With the number of people whose stereotypical vision of Hawai'i includes a fruity drink and a tropical umbrella, it can be tough to remember that Hawai'i actually has a long history of temperance. All the way back in 1829, during the reign of Kamehameha III, the Kingdom of Hawai'i passed an ordinance banning the sale of "ardent spirits." However, the ban was unloved by the visiting whale ships as well as by mainland exporters who wished to sells their goods in the Hawaiian market, so in 1850, Kamehameha III lifted the ban.
Over the next 50 years, as temperance movements on the mainland gathered steam, Hawai'i had a strong "dry" movement, as well. An anti-saloon league was founded in 1901 but voters, on July 26, 1910, rejected the idea of an outright ban on alcohol. What finally brought about full-scale Prohibition--both in the Territory of Hawai'i and on the mainland--was World War I. Wartime rationing led to bans on the sale and production of alcohol in 1918 and just a year later, Congress passed the 18th Amendment banning the alcohol nationwide.
Prohibition went into effect in 1920 in all states and territories and stayed in effect until 1934. (Interestingly, while the Constitutional amendment reversing Prohibition was passed in 1933, states and territories each ended Prohibition on their own schedules.)
In Kimo's other life as a songwriter, he's written a song about the beer running out in Hawaii at the turn of the 20th century. The song is called Fair Angeline and you can see a video of him performing it live in New York City.
If you are interested in Prohibition in general, we recommend Daniel Okrent's Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, which came out earlier this year.
Today, of course, alcohol is not only served liberally in the islands--it's made here, too. Our local favorite is Maui Dark Rum.
