Kona Brewing Company
Encyclopedia
Kona Brewing Company is a craft brewery located in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii
’s Big Island
and is the top selling craft beer in the state. Kona’s Longboard Island Lager, Fire Rock Pale Ale and Aloha Series beers Wailua Wheat Ale and Pipeline Porter are distributed in 28 states in the United States
and Japan
.
Kona Brewing Company introduced Pacific Golden Ale (now called Big Wave Golden Ale) and Fire Rock Pale Ale to Hawaii in bottles and kegs in 1995. Longboard Island Lager was added three years later. Approximately 10 other styles of beer are brewed on a regular basis and served at Kona Brewing Company’s pubs with a select few being served at restaurants.
In 2003, Kona Brewing Co. opened its second restaurant at the Koko Marina Center in Hawaii Kai on Oahu
. In an interview with examiner.com
in spring of 2009, Davis said that Kona's strategy in 2003 was simple: “Make sure we made great beer, get it to market, and hand out coasters."
In July 2008, Kona Brewing Company opened its third restaurant location and first franchise at Honolulu International Airport
. Located at the mainland terminal, the restaurant features Kona Brewing Company’s craft brews and pub menu items.
In February, 2010, Kona Brewing Company hired Sunetric, the largest Hawaii-owned and operated commercial solar energy contractor, to install a 229 kW solar energy generating system at its Kailua-Kona brewery and pub, which is expected to be fully operational by April, 2010. The project, a roof-mounted grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) system, is estimated to produce a daily average of 900 kWh of electricity, which will allow Kona Brewing Company nearly 60 percent offset of its current electricity usage. The brewery held a private blessing of the system with Sunetric on Monday, October 18 led by Hawaiian cultural educator Kumu Keala Ching as its solar system became fully operational.
in Portland, Oregon
and Redhook Ale Brewery
in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
, as part of its partnership with Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. (CBAI). Kona Brewing Company crafts its beer using CBAI’s “bricks and mortar,” synergizing with these breweries’ scales and efficiencies while controlling all aspects of the brewing. This partnership grants the company access to the Anheuser-Busch
distribution network, which, according to Hawaii Business Magazine, "has the most technologically sophisticated distributor system in the country, with computer terminals in thousands of independently owned distributors and its own network of wholly owned distribution branches."
Recipes and beer specifications are dictated by Kona Brewing Company’s brewmaster, who oversees all production at each Kona Brewing Company’s partner breweries as the beer is brewed and packaged. The beer brewed at Kona Brewing Company’s partner breweries utilizes Kona’s hops, malt and proprietary yeast. The water mineral levels at each brewery are adjusted to replicate the water used in Hawaii. A sample of every batch of beer is sent to the Kona, Hawaii brewery and corporate offices for sensory evaluation.
Longboard Island Lager and Fire Rock Pale Ale are available all year. Wailua Wheat Ale and Pipeline Porter are limited releases of the Aloha Series, available for six months each in bars and grocery stores and specialty beer shops. Wailua Wheat Ale is available March through August and Pipeline Porter is available September through February. The company launched its third Aloha Series beer Koko Brown Ale to the West Coast in February, 2011.
The labels are produced by Flint Design Co. of Portland, OR (formerly known as Anstey Healy Design) and have been the sole graphics company for the brand, designing everything from the logo to packaging. All labels depict actual beaches and island scenes in Hawaii, such as Longboard Island Lager showing Honolulu's Waikiki Beach on Oahu. The crater in the background is Diamond Head. The label shows "surfers backed by Hawaii's volcanic mountains ride blue, blue waves toward a broad and sandy beach. The logo itself echoes a tribal tattoo, adding to the local vibe."
’s Blue Water Campaign and a number of chapters of Surfrider Foundation, including the Pacific NW and Hawaii’s Surfrider Kona Kai Ea Chapter. In 2008 the brewery took part in the Ho'okipa Beach Park clean up for the Maui chapter of Surfrider and supports the annual Kona Surf Film Festival held on Hawaii's Big Island each November.
Kona brings the Sno-Kona Pond Skim to Mt. Hood Meadows
, Oregon, each spring where costumed skiers and snowboarders skim across an icy pond. The athletes are competing for a number of prizes, among them a trip to Hawaii. Kona Brewing is also a sponsor of Portland's Backyard Bang, a snowboarding rail jam event in the streets of Portland's Pearl District hosted by Salomon Snowboards
and the Art Institute of Portland. Kona also sponsored the 15-city North American tour for Lost Prophets - Search for the Collective (film) in 2009.
