Some Kona Brew Co. Customers Due a Refund

Customers who believed Kona Brew Co.’s beers were brewed in Hawai‘i are entitled to settlement due to a recent class action lawsuit.

With advertising featuring images of hula dancers, lūʻau and surfing and brew names such as Wailua Wheat and Hanalei Island Ale, some customers were shocked to find out that although the company began in Hawai‘i and continues to operate there, it is owned by a Portland-based group called Craft Brew Alliance.

Craft Brew Alliance has agreed to offer partial refunds in order to settle the federal class action against them.

The beer sold on tap in Hawai‘i is, in fact, brewed there; however, Kona Brew Co.’s bottled and draft beer is brewed in facilities located in New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington.

Those represented in the class action complained that the deceptive packaging and advertising violates consumer protection laws.

Craft Brew Alliance is required to change its packaging to include where the beer is brewed.

Customers who have purchased a four-pack, six-pack, 12-pack or 24-pack since Feb. 28, 2013, are eligible for a refund of $1.25 to $2.75, with a maximum per household of $20 with receipt or $10 without a receipt.

Craft Brew Alliance is expecting to dish out $4.7 million dollars to settle claims.

The suit is currently awaiting the judge’s permission to create a website to handle consumer refunds.

This isn’t the first suit of it’s kind. In 2005 Anheuser-Busch paid $20 million to plaintiffs who claimed there were misled into believing Beck’s was a premium German pilsner when it is actually brewed in the US.

Don’t hesitate to file your claim; if the number of claims exceeds 1 million, the settlement terms gives the company the option to terminate the refund agreement.