Collaboration over Competition – That’s the business mantra Square Barrels exudes in all they do.  We went into try two new beers from Big Island Brewhaus, one of my favorite breweries in the islands and one that is typically hard to find on draft. I ended up learning a lot about Square Barrels thanks to a slow evening and nice chat with one of the owners, Thomas Ray.

As an Untappd addict, I had been trying to get into Square Barrels again to unlock their Local Badge. For those uninitiated, Untappd is a beer collecting app that allows you to rate, check-in, and remember what you like. The badge feature rewards you for types of beers and venues visited. The third type are sponsored badges by breweries and events around the country. Recently Untappd added a Local Badge feature where bars, breweries, and restaurants can have their own badge that customers earn for checking in beers at their establishment. Square Barrels is the first and only venue on O’ahu that is taking advantage of this. As a customer, it means a lot to me to see the engagement into a small but growing community.

The Local Badge essentially functions as a rewards program. On first check-in, you receive level 1 that shows you all the details. For level 5, 10% off your bill; level 15 a T-shirt; level 25 a $25 gift card; and level 50 an unfilled growler! Each level of badge requires 5 separate beer check-ins, so for the highest level, that’s 250 beer check-ins.  This encourages repeat business and building toward something.  I hope this program catches on more in Hawai’i!

Starshine Ginger Beer

Dark Sabbath

As far as Square Barrels goes, check Untappd for their menu and upcoming events. They always have a collaboration dinner or special release coming up! Also, if it’s your first time, have their house beers!