Home Distiller

I am leaving next Thursday for two weeks in Kauai, my wife and I will spend one week in Princeville and the other in Kapaa Shores. Any suggestions for restaurants or activities other than time on the beach and hiking (we already fit those in)? I plan on touring a rum distillery they have on the island as well.
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Oh sure go ahead Bushman, go to Hawii, my girl friend just put that on her bucket list earlier this week, so we're goin to Portland Hey have fun and take a picture or two.

Just relax and take it easy. Its real slow on the island, not at all like Waikiki or Maui, but my wife and I lake that. If you are up to it do the Kayak trip up the Wiamia River, the only navigable one on all the islands. Its a short paddle up the river and then about a 1-11/2 klm hike into the water falls.

There is a great restaurant/lounge in the Hilton Resort that we went too. We were staying next door in the Condo complex on an RCI exchange, so we checked it out.

Up north is were all the old hippies live and they have a farmers market a couple of times a week where you can great produce a good prices.

There is a big Cosco at Lihina, where you can stock up if you have a membership. We generally cooked at home most nights as the fresh fish and meats are pretty good.

We also did a Cat-sailing thingy that was fun...but watch out for the "free or really cheap"deals that they offer you...it is all a come on to try and sell you time-shares!!! Just say no thanks...we got sucked in for half a day and had to pull the heavy and get aggressive as they really put the hard sell on you.


Take some picks of the rum factory while you are there.

Aloha

I just contacted the distillery and they have different places for sampling but no tours to the public . I have been to Kauai before and use the Costco, their fruits are also very fresh. Thanks for the other suggestions, we own time-shares and don't need anymore so thanks for the tip.

I leave this Thursday for Hawaii, doing what will probably be my last run on my current still today so that I can make my cuts before I go. Took all the parts I produced down to Mash Rookie and he is going to assemble the shotgun and dephlagmater while I am gone. Probably should start a batch of UJ so it is done when I get home but time is running out on other projects I need to finish before I go. Will keep in touch while on vacation.

Have a great time Bushman, what a good time to get out of this weather for a while, I'm tired of seeing snow damn near every morning.

Enjoy yourself Bushman!

Went for a walk near the beach and found a coconut, upon shaking it found it had liquid so took it back to the condo, cracked it and made fresh coconut milk. Currently reflecting on a great day with a homemade pina coloda!

Bushman wrote:Went for a walk near the beach and found a coconut, upon shaking it found it had liquid so took it back to the condo, cracked it and made fresh coconut milk.

google growing a coconut tree! You can grow them from a coconut with liquid!

Also... Bring home a bottle of Beach Bar Rum. You'll find it there.... and you won't.... even as a home distiller.... be disappointed!

RumBrewer wrote:

Bushman wrote:Went for a walk near the beach and found a coconut, upon shaking it found it had liquid so took it back to the condo, cracked it and made fresh coconut milk.

google growing a coconut tree! You can grow them from a coconut with liquid!

Also... Bring home a bottle of Beach Bar Rum. You'll find it there.... and you won't.... even as a home distiller.... be disappointed!

Thanks for the suggestion I will look for it next time in the store

Ya going to get to do any fishin over there Bushman?

OlympicMtDoo wrote:Ya going to get to do any fishin over there Bushman?

Don't plan on it, they keep most of it and it costs a ton to go out! I have done it in the past + I still have close to a 100 lbs in the freezer I got to get through before I go back up this season.

Well just wondered if there were any good opportunities over there, hadn't really ever heard of anybody doing much fishin, at least while on vacation over there. I always try to slip in some huntin, fishin, shotin or somethin on my vacation get aways, but it don't always work. Oh, and sorry about the 100 lbs in your freezer, I'd sure help ya out with that if I could. hey have fun anyhow.

OlympicMtDoo wrote:Well just wondered if there were any good opportunities over there, hadn't really ever heard of anybody doing much fishin, at least while on vacation over there. I always try to slip in some huntin, fishin, shotin or somethin on my vacation get aways, but it don't always work. Oh, and sorry about the 100 lbs in your freezer, I'd sure help ya out with that if I could. hey have fun anyhow.

Fishing tuna in Hawaii is fun but the captain charges anywhere from several hundred to a thousand a day depending on the size of your group or if you are an individual. The captain takes almost all the fish giving you enough for a dinner and then sells to local restaurants. At least that was last year, I haven't checked into it this year.

Holy s__t, Think I'd grab some at the restruant too, didn't realise it would be anything like that, never been over there, well just grab a cocktail and dream about fishing

I did rum tasting at the Koloa rum tasting room in Kauai, they do not give tours at this time as they are relatively new and all of their rums have not aged the full time in barrels. Their still is over 1200 gallons, copper made in Penn. around 1947 and refurbished for their needs. They had 4 types of rum, white, lightly colored, spiced, and a dark rum. The second rum was the smoothest although my wife preferred the spiced rum (didn't suprise me).

While here we bought a lot of local goods, there is a woman on the island that makes spices for rubbing and also a flavored margaritta salt. Her stuff is a amazing, she sells out of the farmers market and the local stores. She gave a cooking demonstration that we attended and she said that Koloa rum gets all the sugar cane from the island so it makes it tough for her to produce some of her products. Her products have been used by both Martha Stewart and the Iron Chef.

Our trip is almost over and I will be home in two days to finish my still and post pics!

OlympicMtDoo wrote:Holy s__t, Think I'd grab some at the restruant too, didn't realise it would be anything like that, never been over there, well just grab a cocktail and dream about fishing

I think I misquoted the price, I did not check into it but I meant $250-$1000 for a fishing trip depending on size of group and if you go all day or 1/2 day.

Bushman wrote:

OlympicMtDoo wrote:Holy s__t, Think I'd grab some at the restruant too, didn't realise it would be anything like that, never been over there, well just grab a cocktail and dream about fishing

I think I misquoted the price, I did not check into it but I meant $250-$1000 for a fishing trip depending on size of group and if you go all day or 1/2 day.

Still pretty damn spendy Bushman, the fish will be in the sound before long anyhow.

Bushman wrote:Any suggestions for restaurants or activities other than time on the beach and hiking (we already fit those in)?

This may be a little late but Shrimp Factory is good and there is a Hawaiian shaved ice place near there that we loved when we were there. Spent a week in Kappa Shores two years ago and loved every minute of it. We rented a 4X4 jeep and went to the beach the car rental place tells you NOT to take the car out to, it was hella fun rolling at 40 mph on a dirt road in Hi 4 past all those 2 wheel drive rental cars. Hope you had a blast!

Durace11 wrote:

Bushman wrote:Any suggestions for restaurants or activities other than time on the beach and hiking (we already fit those in)?

This may be a little late but Shrimp Factory is good and there is a Hawaiian shaved ice place near there that we loved when we were there. Spent a week in Kappa Shores two years ago and loved every minute of it. We rented a 4X4 jeep and went to the beach the car rental place tells you NOT to take the car out to, it was hella fun rolling at 40 mph on a dirt road in Hi 4 past all those 2 wheel drive rental cars. Hope you had a blast!

Thanks for the suggestion, this is our last night we fly home tomorrow late in the afternoon. We spent a week at Kappa Shores and a week in Princeville at the Bahli Hai both great locations. Loved Haneli and the live music at night. The local talent also performed in the George Clooney movie "Desendents". A lot of fun!