Moonlight Brewing Founder Brian Hunt Needs a Kidney

To our Moonlight family, fellow brewers, beer lovers, longtime supporters, and friends near and far, we’re reaching out with something incredibly important and close to our hearts.

Brian Hunt, founder of Moonlight Brewing, needs a kidney.

In 1992, Brian founded Moonlight Brewing with a passion for making exceptional beer, doing things his own way, and maybe having a little fun while he was at it.

Over the past 34 years, Brian has become so much more than a brewer. He’s a mentor, a friend, a community supporter, a storyteller, and a truly one-of-a-kind character in the craft beer world.

If you’ve ever met Brian, you know. His goofy humor, quick wit, playful, one-of-a-kind personality, and infectious enthusiasm are part of what makes Brian so special. And if you’ve ever enjoyed a pint of Death & Taxes, Reality Czeck, or any of his other delicious creations, you’ve experienced a little piece of what makes Brian so special.

Brian is, quite literally, one of a kind.

Throughout his career, Brian has touched countless lives, not just through the beer he’s brewed, but through the friendships he’s made and the generosity he’s shown.

For decades, Brian and Moonlight Brewing have donated beer to countless nonprofits, fundraisers, community events, and good causes. He’s always believed in showing up for his community, supporting the people around him, and sharing what he does best: making really good beer.

Now, we’re hoping that same community will show up for him.

Brian needs our help.

Brian has Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD), and his kidneys are failing. He’s currently on peritoneal dialysis, which is helping but is incredibly demanding and significantly limits his daily life.

A successful transplant could give Brian more freedom to enjoy the things he loves, including the occasional well-earned beer again. And for the man who has spent his life brewing it, that would mean an awful lot.

Through California Pacific Medical Center’s (CPMC) Transplant Program, we’ve learned that his best option is receiving a kidney from a living donor.

And here’s something important that many people don’t realize:

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MATCH FOR BRIAN TO HELP HIM GET A KIDNEY!

Through a paired kidney exchange program, someone can donate a kidney on Brian’s behalf, even if they’re not a compatible match. Their donation can help another person in need, while Brian receives a compatible kidney through the exchange.

A few important things to know about living kidney donation

• It’s confidential. Brian is not involved in the donor evaluation process. Your questions, medical information, and decisions remain private.

• Most people can live a full, healthy life with one kidney — as Brian likes to say, “we come pre-plumbed with a spare.” Potential donors undergo a thorough medical evaluation to ensure donation is safe for them.

• Donor medical expenses for evaluation and surgery are generally covered. The transplant team can explain what is covered and what financial assistance may be available.

• You don’t have to be a match. Paired kidney exchange programs can make donation possible even when a donor and recipient aren’t compatible.

• Learning more is NOT a commitment. You can explore the possibility, ask questions, and change your mind at any point.

Interested in learning more about becoming a living kidney donor?

Visit: https://cpmckidneydonor.org/

Or call CPMC’s Living Kidney Donor Program at 415-600-1700.

To our incredible craft beer community, we’re asking you to help us spread the word.

For more than three decades, Brian has poured his heart into making beer and building relationships. From fellow brewers and industry friends to the people who’ve enjoyed a pint at their neighborhood pub, his influence reaches far beyond the walls of Moonlight Brewing.

The craft beer community has always been about more than beer. It’s about connection, camaraderie, generosity, and looking out for one another.

Brian has spent his life giving so much to this community. Now we have an opportunity to give something back.

Please share Brian’s story. Share it with your brewery, your coworkers, your beer-loving friends, your distributors, your local pub, and anyone who might be willing to consider living kidney donation.

Even if donating isn’t something you can do, sharing this message could help it reach the person who can.

Every share matters. Every conversation matters. You never know who might be the person who changes Brian’s life.

Let’s rally around the man who gave us Moonlight Brewing, decades of incredible beer, countless laughs, and so many unforgettable memories.

Here’s to many more years of Brian’s goofy antics, infectious spirit, and, of course, really damn good beer.

From Brian’s family and all of us at Moonlight Brewing, thank you for being part of our community and for helping us spread the word.

For Brian. For Moonlight. For many more pints together.

For more information you can contact Brian’s wife Robin at 707-280-9259