Kona Brewing Launches Next Makana Series Brew

Kona Brewing Company is celebrating the launch of its latest brew in the company’s four part Makana Series.

The Makani Wheat Ale is crafted with honey from bees that have pollinated the flowers of native Hawaiian koa trees and is the first of its kind.

More than 800 areas of legacy koa forest on the slopes of Mauna Kea on the Hamakua Coast produced the koa blossom honey in the brew providing a hint of sweetness to the light-bodied wheat ale. In addition to the sweet honey, the ale is made from two-row wheat with Millennium, Willamette, and Hallertauer yeast from Mauna Loa, near Volcano.

Local non-profits have received support through the Makana Series, which has placed emphasis on the support of local organizations that dedicate themselves to protecting Hawai’i’s resources.

Kona Brewing Co.’s Makani Wheat Ale will provide support to the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, which works closely with HLH, a Hawai’i Island sustainable forestry company, to plant more than 1.3 million koa, sandalwood, and other endangered species across the Hawaiian Islands.

“This will be a special opportunity to taste the first-ever honey created from Hawai’i’s koa tree blossoms. The entire spring production sold out within a few days,” said Jeffery Dunster, Executive Director of HLRI. “This honey is just one way we are working with agricultural partners to showcase the use of Hawai’i lands for economically viable crops that can be produced while supporting environmentally sustainable reforestation.”

The brew will be available on a limited basis at select locations throughout the state for a duration of about three months.

“During the development of Makani, our team had the opportunity to plant koa trees with the Hawaiian Legacy team,” Sandi Shriver, Kona Brewing Co.’s head of brewing operations. “It was an amazing experience, and we hope this special beer will help drive awareness of the importance of our native forests and HLIR’s great work to preserve them.”

Kona Brewing Co.’s decision to launch the Makana Series in January 2015 came from the desire to give back to the community that has supported the brewing company for the past 21 years.

The year-long series kicked off with the Aina Brown Ale in January. Aina Brown Ale was made with kalo and supported Sustainable Coastlines Hawai’i.

In April, the company launched Wela Red Ale, which was cold smoked with Kiawe wood. The brew provided support to Malama Maunalua.

Deep sea ocean water sourced off the Kona coast was the unique twist to the Kai Golden Ale launched as the third in the series, benefitting to Surfrider Foundation.