Kona Brewing Taps into Texas
Date: March 17, 2008
Ben E. Keith Beverage Distributors has begun distributing several award-winning Hawaiian ales and lagers to Dallas, Fort Worth, Frisco and Denton-area bars and restaurants, as well as to convenience, grocery and liquor stores. Longboard Island Lager, Fire Rock Pale Ale and limited-release Wailua Wheat are the three beers Kona Brewing is introducing to Texas for the first time ever.
“We are eager to make our products available to Texas craft beer lovers seeking new flavor experiences,” said Mattson Davis, Kona Brewing Company’s President and CEO. “Texans will now be able to get a taste of the islands without ever getting on a plane. We’re optimistic that our “aloha” will be met with a big Texas welcome.”
Kona Brewing Company creates complex, full-tasting beers with a relaxed style and charm that expresses its Hawaii-based roots. The main brewery is located in Kilua-Kona, on Hawaii’s big island, where the brewers source the best ingredients the islands have to offer in order to create authentic Hawaiian flavors.
Kona Brewing Company is introducing three unique beers to Texas:
1. Longboard Island Lager is a refreshing lager fermented and aged for five weeks at cold temperatures to yield its smooth flavor. A delicate, slightly spicy hop aroma complements the malty body of this beer.
2. Fire Rock Pale Ale is a bold “Hawaiian-style” pale ale. Its signature copper color results from the unique blend of specialty roasted malts and the pronounced citrus-floral hop aroma comes from the liberal amount of hops added to each brew.
3. Wailua Wheat, a spring and summer limited release beer, is golden sun-colored ale that features a bright, citrus flavor from tropical passion fruit brewed into each batch.
Kona Brewing Company was founded in 1994 and packaged its first batch of beer in February 1995. It has grown into Hawaii’s largest brewery and was ranked the 23rd largest craft brewing company in the country based on 2006 national figures. It has two restaurant sites in Hawaii and beer distribution reaching 18 states, Japan and China.