Kona Coffee is a world-renowned coffee that is exclusively grown on the slopes of two volcanoes on the Big Island. The porous and mineral rich volcanic soil combined with the often sunny mornings but cloudy or rainy afternoons, little wind, and mild nights give coffee from the Big Island a unique taste.
THE HISTORY OF KONA COFFEE
The first attempt to grow coffee in Hawai’i is credited to the horticultural experimenter don Francisco de Paula Marin. Marin introduced numerous plant species to the Hawaiian Islands but failed to do so for coffee plants in 1817.
Samuel Ruggles succeeded in bringing coffee to Hawaii in 1828. During the subsequent 150 years coffee took the proverbial backseat to the sugar industry and has known many ups and downs. Only in the last few decades sugar has all but disappeared from the Hawaiian islands and (Kona) coffee is stronger than ever!
Samuel Ruggles succeeded in bringing coffee to Hawaii in 1828. During the subsequent 150 years coffee took the proverbial backseat to the sugar industry and has known many ups and downs. Only in the last few decades sugar has all but disappeared from the Hawaiian islands and (Kona) coffee is stronger than ever!
WHY IS KONA COFFEE SO SPECIAL?
Kona Coffee is a specialty coffee. These coffees set themselves apart from “normal coffee” by their use of special beans, perfect growing conditions and special ways of processing the beans from plant to cup. All these things contribute to the taste of the final cup of coffee, and gives a flavor that can (and should!) be savored and enjoyed!
5 REASONS THE KONA COFFEE BELT IS PERFECT FOR GROWING COFFEE
The five most important things that make coffee special can all be found on Hawai’i:
The fertile porous and mineral-rich volcanic soil and the climate with of sunny mornings, cloud or rain in the afternoon, little wind and mild nights make Kona Coffee a world-renowned (and also one of the most expensive kinds of) coffee.
- Lots of sunshine and temperatures around 70°F, but certainly not below 55°F.
- Protection from an overdose of sun by either cloud cover or shade
- Altitude! How high a coffee plant grows has a large influence on the taste of its beans. The elevations at which Kona coffee is grown (up to ~3000 feet) give the coffee a very mild taste.
- Lots of rain, regularly. Of course, it shouldn’t rain so much that the sun can’t come out anymore because coffee plants also really like the sun.
- Good soil drainage. Coffee plants don’t like to have their roots standing in the water.
The fertile porous and mineral-rich volcanic soil and the climate with of sunny mornings, cloud or rain in the afternoon, little wind and mild nights make Kona Coffee a world-renowned (and also one of the most expensive kinds of) coffee.
EXPERT OPINIONS & KONA COFFEE RATINGS
Rating and reviewing coffee is a complicated and subjective task. For example, coffee beans keep changing, and the method of preparation also has a large influence on the end product. We use the ratings provided by coffee review, who provides 100-point scores based on descriptive categories such as aroma, acidity, body, flavor, and aftertaste, for many of the world’s coffees.
For the year of 2016, the coffee from Puna by Paradise Roasters gets a 96/100, which makes it one of the highest scores given out by the website. The ‘Top 30 of 2016” list also lists two other coffees from Hawai’i, both made by Hula Daddy Kona Coffee.
For the year of 2016, the coffee from Puna by Paradise Roasters gets a 96/100, which makes it one of the highest scores given out by the website. The ‘Top 30 of 2016” list also lists two other coffees from Hawai’i, both made by Hula Daddy Kona Coffee.
WHY IS KONA COFFEE SO EXPENSIVE?
Hawaiian coffee is relatively expensive compared to other coffees. The main reason for this is the cost of labor: Coffee picking is a very labor intensive process, and a farm worker in Hawai’i gets paid a lot more than a farmer in Guatemala or Ethiopia (which is a good reminder to buy fair-trade coffee when you can).
As this coffee farmer from the Big Island explains, getting the beans of the trees alone costs $8 / lb. Add to that other farming costs such as land use, fertilizers, and maintenance, and you can easily end up with costs around $14 / lb. That price doesn’t include his labor, marketing, electrical / gas for roasting, bags, a website, taxes, the farm mortgage, etc. When you add all things up, prices for 100% Kona Coffee average between $45 / lb. and $60 / lb.
This means that if coffee of similar quality would be grown in a country with lower wages, you would be able to buy the beans for less. However, given the high demand and excellent reputation of Kona Coffee, it is safe to say that despite the high price, the quality is worth the price!
As this coffee farmer from the Big Island explains, getting the beans of the trees alone costs $8 / lb. Add to that other farming costs such as land use, fertilizers, and maintenance, and you can easily end up with costs around $14 / lb. That price doesn’t include his labor, marketing, electrical / gas for roasting, bags, a website, taxes, the farm mortgage, etc. When you add all things up, prices for 100% Kona Coffee average between $45 / lb. and $60 / lb.
This means that if coffee of similar quality would be grown in a country with lower wages, you would be able to buy the beans for less. However, given the high demand and excellent reputation of Kona Coffee, it is safe to say that despite the high price, the quality is worth the price!
OUR COFFEE
To keep our prices competitive with other local coffee shops, we primarily serve a Kona Blend, which by law is required to contain at least 10% Kona coffee. On request, we can provide 100% Kona Coffee. Our Pour over coffees typically come from local roasters and vary by season.