Kona Brewing Co. Accused of Being Phony, Gets Sued

There’s nothing worse than finding out something isn’t really what you thought it was. So, you can imagine how Kona Beer lovers felt once they discovered their beloved Longboard Island Lager, wasn’t actually being brewed on the island.

In fact, a lawsuit filed by Sara Cilloni and Simone Zimmer, claim that Kona Brewing Co., a company under the Oregon-based brewing company Craft Brew Alliance, actually manufactures their beer in New Hampshire, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington State, according to the St. Louis Dispatch.

The suit alleges that Kona Brewing Co. is using Hawaiian themes, including images of “hula dancers, surfers,” and volcanoes among other imagery, to encourage consumers to purchase their beer at a higher price.

The St. Louis Dispatch wrote that the class-action lawsuit was filed March 1, in a San Jose, Calif. federal court and is seeking,”unspecified damages for Kona purchasers in that state and nationwide over four years.”

This isn’t the first time seemingly falsified labeling on beer became the subject of legal action. In February, Wal-Mart was sued over selling a contracted non-craft beer at a premium craft beer price, under a brewery that simply didn’t exist.