2025-07-03 Liquor Commission Minutes Hilo

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The motion was carried unanimously. VI. Preliminary Hearings (10:31 AM) 1. APPLICATION NO.: APPLICANT: (10:31 AM) TRADE NAME: PLACE OF BUSINESS: TMK: LICENSE APPLIED FOR: 24-41 Hamakua Distillery LLC Hamakua Distillery 28-3254 Beach Road, Pepe`ekeo, Hawaii 2-8-008:044 Original Manufacturer liquor license Representing applicant: Charmaine Banther, Owner, and Keith Steele, Master Distiller. Okabe: Can you please state your name and the relationship to the business? Banther: Aloha, I'm Charmaine Banther, I am the owner of Hamakua Distillery LLC, and this is Keith Steele, he will be the Master Distiller. Do you want to know a little bit about our business? Okabe: Yes. Banther: So, I'm a retired teacher, and Keith is a retired executive chef, and we think between our two strongpoints, mine regulations and compliance, and his creating wonderful things to eat and drink, we think we can make something our island is truly proud of. And so, our idea is a tiny micro -distillery on our farm using our farm products. And we have the okay from Planning, and we have the building permitted, and our building arrived yesterday, so waiting to be delivered next week by Coven's. And so, we're very excited to start this small ki ne using all kinds of things from our farm. Steele: Yes, we have a lot of sugar cane planted, we have the ulu. Banther: We have banana. Steele: Yes, so we're using the banana in the rum, and then the sugar cane as well. Ulu will be made towards a vodka distilled liquor. I will be doing a rye, but of course we don't have any of that grains, so that'll be shipped in from the mainland. That will be the only product that won't be subsidized from the island for that type of product. Okabe: Did you receive the report? Banther: Yes. Okabe: Okay, are there any changes to the report? Banther: No. MINUTES - LIQUOR COMMISSION MEETING - THURSDAY, JULY 31 2025 - HILO PAGE 21 OF 39