Brewery Profile: Home of the Brave Beverage Company

Home of the Brave is not your typical microbrewery. Located thousands of miles away from Telluride in the beautiful city of Honolulu, Hawaii and a mission to serve men and women in the United States Military, this new venture is as unique as the beer they brew. Recently a member of the Blues and Brews staff got to talk with Home of the Brave president and founder Glen Tomlinson about the Home of the Brave Beverage Company  and their beer. This is what he found out.

 In 1991 Glen Tomlinson started Home of Brave Company in conjunction with the 50 year anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The company was started to educate the military, island visitors, schools, and veterans by conducting tours and historical educational programs in Honolulu, Hawaii. Tomlinson’s family owns the Home of the Brave historical WWII museum that features one of the largest and most unique collections of WWII memorabilia in the pacific. After 20 years of working with the United States Military, Tomlinson decided to start a beer company.

Tomlinson explains “My two sons moved from the islands to Colorado to go to college.  Duke went to school in Ft. Collins and Baron went to Ft. Lewis in Durango, CO.  Both boys fell in love with craft beer and started home brewing with their friends. Prior to graduation, they were determined to get into the craft beer business and proposed that we create quality beverages for the U.S. Military.”

As the Home of the Brave Beverage Company was born, so was their first beer Pilot Pale Ale. Pilot Pale ale was created by O’Dell brewer Jeff Doyle and brewed in collaboration with Maui Brewing Company. Tomlinson says “We couldn’t have done it without the help of Garrett Marerro, president of Maui Brewing Co. who took us under his wing and in the true spirit of craft brewing, helped us get started”.  Garrett continues to support Home of the Brave Beverage Company, brewing their draft beer at the award winning Maui Brewing Co.

Tomlinson describes Pilot Pale ale as “craft-brewed with bread like malt character so as to avoid sweetness, while still maintaining just enough body to balance out a delicate dry bitterness, fermented with an American ale yeast strain. You can taste the natural fruity esters from fermentation that harmonize with a generous aroma hop addition of spicy citrus floral American hops.  It has a light crisp dry finish that leaves just a breath of bitter bouquet.”

In addition to Pilot Pale Ale, Home of the Brave, also brews Landing Zone Lager and is working on a dark lager scheduled to release in December, to commemorate the 70^th year anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Home of the Brave brews are currently being served at military bases to support the troops and restaurants on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Keep an eye out for Home of the Brave brews as Sprecher’s Brewing in Wisconsin is now producing Home of the Brave  bottled beer and sodas for continental US distribution. Check out the unique Home of the Brave Beverage Company more at their website here.

Also, make sure to attend the grand tasting on Saturday September 17^th at the Telluride Blues and Blues festival. Enjoy great music, try some Home of the Brave brews strait from Hawaii and ice cold craft beer from 55 other microbreweries.  As Glen Tomlinson says in Hawaii “Aloha!!!  We’re very excited to be a part of the exciting Telluride Blues & Brews festival!  Mahalo Nui Loa.”