Kona Brewing and California Surf Museum Announce New Partnership For 2010

Kailua-Kona, Big Island of Hawaii, March 31, 2010 — In a year full of exciting changes for both Kona Brewing Company and the California Surf Museum, the two companies have yet another reason to celebrate; Hawaii’s largest brewer has recently been named the Official Beer Sponsor of the California Surf Museum. The new partnership was made official in March and stemmed from a mutual respect for each others’ commitment to sustainability and love of water, as well as a shared dedication to preserving surfing history and the surf lifestyle in California, Hawaii and across the globe.

For the new partnership, Kona Brewing Company has contributed a cash donation to fund ongoing programs, projects and museum exhibits, and will provide the Liquid Aloha™ libations for 10 museum events happening throughout 2010. These upcoming events including the 3rd Annual Gala fundraiser on June 5th 2010, the 3rd Annual California Surf Festival, musical events occurring throughout the summer and more.  Attendees at the March 6 opening of WOW, Women on Waves, were also treated to Kona Brewing Company’s Longboard Island Lager.

The California Surf Museum was founded in 1986 when architect and surfer Stuart Resor put the call out to people interested in founding a historical surf museum. Since then, the museum’s revolving homes included Moonlight Plaza in Encinitas, then PB, then a building on Highway 101 in Oceanside for almost a decade. Last year, the Museum got brand new digs at 312 Pier Way in Oceanside, and the new location provides a serene and green backdrop for events while enjoying some Liquid Aloha™.

“Kona Brewing’s new partnership with the California Surf Museum really suits us,” Said Kona Brewing Company president and CEO Mattson Davis. “The mainland surf community is crucial to Kona Brewing as many surfers have their first taste of Kona beer when they visit the North Shore. This brings it home for them, and I know many museum patrons will enjoy this new arrangement.”

Exciting changes for Kona Brewing Company this past year have included a new VW bus stationed in Southern California, installation of a solar photovoltaic energy generating system at Kailua-Kona brewery and pub on Hawaii’s Big Island, an innovative lightweight bottle that will save almost 4,000 tons of carbon emissions per year and the launch of Hawaii’s first organic beer: Oceanic Organic Saison.

For more information, please visit www.konabrewingco.com. For more on the California Surf Museum, please visit http://www.surfmuseum.org/index.htm.

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. This helps to minimize its carbon footprint by reducing shipping of raw materials, finished beer and wasteful packaging materials. Recently Kona announced the installation of a 229 kW solar energy generating system at its Kailua-Kona brewery and pub on Hawaii’s Big Island. 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. The brewery was named the fastest growing top-50 craft brewing company in the country based on 2008 sales figures. It posted 19.8 percent year over year growth in 2009. For more information call 808-334-BREW or visit www.KonaBrewingCo.com.

The California Surf Museum serves as an international repository and resource center for the lifestyle sport of surfing through capturing, preserving and chronicling its art, culture and heritage for the education and enjoyment of future generations. The California Surf Museum is a 501(c)(3) non-profit located at 312 Pier View Way, Oceanside, CA 92054; phone (760) 721-6876 or email [email protected]. Please visit the website at surfmuseum.org. Open daily 10am-4pm with extended hours Thursdays to 8pm.