By Vanessa Wolf

Image courtesy Pau Vodka.

Pau Maui, the only ultra-premium vodka crafted from Hawaiian pineapples, takes center stage at the Makena Beach & Golf Resort’s upcoming Liquid Chef event.

Held this Saturday July 26 in the Molokini Bar & Grille, Young’s Market Company Hawaii’s Master Mixologist Joey Gottesman presents several signature cocktails created with the locally made vodka and paired with appetizers by Makena’s chefs.

Pau Maui Vodka’s Master Distiller Mark Nigbur will also be on hand to present his signature spirit.

While there is no hint of pineapple flavor in the finished product, promoters note that “the Maui Golden pineapple provides a nice, clean mash to start from. The vodka is made in one-of-a-kind glass stills that are the brainchild of Nigbur. Designed to create the purest, cleanest vodka in the world, Nigbur carefully monitors the mash in small batches until it is ready to be distilled into arguably the purest vodka. The laboratory-grade glass has a neutral ph and a cleanliness that allows the vodka to be distilled in its pure natural state. Unlike vodka made with traditional copper stills, which alters the taste of the finished product, Pua Maui’s taste is unaltered.”

Once distilled, it is mixed with crystal clear Hawaiian spring water, which presumably also tastes like… pure, clean nothingness.

Gottesman will prepare several island-inspired cocktails which will be paired with five pupus.

The cocktails being presented are:

The Journey

A hand-crafted original sour made with Pau Maui Vodka, just-pressed lemon juice, white cane sugar and pasteurized egg whites, served up with a dash of aromatic Peychaud’s Bitters and a freshly expressed swath of orange.

The Nigbur Collins

Named after Master Distiller Mark Nigbur, this Collins is served on the rocks with Pau Maui Vodka and a mélange of fresh lemon sour, Martini and Rossi Bianco, Peychaud’s Bitters, seltzer and a fresh slice of Maui Gold Pineapple.

Pau’s “Red Dirt Flirt”

A dirty martini made with (surprise, surprise) Pau Maui Vodka, Kalamata olive juice and Martini and Rossi Bianco, strained up with feta cheese-stuffed Kalamata olives and house made red Hawaiian chili pepper oil.

Malahini Mojo

Created with Pau Vodka (obvi), coconut cream and fresh resort-grown basil, this cocktail is served frothy and on the rocks with pineapple and freshly pressed lime.

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A canape served at a previous Makena event. Photo by Vanessa Wolf

Meanwhile, appetizer selections include:

Watermelon, Crab and Goat Cheese Tower

Chilled watermelon, lump crab, Laural Channel goat cheese and balsamic reduction

Volcano Spiced Prawns

Succulent grilled Kauai prawns, fresh avocado, watercress and papaya lime gastrique

Grilled Vegetable and House-made Mozzarella Bruschetta

Kumu Farms eggplant, portobella mushroom, Maui onion, zucchini and roasted red pepper aioli

Risotto Balls “Arancini”

Fried Arborio rice balls filled with melted cheese

Jerk Chicken Bites with Glazed Pineapple

Chicken thighs marinated in Caribbean spices with glazed Maui pineapple, cilantro and fresh lime

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The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and is offered at $55 per person, excluding tax and gratuity.

Reservations are required. Call 808-875-5888 to make yours.