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Distillery Location:
577 Pakala St, Honolulu, HI 96825 Tasting Room and Distillery Open Wednesday - Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm Hawaii Distributor: Johnson Brothers of Hawaii
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About the Brand
Initial founding
Dave Flintstone, founder of Island Distillers and the creative force behind Hapa Vodkas, began his journey in the Caribbean as a scuba instructor and discovered his passion for blending sugarcane spirits on the island of Espanola. Venturing between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, he refined his craft through internships at various distilleries, mastering the production and blending of rums, clarin, and vodka. After facing a year of regulatory obstacles in Maui, where bureaucracy hindered his plans, Dave shifted to Oahu, where a more favorable environment enabled him to secure a distillery space swiftly and open his first facility within a month—a milestone that set the stage for his ongoing legacy over the past decade. "I ended up making a call over here on Oahu, and found out it was a completely different situation, even though it’s under the same state laws. A week later, I was over here [Oahu] building out my first distillery space, and we opened a month later," he said.
Dave selected vodka as his spirit of choice because its unaged nature allows it to be released almost immediately after production. Its versatility is intriguing—vodka can be made from nearly any commodity—yet the challenge lies in eliminating unwanted flavors through precise distillation rather than adding notes. Although Dave initially believed achieving a clean flavor profile would be simple, he soon discovered that perfecting vodka is a much more demanding art. His flavor choices were driven by personal taste and a connection to Hawaii; he experimented with uncommon options that echoed the islands' essence, starting with hibiscus and Hawaiʻi chili pepper before ultimately adding the coconut flavor.
A transfer of ownership
In approximately 2022 Dave sold Island Distllers to the families of Zachary and Amy Riehemann as well as Jared and Ashley Hupp. The team was inspired by similar experiences being raised on farms. "Growing up on a farm as children we watched and helped our family tend to our land, cultivating the soil and harvesting the fruits of our labor. This instilled in us a deep respect for the land, community, and the importance of farming," said the team.
"Our journey into distillation began with a curiosity about the art of transforming raw ingredients into unique, handcrafted spirits. We experimented with different techniques, recipes, and ingredients, always pushing the boundaries of what was possible," the team noted.
Island Distillers was founded on a simple yet ambitious vision: to create exceptional, small-batch spirits that showcase the essence of Hawai‘i using native Hawai‘ian plants. Today, we’re proud to be a family-owned distillery, dedicated to using only the finest, locally-sourced ingredients in our products. From our farm-to-bottle approach to our commitment to sustainability, every aspect of our business is guided by a passion for quality, community, and Aloha.
Dave Flintstone, founder of Island Distillers and the creative force behind Hapa Vodkas, began his journey in the Caribbean as a scuba instructor and discovered his passion for blending sugarcane spirits on the island of Espanola. Venturing between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, he refined his craft through internships at various distilleries, mastering the production and blending of rums, clarin, and vodka. After facing a year of regulatory obstacles in Maui, where bureaucracy hindered his plans, Dave shifted to Oahu, where a more favorable environment enabled him to secure a distillery space swiftly and open his first facility within a month—a milestone that set the stage for his ongoing legacy over the past decade. "I ended up making a call over here on Oahu, and found out it was a completely different situation, even though it’s under the same state laws. A week later, I was over here [Oahu] building out my first distillery space, and we opened a month later," he said.
Dave selected vodka as his spirit of choice because its unaged nature allows it to be released almost immediately after production. Its versatility is intriguing—vodka can be made from nearly any commodity—yet the challenge lies in eliminating unwanted flavors through precise distillation rather than adding notes. Although Dave initially believed achieving a clean flavor profile would be simple, he soon discovered that perfecting vodka is a much more demanding art. His flavor choices were driven by personal taste and a connection to Hawaii; he experimented with uncommon options that echoed the islands' essence, starting with hibiscus and Hawaiʻi chili pepper before ultimately adding the coconut flavor.
A transfer of ownership
In approximately 2022 Dave sold Island Distllers to the families of Zachary and Amy Riehemann as well as Jared and Ashley Hupp. The team was inspired by similar experiences being raised on farms. "Growing up on a farm as children we watched and helped our family tend to our land, cultivating the soil and harvesting the fruits of our labor. This instilled in us a deep respect for the land, community, and the importance of farming," said the team.
"Our journey into distillation began with a curiosity about the art of transforming raw ingredients into unique, handcrafted spirits. We experimented with different techniques, recipes, and ingredients, always pushing the boundaries of what was possible," the team noted.
Island Distillers was founded on a simple yet ambitious vision: to create exceptional, small-batch spirits that showcase the essence of Hawai‘i using native Hawai‘ian plants. Today, we’re proud to be a family-owned distillery, dedicated to using only the finest, locally-sourced ingredients in our products. From our farm-to-bottle approach to our commitment to sustainability, every aspect of our business is guided by a passion for quality, community, and Aloha.
