MEDIA RELEASE

Kailua-Kona, Hawaii’s Big Island — Kona Brewing Company’s Kailua-Kona Brewpub will tap up Oceanic Organic Ale, Hawaii’s only beer that uses organic malted barley, hops and spices, at a special celebration Wednesday, June 3, at 5 p.m. Guests are invited to stop by the brewpub, sample the unique beer and talk with the brewers who made it.

Oceanic Organic Ale is a Belgian style saison that was brewed with all organic malt, fermented with a custom blend of Belgian yeast strains and spiced with an abundance of organic hops, organic coriander and grains of paradise. The straw-colored unfiltered beer has a crisp, dry, quenching flavor and distinctive spicy aroma with notes of lemon peel, clove, white pepper, cardamom and fresh hops complemented by pleasant cellar-like notes. The complex aroma is balanced by rustic hop flavor.

“We brewed this beer for the first time a few years back, and it was incredibly popular,” said Vice President of Brewery Operations Rich Tucciarone. “While it is challenging and expensive for us to acquire organic malt, hops and spices, it is worth it to create such a tasty and unique brew. Beyond the taste, our fans really love the fact that it’s organic!”

“Brewing a beer using organic ingredients – supporting the organic way of life – is something we’re proud of,” said President and CEO Mattson Davis. “We strive to be a ‘green’ leader in all that we do – from serving locally grown organic produce whenever possible to feeding Big Island cattle the spent grain from our brewing process. Being sustainable has become one of our primary missions, and we have improved our efficiencies here in Hawaii and beyond in order to minimize our carbon footprint. It’s better for our guests, better for our business – and most of all, better for our planet.”

The saison beer style originated as a harvest ale in French-speaking southern Belgium. Saisons originally were brewed in farmhouses for farm workers who were entitled five liters throughout the workday during harvest season. “Saison” is the French word for season. Approximately a dozen different saison breweries exist in Belgium today. Nearly 7,500 miles away, Kona Brewing Company’s recipe will be served exclusively at its pubs.

Kona Brewing Company was started in the spring of 1994 by a father and son team that had a dream to create fresh, local island brews made with spirit, passion and quality. It is a Hawaii-born and Hawaii-based craft brewery that prides itself on brewing the freshest beer of exceptional quality, closest to market to create the smallest carbon footprint. The company is headquartered where it began, in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii’s Big Island. It has grown into Hawaii’s largest brewery, has three restaurant sites in Hawaii and beer distribution reaching 28 states and Japan. In 2008 Kona Brewing Company posted nearly 50 percent growth over the previous year, increasing its barrels sold to 93,104. It is the 14th largest craft brewery in the country based on 2008 sales. For information call 808-334-BREW or visit www.KonaBrewingCo.com.