Kona Wailua Ale Returns As 1st Aloha Series Beer w/New Bottles/Packaging
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MyBeer Buzz
From Kona:
Kailua-Kona, Big Island of Hawaii, May 30, 2013/mbb/ —Now in its sixth year on the mainland, Wailua Ale, Kona Brewing Company’s Aloha Series beer brewed with real passion fruit, returns to shelves with the same great recipe, a new look, and a slightly shortened name. Wailua Ale will be available mid-May in all 36 states where Kona brews are available, including the five newest midwestern markets added earlier this year.
First brewed in Hawaii asLiliko’i Wheat in 1998, this taste of summer became known as Wailua Wheat in 2007 when demand for it surged and distribution began on the mainland. Now called “Wailua Ale,” the beer’s recipe remains unchanged with passion fruit and wheat malt as key ingredients, however its new name emphasizes the beer’s profile as a refreshing summer ale. Wailua Ale willbe available on draught and in stores now through September, 2013 and can be sourced quickly and easily with Kona’s onlineBeer Finder.
Named after Maui’s Wailua Falls, Wailua Ale has a crisp, refreshing taste that complements many summer foods including grilled mahi mahi, barbecue pork ribs, salads and Tahitian vanilla ice cream. Wailua Ale has an ABV of 5.4%, an IBU of 15, and is brewed with generous amounts of Millenium hops.
Wailua Ale is the first Aloha Series beer to be bottled in the new packaging. Beer drinkers will notice the new 12oz. bottle is now embossed with a Hawaiian island chain and “Liquid Aloha” lettering, and has a slimmer overall shape. This makes shipping more efficient and less taxing on the planet. In 2010, the company reduced the weight of Kona bottles by 11%, which translated to3,375 tons of carbon dioxide being eliminated from the air, and was equivalent to taking 638 cars off the road for a year. Similarly, the new Kona bottle is now an additional 5% lighter and will eliminate another 2,718 tons of CO2, which is equivalent to taking 514 cars off the road for a year.
“Although the seasons don’t change for us in Hawaii, I have heard that many mainland beer drinkers who enjoy a good light summer brew will often set their summer calendars to when they see Wailua Ale on shelves and taps,” said Kona president Mattson Davis. “Passion fruit is a staple in our gardens and Hawaiian farmers markets, and we eat it year-round in jams, as an ice cream topping and as a popular shave ice flavor. It was a great day when we discovered passion fruit also worked so well in craft beer, and I am stoked to share this distinct taste of Liquid Aloha with the mainland.”
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