Zachary Riehemann, President
Meet Zack, our company president who brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. With over 10 years of service at the Maternal & Child Health Branch of the Hawai’i Department of Health, Zack skillfully navigates the business side of our company, ensuring our success and growth. His dedication and leadership have been instrumental in shaping our vision and direction.
Amy Riehemann, Director of Agriculture and Community Relations
Meet Amy, a passionate advocate for native Hawaiian plants, sustainability, and community. With a background in kupuna care management across Oahu and a lifelong connection to farming, she brings a unique blend of knowledge, aloha spirit, and community dedication. As Director of Agriculture and Community Relations, Amy nurtures growth and connection, with a deep commitment to her community. Her home is always filled with the warmth of ‘ohana and community alike.
Ashley Hupp, Sales Manager
Meet Ashley, our vibrant sales manager and the face of our brand at trade shows and events. Known to many as the Paradise Bartender, Ashley brings infectious energy and charm to every gathering, making her the life of the party. When she’s not shaking up sales, she’s sharing her passion for our spirits with enthusiasm and expertise. Ashley is the perfect blend of business savvy and aloha spirit.
Jared Hupp, Lead Distiller
Meet Jared, our lead distiller. Jared is the creative force behind our family’s spirits, bringing a level of expertise and artistry to every bottle. He loves experimenting with fruits from the land and is passionate about fermentation. When not distilling, Jared enjoys slow-cooking his signature brisket. If he looks familiar you might remember him from his days bartending at Coconut Willy’s. That same charm and hospitality are infused in every sip of our spirits.
Meet Zack, our company president who brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. With over 10 years of service at the Maternal & Child Health Branch of the Hawai’i Department of Health, Zack skillfully navigates the business side of our company, ensuring our success and growth. His dedication and leadership have been instrumental in shaping our vision and direction.
Amy Riehemann, Director of Agriculture and Community Relations
Meet Amy, a passionate advocate for native Hawaiian plants, sustainability, and community. With a background in kupuna care management across Oahu and a lifelong connection to farming, she brings a unique blend of knowledge, aloha spirit, and community dedication. As Director of Agriculture and Community Relations, Amy nurtures growth and connection, with a deep commitment to her community. Her home is always filled with the warmth of ‘ohana and community alike.
Ashley Hupp, Sales Manager
Meet Ashley, our vibrant sales manager and the face of our brand at trade shows and events. Known to many as the Paradise Bartender, Ashley brings infectious energy and charm to every gathering, making her the life of the party. When she’s not shaking up sales, she’s sharing her passion for our spirits with enthusiasm and expertise. Ashley is the perfect blend of business savvy and aloha spirit.
Jared Hupp, Lead Distiller
Meet Jared, our lead distiller. Jared is the creative force behind our family’s spirits, bringing a level of expertise and artistry to every bottle. He loves experimenting with fruits from the land and is passionate about fermentation. When not distilling, Jared enjoys slow-cooking his signature brisket. If he looks familiar you might remember him from his days bartending at Coconut Willy’s. That same charm and hospitality are infused in every sip of our spirits.
“Hapa, in Native Hawaiian, means “part” or “mixed.” I decided to take advantage of hundreds of years of sugarcane history in Hawaii and my knowledge of blending, which is quite unique here as no one else does it. I take my freshly made, Hawaiian vodka and then blend it with a Brazilian sugarcane spirit that I import, merging the two, and in turn, creating something better. Blending is better! That’s why all the best rums in the Caribbean are blended rums and have been since the 1600s.”
Vodka Production
Sugar
The sweetener for the flavored vodkas and the supplement to the “backyard” sugarcane comes from Louisiana.
The sweetener for the flavored vodkas and the supplement to the “backyard” sugarcane comes from Louisiana.
Fermentation
To make the base spirit, sugarcane grown on the property is fermented and run through a custom, micro, continuous distillation still. This instantly vaporizes the mash and automatically separates heads and tails. With this distillation technique, minimal heads and tails are produced, thus producing higher yields of the end product. Flintstone then blends a Brazilian spirit to proof with water, lets it rest, then blends it again with his local vodka distillate.
“I have a very small production method, so my spirit is going to be a bit different than a larger production method. Bringing the Brazillian sugarcane and my sugarcane distillate together definitely makes all the difference when blending them. The whole is greater than some of the parts, and it creates a nice synergy and a nice harmony.”
To make the base spirit, sugarcane grown on the property is fermented and run through a custom, micro, continuous distillation still. This instantly vaporizes the mash and automatically separates heads and tails. With this distillation technique, minimal heads and tails are produced, thus producing higher yields of the end product. Flintstone then blends a Brazilian spirit to proof with water, lets it rest, then blends it again with his local vodka distillate.