As well as including pro XTERRA athlete Shonny Vanlandingham on its athlete roster, Kona has been a sponsor of the XTERRA Triathlon
in Maui. Each year the brewery hosts the Kona Brewers Festival, a sold-out event that has raised more than $350,000 for local environmental, educational and cultural organizations over the past 14 years. In 2007, Kona Brewing Company won the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Kuleana Award for exemplary integrity, citizenship and stewardship.
As of January, 2008, Kona has had a sustainability coordinator in place. Also, according to the Big Island Visitor's Bureau sustainable tourism practices section, "Kona's restaurant was constructed with recycled materials and adorned with native woods; local produce, fresh-caught fish and sustainably-raised beef on menu. Heat reclamation systems in the brewery greatly reduce energy demand; plastic, paper, metal, glass, and cardboard are recycled, takeout containers are made of plant-based materials and automatic faucets and toilets reduce water usage."
In late 2009, the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association (HOFA) granted Kona Brewing with organic certification for its Oceanic Organic Saison, the first certified organic beer in the state of Hawaii. The beer will be served at Kona Brewing Company’s pubs in early January, 2010.
Fire Rock Pale Ale
Big Wave Golden Ale
Pipeline Porter
Wailua Wheat Ale
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
’s Big Island
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
and is the top selling craft beer in the state. Kona’s Longboard Island Lager, Fire Rock Pale Ale and Aloha Series beers Wailua Wheat Ale and Pipeline Porter are distributed in 28 states in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Kona Brewing Company introduced Pacific Golden Ale (now called Big Wave Golden Ale) and Fire Rock Pale Ale to Hawaii in bottles and kegs in 1995. Longboard Island Lager was added three years later. Approximately 10 other styles of beer are brewed on a regular basis and served at Kona Brewing Company’s pubs with a select few being served at restaurants.
Company history
Kona Brewing Company was started in the spring of 1994 by father and son team Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa. Kona Brewing Company’s Kailua-Kona Pub on Hawaii’s Big Island opened in November 1998. "A mahogany log lifted from the shores of Kailua Bay (used to adorn the acacia koa wood bar) and rusty corrugated tin from an old distillery helped transform the ink-smudged pressroom into a little hops-flavored oasis," said Kona president Mattson Davis in an interview with the Honolulu Star Bulletin in 2004. On the Go Hawaii website, the pub is listed as serving "fresh entrees including gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, pupus and salads. The menu is filled with locally-grown products, including greens, herbs, tomatoes and cheeses" as well as fresh beers on draft.In 2003, Kona Brewing Co. opened its second restaurant at the Koko Marina Center in Hawaii Kai on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
. In an interview with examiner.com
Examiner.com
Examiner.com is a media company based in Denver, Colorado, that operates a network of local news websites, allowing "pro–am contributors" to share their city-based knowledge on a blog-like platform, in 238 markets throughout the United States and parts of Canada with two national editions, one for...
in spring of 2009, Davis said that Kona's strategy in 2003 was simple: “Make sure we made great beer, get it to market, and hand out coasters."
In July 2008, Kona Brewing Company opened its third restaurant location and first franchise at Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport is the principal aviation gateway of the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii and is identified as one of the busiest airports in the United States, with traffic now exceeding 21 million passengers a year and rising.It is located in the Honolulu...
. Located at the mainland terminal, the restaurant features Kona Brewing Company’s craft brews and pub menu items.
In February, 2010, Kona Brewing Company hired Sunetric, the largest Hawaii-owned and operated commercial solar energy contractor, to install a 229 kW solar energy generating system at its Kailua-Kona brewery and pub, which is expected to be fully operational by April, 2010. The project, a roof-mounted grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) system, is estimated to produce a daily average of 900 kWh of electricity, which will allow Kona Brewing Company nearly 60 percent offset of its current electricity usage. The brewery held a private blessing of the system with Sunetric on Monday, October 18 led by Hawaiian cultural educator Kumu Keala Ching as its solar system became fully operational.
