The islands of Hawaii are fortunate to have Kona Brewing Company that provides personable, flavorful ales and lagers to one of the world's most isolated land masses. Kona's main brewery is on the "Big Island" in the city of Kailua-Kona and has a delightful brewpub attached. The brewery has also added a new, non-brewing pub/restaurant on the island of Oahu located in the Koko Marina just a short drive from Honolulu and Waikiki.

Thanks to agreements between Kona / Anheuser-Busch / Widmer in Portland, OR and Redhook in NH, the Kona beers are being brewed on the two coasts of the U.S. and distributed to several states by the extensive A/B network. Rich Tucciarone says, "The opportunity to join the best beer distribution system in the world was a no-brainer." Kona beers have already made their way to Georgia and were premiered to beer fans in the state at the 2008 Classic City Brew Fest in Athens, Georgia.  Click here to find where the Kona beers are available near you. Read on for more information and photos regarding our enjoyable visits to the Kona brewery and brewpubs.

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      A sampling of the delicious Kona beer range in mid 2008...

Longboard Island Lager Longboard Lager is a smooth, refreshing lager fermented and aged for five weeks at cold temperatures. A pleasing and noticeable spicy hop aroma and flavor complement the pilsner-type malty body of this beer.	Fire Rock Pale Ale Fire Rock Pale Ale is a crisp, refreshing “Hawaiian-style” pale ale. Its signature copper color results from the unique blend of specialty roasted malts. The pronounced citrus-floral hop aroma comes from the liberal amounts of Galena, Cascade & Mt. Hood hops added to each brew.
Pipeline Porter Pipeline Porter is smooth and dark with a distinctive roasty aroma and earthy complexity from its diverse blends of premium malted barley. This celebration of malt unites with freshly roasted 100% Kona coffee grown by Dan Hubbard at Cornwell Estate on Hawaii’s Big Island, lending a unique roasted aroma and flavor. A delicate blend of hops rounds out this palate-pleasing brew.	Big Wave Golden Ale Big Wave is a light golden ale with a subtle fruitiness and delicate hop aroma. A smooth, easy drinking refreshing ale. The lightly roasted honey malt contributes to the golden hue of this beer and also gives a slight sweetness that is balanced out by a pleasing blend of hops.
Wailua Wheat Maui's Wailua Falls is the inspiration for Kona's popular new fruit beer. This golden ale has a bright, citrusy flavor that comes from additions of tropical passion fruit. The flavor is tart, complex and earthy from the passion fruit character.	Lava Man Red Ale (available only in HI on draft) Lavaman Red Ale is a malty, red ale with strong caramel notes and a subtle chocolate malt flavor. The pronounced maltiness is balanced by the delicate blend of Pacific Northwest hops resulting in a smooth, full-bodied beer.
Castaway IPA (available only in HI on draft) A full-bodied, American-Style  I.P.A. that is bronze in color, Castaway IPA is "dry hopped" (aged with liberal amounts of whole hop flowers after fermentation) for assertive hop flavor and aroma. The bitterness is balanced by the malty body of the beer.	Hula Hefeweizen (available only in HI on draft) Hula Hefeweizen is a traditional Bavarian-style weissbier that is medium to full bodied with a pronounced banana / herbal flavor and aroma. This unique flavor profile is a result of the special type of yeast strain.