it under the worst mangling of my name I have experienced to date: Mark Gordano. I somehow convinced her that Mark Gordano was Mike Garofano and, finally, all was well in paradise. Except...
The front desk attendant said that our room was not yet ready but that it was guaranteed to be ready by 4p.
"But it's 3:57."
"Yes sir. We guarantee that it will be ready by 4p. Please check back then."
I sheepishly scanned her face for a hint of kidding. Nothing. So, I stifled an "Are you serious?!" and an "Am I being Punk'd or something??" and found a soft seat in the spacious, open-air lobby.
<In thick French accent>: ...Three...Minutes...Later...
"Yes sir. Your room is now ready."
Now, all was truly well in paradise. Plus, as a sign that Murphy had indeed given up on enforcing his law, the owner of the sub-let was some kind of a VIP in their timeshare club and their privileges were passed on to us. A ocean-view room (well, partial ocean view...more on that later) and no-fee pool towels were ours. Not much, but something.
The moral of this story: I would use Dream Travel, Inc again as they do seem to have screaming deals, but next time will demand more information sooner and be sure I have a better handle on the booking process. I will also enter a Dream Travel, Inc. review of my own on vrbo.com to give others a heads up.
Stay tuned for installment two of my Maui vacation trip report where I will give a review of Ka'anapali Beach Club (post-check-in) and NW Maui restaurants and beaches. The slant will be much more positive than this blog post, I promise.
[UPDATE 5/14/2013] We returned to Maui last month and booked our stay at the Ka'anapali Beach Club through Tonya Williams' Dream Travel Inc once again. No problems at all to report. Another family we travelled with also booked through Dream Travel with no issues (in fact, they ended up with an awesome two-bedroom unit with a huge deck and paid the same low price.) I can now confidently recommend Dream Travel for booking lodging (at least at Ka'anapali Beach Club on Maui).
My family and two other families from the Wedge recently spent nine rejuvenating days in the mid-Pacific paradise of Maui. It had been 13 years since my last visit to Hawaii. How I managed to let this much time escape without a return is beyond me. I won't let that happen again.
Here is a snapshot of the current weather forecast for Ka'anapali, Maui where we stayed:
My next profession: Weatherman in Ka'anapali. I think I can handle it.
So, yes, the weather was perfect and we had a relaxing and fulfilling vacation, but I do have one rant regarding this vacation which I will get off of my chest up front. Our lodging reservation, although it eventually panned out, was a nail-biter from the beginning.
Along with being a slacker, I am notoriously cheap so I spend unreasonable amounts of time seeking out the "best deals" online especially when it comes to travel. This habit has me perusing sites on the fringes of the inter-webs, far from the tried-and-true Expedia's and Orbitz's (who usually end up having the best deals anyway). Eventually, I happened across an amazing deal on vrbo.com, a site that I have used exactly once in the past, albeit successfully. The offer was through a firm dubiously named Dream Travel, Inc. run by a woman named Tonya Williams. Cost was $1249 for 8 nights. This price was amazing for two reasons:
- It was literally half the cost of booking directly with the resort
- It went outside of the standard 7-night blocks required when booking Timeshares which ideally suited our 9-day travel plan.
Weeks later after a few email prods, Tonya sent me the reservation confirmation. It was noticeably sparse; no confirmation number or lengthy disclaimers, but I thought this apropos for a vrbo.com transaction. Two days prior to takeoff I decided to call the Beach Club to confirm our reservation directly.
"Sorry, sir, but we see no such reservation. What is your confirmation number?"
"I don't have one..."
Damn. Emailed Tanya and, luckily, got an immediate response: She had just been in touch with the front desk and confirmed the reservation. It would be "loaded into their systems" that evening.
"OK, fine, but at least give me a confirmation number."
She replied with one that I used in a successful confirmation during a second call to the resort the next day.
Check-in was guaranteed for 4p. We arrived at 3:50p and I approached the front desk and gave my name.
"Sorry sir, I see no reservation under that name."
So, I gave her the confirmation number. She found it under the worst mangling of my name I have experienced to date: Mark Gordano. I somehow convinced her that Mark Gordano was Mike Garofano and, finally, all was well in paradise. Except...
The front desk attendant said that our room was not yet ready but that it was guaranteed to be ready by 4p.
"But it's 3:57."
"Yes sir. We guarantee that it will be ready by 4p. Please check back then."
I sheepishly scanned her face for a hint of kidding. Nothing. So, I stifled an "Are you serious?!" and an "Am I being Punk'd or something??" and found a soft seat in the spacious, open-air lobby.
<In thick French accent>: ...Three...Minutes...Later...
"Yes sir. Your room is now ready."
Now, all was truly well in paradise. Plus, as a sign that Murphy had indeed given up on enforcing his law, the owner of the sub-let was some kind of a VIP in their timeshare club and their privileges were passed on to us. A ocean-view room (well, partial ocean view...more on that later) and no-fee pool towels were ours. Not much, but something.
The moral of this story: I would use Dream Travel, Inc again as they do seem to have screaming deals, but next time will demand more information sooner and be sure I have a better handle on the booking process. I will also enter a Dream Travel, Inc. review of my own on vrbo.com to give others a heads up.
Stay tuned for installment two of my Maui vacation trip report where I will give a review of Ka'anapali Beach Club (post-check-in) and NW Maui restaurants and beaches. The slant will be much more positive than this blog post, I promise.
[UPDATE 5/14/2013] We returned to Maui last month and booked our stay at the Ka'anapali Beach Club through Tonya Williams' Dream Travel Inc once again. No problems at all to report. Another family we travelled with also booked through Dream Travel with no issues (in fact, they ended up with an awesome two-bedroom unit with a huge deck and paid the same low price.) I can now confidently recommend Dream Travel for booking lodging (at least at Ka'anapali Beach Club on Maui).
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