Beer and Cider · Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Kona Brewing Co.
Island craft beer born in a converted Kailua-Kona warehouse.
- Founded
- 1994
- Founded by
- Cameron Healy, Spoon Khalsa
- Based in
- Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Making it since
1994
Their story
Kona Brewing began with a father and son, Cameron Healy and Spoon Khalsa, who wanted to make beer that reflected the spirit and landscape of Hawaii Island. They set up in a converted warehouse in Kailua-Kona in 1994 and brewed their first batch on Valentine's Day 1995.
A brewpub built from reclaimed materials followed in 1998, and a second pub opened in Hawaii Kai on Oahu. As demand grew, the company joined Craft Brew Alliance in 2010, which brought much of its mainland production under larger ownership.
The brand has since split in two. When Anheuser-Busch acquired Craft Brew Alliance, the Hawaii operations were sold off and bought in 2020 by PV Brewing Partners, making Kona Brewing Hawaii locally owned again. The mainland beers remain with Anheuser-Busch and were renamed Kona Big Wave in 2023.
How it's made
The Hawaii brewery opened a new facility in Kailua-Kona in 2021, and the beer brewed there stays in the islands. Some recipes lean on local ingredients, such as Kona coffee in Pipeline Porter and island-grown ginger and lemongrass in seasonal releases.
Why we carry them
We like Kona for easygoing, sunny beers with a real sense of place, and a story about island brewing that is worth knowing.
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