Kona Brewing Company introduced Pacific Golden Ale (now called Big Wave Golden Ale) and Fire Rock Pale Ale to Hawaii in bottles and kegs on February 14, 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 some finer restaurants and markets. These range in color from very blonde to black; in flavor from tangy to hoppy to roasty… and everything in between. Today the three flagship beers are widely distributed throughout Hawaii, making Kona the top selling craft beer in the islands. Longboard Island Lager, Fire Rock Pale Ale and Limited Release beers Pipeline Porter and Wailua Wheat Ale are distributed in select markets throughout the United States and in Japan.
Sustainability
Kona Brewing Company recognizes that the future of the Earth depends upon how businesses and individuals treat the Earth. To show its commitment to sustainability, Kona Brewing Company utilizes the services of a Sustainability Coordinator within its company. Most of the Kailua-Kona brewery’s spent grain is given to a cattle rancher, and the remaining amount is used as an ingredient in the pubs’ pizza dough and breads.
Kona Brewing Company champions recycling, is careful with its waste and supports groups that strive to protect the environment. Throughout its facilities, much of the building material has been recycled. Its disposable cups that are used at festivals and events are biodegradable, and its to-go containers are compostable. The brewery uses heat exchangers to reclaim thermal energy for water heating in the brewing process. The pub uses a heat reclamation system on its air conditioner for water heating in the kitchen. A whiskey barrel collects more than 90 gallons of condensation per day from air conditioning systems, and the water is used for landscaping irrigation. The list goes on and on.
An integral component of Kona Brewing Company’s business plan is to grow the business with ecological integrity, reducing the company’s carbon footprint whenever possible. By producing its bottled beer and mainland draft beer on the mainland, close to markets, Kona Brewing Company has dramatically reduced its reliance upon transportation fuel for raw materials, packaging and distribution.
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