Beer Recipes and Sourcing
Kona Brewing Company runs its flagship brewery in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island which produced just over 10,000 barrels in 2008. Kona Brewing Company also produces its bottled beer and mainland draft beer at Widmer Brothers BreweryWidmer Brothers Brewery
Widmer Brothers is an American brewery founded in 1984 in Portland, Oregon by brothers Kurt and Robert H. Widmer. It is the 9th largest brewing company in the US as part of the Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc.-Details:...
in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and Redhook Ale Brewery
Redhook Ale Brewery
The Redhook Ale Brewery , headquartered in Seattle, Washington, is a brewer of craft beers, with operations in Woodinville, Washington and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was founded in Seattle in 1981, by Paul Shipman and Gordon Bowker and is owned by the Craft Brewers Alliance.-Beers:Redhook...
in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
, as part of its partnership with Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. (CBAI). Kona Brewing Company crafts its beer using CBAI’s “bricks and mortar,” synergizing with these breweries’ scales and efficiencies while controlling all aspects of the brewing. This partnership grants the company access to the Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. , is an American brewing company. The company operates 12 breweries in the United States and 18 in other countries. It was, until December 2009, also one of America's largest theme park operators; operating ten theme parks across the United States through the...
distribution network, which, according to Hawaii Business Magazine, "has the most technologically sophisticated distributor system in the country, with computer terminals in thousands of independently owned distributors and its own network of wholly owned distribution branches."
Recipes and beer specifications are dictated by Kona Brewing Company’s brewmaster, who oversees all production at each Kona Brewing Company’s partner breweries as the beer is brewed and packaged. The beer brewed at Kona Brewing Company’s partner breweries utilizes Kona’s hops, malt and proprietary yeast. The water mineral levels at each brewery are adjusted to replicate the water used in Hawaii. A sample of every batch of beer is sent to the Kona, Hawaii brewery and corporate offices for sensory evaluation.
Hawaii Roots
Kona employs 170 employees in Hawaii at its brewery and two restaurants. The company is known for beers that link to its Hawaiian identity — Longboard Island Lager, Fire Rock Pale Ale — and use tropical ingredients — Pipeline Porter, Wailua Wheat Ale, Mac Nut Brown and Big Island Ginger. There are 10-14 different beers on tap at Kona pubs, and the company makes between 15-20 different kinds of beer in Kona annually.Growth and Distribution
In 2009, Kona Brewing Company was ranked #14 in sales of all craft brewers in the US (approximately 1,450) according to the Brewers Association. Kona's beers are available in the United States in twenty five states and the District of Columbia.Longboard Island Lager and Fire Rock Pale Ale are available all year. Wailua Wheat Ale and Pipeline Porter are limited releases of the Aloha Series, available for six months each in bars and grocery stores and specialty beer shops. Wailua Wheat Ale is available March through August and Pipeline Porter is available September through February. The company launched its third Aloha Series beer Koko Brown Ale to the West Coast in February, 2011.
Caps and labels
The collectible caps of Kona beers all have Hawaiian words partnered with their English definitions. There are now 50 words in the collection Some examples include:- Wai: Water
- Brah: Dude
- He’e nalu: Surfing
- Kâmau: Cheers
- ‘Ale: Wave Crest
The labels are produced by Flint Design Co. of Portland, OR (formerly known as Anstey Healy Design) and have been the sole graphics company for the brand, designing everything from the logo to packaging. All labels depict actual beaches and island scenes in Hawaii, such as Longboard Island Lager showing Honolulu's Waikiki Beach on Oahu. The crater in the background is Diamond Head. The label shows "surfers backed by Hawaii's volcanic mountains ride blue, blue waves toward a broad and sandy beach. The logo itself echoes a tribal tattoo, adding to the local vibe."
Sustainability and Community Support
Kona Brewing Company supports numerous community events throughout the year, including surf and surf-inspired events and causes that celebrate love of people, land and water. These include sponsoring professional surfers Jeff Silva and CJ Kanuha. Kona supports Sierra ClubSierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
’s Blue Water Campaign and a number of chapters of Surfrider Foundation, including the Pacific NW and Hawaii’s Surfrider Kona Kai Ea Chapter. In 2008 the brewery took part in the Ho'okipa Beach Park clean up for the Maui chapter of Surfrider and supports the annual Kona Surf Film Festival held on Hawaii's Big Island each November.
Kona brings the Sno-Kona Pond Skim to Mt. Hood Meadows
Mt. Hood Meadows
Mount Hood Meadows is one of the largest ski resorts in the US state of Oregon and the largest ski resort near Mount Hood. It is located about 67 miles east of Portland, and 35 miles from Hood River along Oregon Route 35. It has both alpine and Nordic ski areas and offers night skiing, lessons...
, Oregon, each spring where costumed skiers and snowboarders skim across an icy pond. The athletes are competing for a number of prizes, among them a trip to Hawaii. Kona Brewing is also a sponsor of Portland's Backyard Bang, a snowboarding rail jam event in the streets of Portland's Pearl District hosted by Salomon Snowboards
Salomon Snowboards
Salomon Snowboards is a category of Salomon Group. Marketing for Salomon Snowboards is based in Portland, Oregon, near Mt. Hood, while design and development takes place at the base of the French Alps, in Annecy, France...
and the Art Institute of Portland. Kona also sponsored the 15-city North American tour for Lost Prophets - Search for the Collective (film) in 2009.
