Get ready to Poke Pau Hana

Look for poke and beer tastings at select stores statewide.

What goes well with poke? If you answered beer, then you surely will be in poke heaven! Starting today, Foodland stores statewide launched a new Poke Pau Hana promotion. In addition to the 20 different styles of poke served in Hawaii, the locally owned supermarket created a new pairing featuring 10 of it's most popular pokes with 10 different craft beers.

Put together by the Foodland team, and spearheaded by Foodland Corporate Chef Keoni Chang, the "culinary adventure" to pair your poke with the right craft, micro-brew or locally crafted beer took some time and skill. The grocer offers weekly specials on the recommended beer aimed to best suit your poke. Need a little guidance? They also have free tasting cards that will detail which poke has been paired with which brew. (That is pretty cool to compare).

My personal favorite was the spicy ahi with the Fat Tire! Look for weekly beer/poke pairings to be announced and a special price will accompany the featured craft beer too! 

How to best pair your poke? Look for balance between the poke and the beer. Find complementary or contrasting flavors. It's recommended to eat the poke first, then drink some beer, then eat the two together to get an idea of how they complement each other.

The research team worked hard to try and determine which would make the best poke pairings, although I am sure it wasn't all that difficult... They did however enlist the help of a Cicerone, which is a beer expert (similar to a sommelier for wine).

Look for noted signage in the stores that offer pairing suggestions. Tip: consider following @FoodlandHI on social to get a heads up on the weekly features and special deals.

In the end, your palate is your own. You drink what you like and eat what you like. For some the pairing may not work, but for others it may be the best thing they've ever tasted. Just have an open mind and open stomach and as always drink responsibly. 
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