Hawaiʻi's Nearly Lost Heritage Distilled Spirit Returns to the World Stage

Ola's ʻŌkolehao earns its seventh Double Gold as Hawaiʻi legislation moves to protect the historic spirit category

HILO, Hawaii, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a century after authentic ʻŌkolehao largely disappeared from commercial availability, Hawaiʻi's heritage distilled spirit is returning to the world stage — and winning. Ola's ʻŌkolehao has earned its seventh Double Gold medal, including a second consecutive Double Gold for its 4-Week Ocean Aged ʻŌkolehao at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The recognition adds to Ola's 78 international distilled spirits medals, helping position authentic Hawaiʻi-made ʻŌkolehao as one of the most-awarded emerging spirits in the world.

Hawaiʻi lawmakers have also passed House Bill 2475, legislation designed to protect the ʻŌkolehao name through clear production and labeling standards.

"For us, a seventh Double Gold is more than a medal count," said Naehalani Breeland, President and Co-founder of Ola. "It is continued validation that ʻŌkolehao belongs on the world stage, and that a spirit rooted in Hawaiʻi agriculture, culture, and history can stand alongside the best spirits being made anywhere."

ʻŌkolehao's story reaches back to the 1790s, when fermented kī root was first distilled in Hawaiʻi into what would become the islands' own native spirit. By 1889, Hawaiʻi had brought ʻŌkolehao to the Paris World Exposition, the same fair where the Eiffel Tower was unveiled and where Napa Valley wine earned landmark international recognition, with Inglenook wines receiving gold medals.

The spirit earned recognition again at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, the same year the Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown. In the generations that followed, many Hawaiian Kingdom-era industries, products, and cultural practices were disrupted, suppressed, or pushed out of public memory. While Napa Valley wine became one of the world's most celebrated regional categories, authentic ʻŌkolehao largely disappeared from modern commercial availability.

Ola is working to change that.

HB2475 would require ʻŌkolehao to be made with kī root, with a majority grown in Hawaiʻi, and the spirit distilled and bottled in the islands. The bill now awaits Governor Josh Green's signature.

Ola has raised and invested more than $20 million directly into the revival of ʻŌkolehao, including its oceanfront Hilo distillery, now open and positioned to scale authentic Hawaiʻi-made ʻŌkolehao for retail and broader distribution. Supporters can learn more at thespiritofhawaii.com.

ABOUT OLA BREW
Ola is a Big Island-based beverage company with taprooms in Hilo and Kona and an oceanfront distillery in Hilo. Ola is committed to strengthening Hawaiʻi's agricultural economy through locally rooted beverages, community partnerships, and long-term local value.

SOURCE Ola Okolehao