Kona Brewing Company facts for kids
.jpg) |
|
| Location | Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi United States |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1994 |
| Annual production volume | 220,000 US beer barrels (260,000 hL) in 2012 |
| Owned by | PV Brewing |
Kona Brewing Hawai'i is a company located in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii's Big Island. It makes popular drinks. Since September 2020, PV Brewing Partners has owned the company.
Kona Brewing Hawai'i offers several drinks all year long. These include Longboard Island Lager, Big Wave Golden Ale, and Fire Rock Pale Ale. They also have special seasonal drinks like Koko Brown, Wailua Wheat, and Pipeline Porter. Kona Brewing Company shares its drinks in 36 states and 10 different countries around the world.
The company first introduced Pacific Golden Ale (now called Big Wave Golden Ale) and Fire Rock Pale Ale in bottles and kegs in 1995. Longboard Island Lager was added three years later. About 10 other types of drinks are made regularly. These are served at Kona Brewing Company's own restaurants and other places across the Hawaiian islands.
Contents
The Story of Kona Brewing Hawai'i
Kona Brewing Company started in the spring of 1994. It was founded by a father and son team, Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa. Their first restaurant, the Kailua-Kona Pub on Hawaii's Big Island, opened in November 1998.
The pub was built with special materials. A large mahogany log from Kailua Bay was used for the bar. Rusty metal from an old distillery helped make the place unique. The restaurant serves fresh food like gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, and salads. They use many local ingredients from Hawaii. Of course, they also serve their fresh drinks.
In 2003, Kona Brewing Co. opened its second restaurant. This one was in the Koko Marina Center in Hawaii Kai on Oahu. Later, in July 2008, they opened a third restaurant. This location was at Honolulu International Airport. It offers Kona Brewing Company's drinks and food to travelers.
In 2010, Kona Brewing Company added a large solar energy system. This system helps power their Kailua-Kona brewery and pub. It produces a lot of electricity from the sun. This helps the company use less energy from other sources. It shows their commitment to being environmentally friendly.
Popular Drinks from Kona Brewing
Kona Brewing Hawai'i makes many different drinks. Some are available all year, while others are special releases.
Drinks Available All Year
- Longboard Island Lager
- Big Wave Golden Ale
- Castaway IPA
- Fire Rock Pale Ale
- Kona Light Blonde Ale
- Gold Cliff IPA
- Hanalei Island IPA
Special Island-Only Drinks
- Island Colada Wheat Ale
- Mai Time Wheat Ale
- Hibiscus Brut IPA
Where Kona Drinks Are Made
In 2012, Kona Brewing Company produced a large amount of drinks. They make them at their main brewery in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. They also use other facilities on the mainland. These include Widmer Brothers Brewery in Portland, Oregon, and Redhook Ale Brewery in Woodinville, Washington, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. These partnerships help Kona Brewing share its drinks widely.
Kona Brewing Company's brewmaster makes sure all drinks taste the same. They use Kona's special ingredients like hops and yeast. They even adjust the water at each location to be like the water in Hawaii. This helps keep the taste consistent. Samples of every batch are sent to Hawaii for testing.
Kona's Hawaiian Connections
Kona Brewing Company has three restaurants in Hawaii. They employ about 250 people on the islands. The company uses many local Hawaiian ingredients in its products.
- Rift Zone Indigenous Red Ale uses yeast found only on the Big Island's volcano rifts.
- Pipeline Porter is made with 100% Kona coffee from a nearby farm.
- The ginger in their Big Island Ginger drink comes from Kona.
- Lemongrass for some drinks is grown right at their site or by employees.
- Cacao nibs for special drinks come from a Hawaiian chocolate factory.
In 2009, Kona Brewing Company was one of the top craft drink makers in the US. Their drinks are available in 25 states and Washington D.C.
Longboard Island Lager, Big Wave Golden Ale, and Fire Rock Pale Ale are always available. Other drinks like Wailua Ale and Pipeline Porter are special releases. They are available for six months each year in stores. Wailua Wheat Ale is out from March to August. Pipeline Porter is available from September to February.
Bottle Caps, Labels, and Ads
The bottle caps of Kona drinks are special. Each one has a Hawaiian word with its English meaning. There are 50 different words to collect!
All the labels on their bottles show real beaches and island scenes in Hawaii. For example, the Longboard Island Lager label shows Waikiki Beach on Oahu. You can see surfers and Hawaii's volcanic mountains. The company also made fun TV commercials. These ads feature two friends talking about Kona drinks.
Helping the Community and Environment
Kona Brewing Company supports many community events. They help with surfing events and causes that celebrate Hawaiian culture. They sponsor professional surfers like Jeff Silva. Kona also supports groups like the Sierra Club and Surfrider Foundation. These groups work to protect water and the environment.
Kona also sponsors fun events like the Sno-Kona Pond Skim in Oregon. Here, skiers and snowboarders try to skim across an icy pond. They also support snowboarding events in Portland.
Since 2008, Kona has had a person focused on sustainability. Their restaurant was built using recycled materials and local wood. They use local food products. The brewery uses systems to save energy. They recycle plastic, paper, metal, and glass. Their takeout containers are made from plants. They also use special faucets and toilets to save water.
Images for kids
-
View of the Kona Brewing restaurant in Hawaii Kai
-
Marina-side view of the Kona Brewing restaurant in Hawaii Kai
