Kauai Beer Company is relatively new to the island. However, owner Jim Guerber’s time on Kauai goes back over 20 years. His son, Justin, is General Manager and Head Brewer.

Guerber is originally from Philadelphia, but had lived in California for many years before moving to Kauai in 1994. The island was still feeling some effects of Hurricane Iniki in 1992. Geurber, who began homebrewing in 1978, has always been passionate about beer. He is also passionate about Kauai, which shows up in every detail about the brewery from the names of the beers to the brewery’s logo.

“[Kauai] is a rural place,” he says. “People here are actually nostalgic about the hurricane. People came together then. And ever since the hurricane, the chickens were everywhere, so people just left ‘em.” he says explaining why the chickens that roam free on the island are in the brewery’s logo. He also says the purple in the company’s logo is a symbol of royalty and Kauai’s sovereignty.

“Kauai was never conquered by King Kamehameha like the rest of the [Hawaiian] islands,” he adds. “People here are very independent.”