Hawaiian Kona Coffee: A Little Taste of Heaven

One of the most popular types of coffee is called Hawaiian Kona coffee, whose beans are grown in the Kona districts of the Big Island of Hawaii.  In February and March the visitor will see "Kona snow" on the slopes as the coffee trees burst into beautiful white blooms; each tree yields about 20-30 pounds of coffee "cherries" several times a year between January and August.

Only the best coffee beans are used to make Kona Coffee, making it one of the highest quality and best tasting coffees on the market today.  The warm sun, gentle afternoon rains and breezy evenings allow the beans to ripen to perfection in soil that has been made rich and nourishing by Hawaii's volcanoes. 

Essentially, Hawaii has the perfect combination of weather, soil and altitude to produce a nearly perfect coffee bean.

Ups and Downs of the Coffee Bean

Coffee, like any other commodity, has had its ups and downs since it was first brought to Hawaii by Samuel Ruggles in 1828.  Things went well until 1899 when the market for coffee crashed and landowners began to lease out their plantations as a matter of survival. 

Japanese workers that originally immigrated to work on the sugar cane plantations saw an opportunity in leasing the parcels; they and their families kept the Kona coffee crop thriving until the market rebounded and continued to make it their livelihood. 

You may be interested in watching "What is 100% Kona Coffee" to see exactly how this wonderful coffee is farmed from when it first flowers to its harvest. 

How Can You Tell Your Kona Coffee is the Real Thing?

Since authentic  Hawaiian Kona coffee is relatively rare due to its limited growing area, the Kona coffee you see in most stores are blends rather than pure Kona coffee.  Although these blends taste wonderful, they can't hold a candle to the pure Kona coffee you can find if you do some searching. 

Without the Kona bean, these coffees are mediocre and sometimes unpleasant as they are made with medium-quality beans that do not begin to approach the flavor and bouquet of true, unadulterated Kona coffee.  You may have had a Kona blend and enjoyed it but once you taste pure Kona coffee you'll never want to go back to cheaper blends.

It is important to read the label carefully when choosing what looks like Hawaiian Kona Coffee or coffee beans; unless it states specifically that it is 100% Hawaiian Kona Coffee, you are buying a blend with that contains a minimal amount of the real thing.

Although Hawaiian law states that authentic Kona coffee contain nothing but Kona coffee beans, United States federal law is not so strict regarding labeling.  Therefore you may see a package of coffee labeled Hawaiian Kona Coffee that is actually a blend that contains only the required 10% Kona, the rest of the beans coming from Columbia, Brazil or other prolific coffee-growing countries.  If you have any doubt, just look at the price you are paying—one pound of Kona coffee beans can carry a price of $30 or more.

But Wait—There's More!

You aren't necessarily getting the coffee you want even if you are able to find 100% Hawaiian Kona coffee beans because there are different types of roasts.  Some you may like, some you will love and others you may think are undrinkable depending on your particular tastes. 

For instance, the Peaberry is the most expensive of the dark roast Kona coffee.  These beans are very small and dense and are not at all common.  There may be only one Peaberry in a Kona coffee cherry and sometimes there is none at all.  Ten pounds of coffee cherries may only yield half a pound of Peaberry beans.

The Peaberry is dark roasted, yielding a smoky aroma, medium body and rich flavor that comes across as robust and heavy without overwhelming the palate.

There are also different grades of Hawaiian Kona coffee beans.  Fancy grade, one grade below Peaberry, is a medium dark roasted coffee bean that yields a medium bodied, mild coffee free of bitterness with a barely discernable fruity aroma and no aftertaste.

The third best grade is called Kona Grove No. 1, much like Fancy except the mild flavor has a brisk quality and smooth consistency that is feels silky on the tongue.  The rich, nutty aroma will wake you up in the morning or provide the perfect finish to a fine dining experience.

Extra Fancy, made from the largest Kona beans, is also medium dark roasted and has a mild, sweet flavor with a buttery aroma. 

Last but not least you will find Emporium Prime, made from small Kona beans and medium roasted.  It, too, has a rich and buttery aroma; a smooth consistency, light body and is ideal for an after dinner treat or as the base of a delicious iced coffee.

As you can see, there is no 'bad' Kona coffee!  No matter what the grade, you will always get a cup of coffee that you'll enjoy to the bottom of the cup.  However, you may sometimes see beans whose labels saw "Emporium #3" or "Off Grade Emporium" or similar designation.  These are not authentic Kona coffees, despite what the label claims.  There are many imitations of Hawaiian Kona coffee that look authentic so be sure to carefully read the labels. 

Hawaiian Kona Coffee is best brewed in a French press or a drip coffee maker to preserve the gentler flavors and subtler aromas. Occasionally, though, you may find blends of Kona Coffee that are great. Even the Kona Coffee Farmers Association recommends blending, if you do it yourself!

But for the most part, most Kona Coffee Blends are deceptive because you can't even identify the Kona element in the coffee. So when shopping for some delicious Gourmet Kona Coffee, always choose the authentic beans. Your cup and your palate will thank you.

And finally...

Wherever you are, remember "Only Coffee Beans Make Great Coffee"! And enjoy that cup of coffee!

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Return from Hawaiian Kona coffee to coffee beans.