(Kailua-Kona, HI) – The 13th largest craft brewery in the nation was sold today.

This morning started out with a surprise announcement from the Craft Brewers Alliance (CBAI). The group, which includes Redhook Brewery and Widmer Brothers Brewing, purchased Kona Brewing outright for $13.9 million. $600k of that was cash and the rest was stock according to SEC documents filed Tuesday. CBAI was already working with Kona to help build its brand so this has been a natural progression. Goose Island Beer Co., currently receiving distribution assistance from the Craft Brewers Alliance, is now the only brewery operating within the group that isn’t a wholly-owned subsidiary.

The Craft Brewers Alliance, based in Oregon, is currently the 8th largest brewing company in the United States. The deal puts it closer to 600,000 barrels annually though it probably won’t be enough to leapfrog 7th-ranked New Belgium Brewing.

As for selling price, it is approximately half of what was reported for the Magic Hat-Pyramid Breweries deal back in 2008. According to Brewers Association figures, Kona sold nearly 112,000 barrels last year while Pyramid had sold just over 200,000 barrels in the year prior to the formation of Independent Brewers United. Other factors notwithstanding, the price appears to be fair based on barrel output.

Kona achieved greater than 30% growth from 2006-2008 before leveling out this past year. With the acquisition, Kona beers will now be more widely available in the U.S.

Nearby Maui Brewing, which has grown from 500 barrels in 2006 to an estimated 7,000 barrels in 2009, becomes the largest independent brewery in Hawaii.