As well as including pro XTERRA athlete Shonny Vanlandingham on its athlete roster, Kona has been a sponsor of the XTERRA Triathlon
XTERRA Triathlon
XTERRA is a series of off-road triathlon races, . The XTERRA Global Tour is owned and produced by...
in Maui. Each year the brewery hosts the Kona Brewers Festival, a sold-out event that has raised more than $350,000 for local environmental, educational and cultural organizations over the past 14 years. In 2007, Kona Brewing Company won the Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Kuleana Award for exemplary integrity, citizenship and stewardship.
As of January, 2008, Kona has had a sustainability coordinator in place. Also, according to the Big Island Visitor's Bureau sustainable tourism practices section, "Kona's restaurant was constructed with recycled materials and adorned with native woods; local produce, fresh-caught fish and sustainably-raised beef on menu. Heat reclamation systems in the brewery greatly reduce energy demand; plastic, paper, metal, glass, and cardboard are recycled, takeout containers are made of plant-based materials and automatic faucets and toilets reduce water usage."
In late 2009, the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association (HOFA) granted Kona Brewing with organic certification for its Oceanic Organic Saison, the first certified organic beer in the state of Hawaii. The beer will be served at Kona Brewing Company’s pubs in early January, 2010.
Awards
Longboard Island Lager- 2009 Gold Medal – Lager category, Portland Spring Beer & Wine Fest, Oregon
- 2009 Bronze Medal – American Lager/ Pilsener category, U.S. Open Beer Championships, Georgia
- 2009 Honorable Mention – Light Lager category, San Diego County Fair Craft Beer Competition, CA\
- 2008 Gold Medal – Dortmunder/ Export category, North American Brewers Association, North American Beer Awards
- 2008 Silver Medal – Lager category, Portland Spring Beer & Wine Festival, Oregon
- 2008 Bronze Medal – European Style Lager category, Australian International Beer
- 2008 Best of the Northwest/Pacific; Dortmunder/Helles Category–US Beer Tasting Championship
- 2007 Best of the Northwest/Pacific;Dortmunder/Helles Category–US Beer Tasting Championship
- 2006 2nd Place/Helles Category- Craft Lager Festival, Manitou Springs, Colorado
- 2006 Silver Medal; Lager Category – North American Beer Awards
- 2005 Silver Medal; Lager Category – Portland Spring Beer & Wine Festival; Oregon
- 2005 Gold Medal; Lager Category – Capital Food & Wine Festival, Washington D.C.
- 2004 Best of the Northwest/Pacific;Dortmunder/Helles Category–US Beer Tasting Championship
- 2004 Silver Medal; Lager Category – Portland Spring Beer & Wine Festival; Oregon
- 2004 Silver Medal; European Style Pilsner Category – LA County Fair Beer Competition
- 2004 Gold Medal; Lager Category – Lake Arrowhead Suds of September Beer Festival
- 2003 Best of the Northwest/Pacific;Dortmunder/Helles Category–US Beer Tasting Championship
- 2002 Best of the Northwest/Pacific; Dortmunder/Helles Category-US Beer Tasting Championship
Fire Rock Pale Ale
- 2009 Bronze Medal – American Pale Ale category, U.S. Open Beer Championships, Georgia
- 2008 Honorable Mention; Pale Ale Category – US Beer Tasting Championship
- 2007 Gold Medal; Pale Ale Category – Portland Spring Beer & Wine Festival, Oregon
- 2007 Bronze Medal; American Style Pale Ale Category – Australian International Beer Awards
- 2005 Gold Medal; Pale Ale Category – Capital Food & Wine Festival, Washington D.C.
Big Wave Golden Ale
- 2007 Best of the Northwest/Pacific;Golden Ale Category–US Beer Tasting Championships
- 2001 Best of the Northwest/Pacific;Golden Ale Category–US Beer Tasting Championships
Pipeline Porter
- 2010 Bronze Medal - Hybrid/Other category, Australian International Beer Awards
- 2007 Bronze Medal – Coffee Beer category, Great American Beer Festival, Colorado
- 2007 Silver Medal – Other Beer category, Australian International Beer Awards
Wailua Wheat Ale
- 2009 Gold Medal – Wheat Beer category, Portland Spring Beer & Wine Fest, Oregon
- 2004 Best of the Northwest/ Pacific – Fruit Beer category, USBTC*
- 2002 Best of the Northwest/ Pacific – Fruit Beer category, USBTC*