“I have a very small production method, so my spirit is going to be a bit different than a larger production method. Bringing the Brazillian sugarcane and my sugarcane distillate together definitely makes all the difference when blending them. The whole is greater than some of the parts, and it creates a nice synergy and a nice harmony.”
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Distillation Island Distillers uses a custom, micro, continuous distillation still that instantly vaporizes the mash, instead of boiling the mash like in a pot still. This automatically separates heads and tails; however, not a lot of heads are produced due to this particular methodology. Flintstone helped design this custom still with a Russian petroleum engineer who worked on fuel refineries and vodka in his spare time. However, the still was refined for the American pallet as Russians like vodka with a lot of bite. |
The Distillery
The Vodka
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Hawaii Beverage Guide Tasting Notes
Boquet: Slightly astringent and clean Pallet: Hapa has a silky mouthfeel with warming alcohol. There is a faint top note of grass or sugarcane, with a slightly sweet lasting finish. Cocktail Approach
Hawaii Beverage Guide Commentary We feel Island Distiller’s Hapa Vodka is more robust in flavor than Ocean Vodka and less robust than Pau Vodka. |
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Coconuts
“The coconuts come from either Thailand or the Philippines, depending on the time of year or weather. Unfortunately, there are no coconut plantations here in Hawaii. And unlike other fruits and some botanicals, you can’t really chuck coconuts into vodka and expect much flavor transfer. You need a more intense flavor in order to infuse the [coconut] flavor and aroma into the product. I developed a distillation method of its own that uses water. It’s the same way they produce other extract products that are highly intense in flavors or aromas like essential oils. I also quickly realized that on my own, I would not be be able to produce this product in the quantity that I needed, even with the small production that I have, because it would take a large amount of coconuts and a tremendous amount of labor. So, I created the extraction I wanted and found someone on the mainland, who had the facilities in place to process the coconuts, to do it for me.” |
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Hibiscus
“Hawai’i doesn’t have hibiscus farms, so I have to source elsewhere. I don’t mind doing this for my ingredients when it’s necessary because I want the best ingredients for my products no matter where they come from. The hibiscus actually comes from Egypt, and it’s dried hibiscus flower infused directly into the product, which is where the color, aroma and flavor come from.” Hawaii Beverage Guide Commentary Hapa vodka’s neutral flavor provides a great base for the concentrated Hibiscus Vodka. We believe the hibiscus would work well on a menu in Hawaii as it checks off a couple great buzzwords. Unless you plan on making hibiscus tea or doing your own infusion, this concentrate would also save time when building your cocktail ingredients list. |
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Hawaiian Chili Pepper
“The Hawaii chili peppers are currently sourced from the Big Island on the Puna side. Our source is a gentleman who has hundreds and hundreds of chili pepper plants that I'm able to get pounds of chili peppers from, which has been very convenient.” |
Okolehao
“Okolehao has been mass produced for retail since the late 18th century, so it has a reasonably long history. Many producers at the time had also introduced sugarcane in their Okolehau, which provided a smoother spirit. I wanted to focus on recreating what was being drunk during that time as opposed to what was common during the 1700s. I developed mine two years after the releases of my two initial Vodkas: the Straight Premium Vodka, and the Coconut Vodka.”
Ti Leaf
“Almost all the ones we do use have green leaves just because that’s what we’re able to source from the Big Island. However, I haven’t found any particular difference in flavor between the different colored leaves; and, we’re not using the leaves; we’re using the root.”
“Almost all the ones we do use have green leaves just because that’s what we’re able to source from the Big Island. However, I haven’t found any particular difference in flavor between the different colored leaves; and, we’re not using the leaves; we’re using the root.”
The Production process
“All alcohol starts with fermentation, which of course creates the alcohol and distilling, but also concentrates and refines the alcohol. With regard to the fermentation process of my Okelehao, is sugarcane and Ti root. Sugarcane is readily fermentable, and by simply adding the correct yeast, it will ferment and produce alcohol. The Ti root, as a starch, has to be converted to sugars like all other starches, so it has to be chopped, minced, and then made into a slurry; once heated, it will convert into sugars, which after combined with the sugarcane, can then be fermented into alcohol.”
“All alcohol starts with fermentation, which of course creates the alcohol and distilling, but also concentrates and refines the alcohol. With regard to the fermentation process of my Okelehao, is sugarcane and Ti root. Sugarcane is readily fermentable, and by simply adding the correct yeast, it will ferment and produce alcohol. The Ti root, as a starch, has to be converted to sugars like all other starches, so it has to be chopped, minced, and then made into a slurry; once heated, it will convert into sugars, which after combined with the sugarcane, can then be fermented into alcohol.”