Pure Kona Coffee From Hawaii – What It Takes To Make A Cup Of Kona

Pure Kona coffee is the caffeine treat that certified coffee lovers like me dream about and depending on how it is roasted, it can be fruity, nutty, chocolatey, or even floral. It’s complex, smooth flavor makes it one of the world’s best. It is of such an extraordinary quality that only a certain region in Hawaii’s Big Island is known to produce it. Although Hawaiian brands are generally popular, it is the brews coming from Kona that are the most valuable and sought after.

The species found in Hawaii was originally known and grown as arabica and brought to the islands in the 1800s. It was introduced in plantations and was later brought to Kona from the island of Oahu sometime in the 1820s. Originally an ornamental plant, it was eventually discovered that trees grown there produced the best yield because of the climate in which these were planted and harvested. By the 1890s, a coffee boom was underway in the district.

The flavorful beans that make up pure Kona coffee are grown in a specific environment. Found solely in the north and south districts of Kona in Hawaii’s Big Island, it grows well in the area’s rich dark soil from the volcanoes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa, as well as its cool mountain range, bright morning sunshine, and the right amount of rainfall and afternoon shade. The region, with its ideal temperature, also produces macadamia nuts, exotic flowers, vegetables and fruits. It is best known, however, for the great coffee that it has been producing in its tropical fields for over a hundred years.

This mug of delight is prized as much for its rare and sweet variations in flavor as for the care and detail in preparing it. The meticulous process starts at Kona Coffee Belt, a stretch of prime land that is only 20 miles long and a mile wide, with hundreds and hundreds of small-acre farms. It is in this perfect climate where the trees producing Hawaii’s world-famous coffee grow. The trees mature during Hawaii’s dry winter between November to April and its cherries are ready for the picking by autumn or around the middle of September.

The cherries from the trees are harvested by hand to make sure that only the best and ripest cherries are used in roasting. Each tree yields around two pounds of the coveted roast. From harvesting, fermentation, drying, milling, grading and roasting, the beans are all carefully processed using the time-tested techniques of the region’s farmers.

If the label shows that the contents are pure Kona coffee then it means that all the beans are from the farms of Kona. The distinction in labeling is important because this is strictly controlled for quality by Hawaii’s agricultural regulations. Others sold on the market can have as little as 10% of the real deal and have been known to be mixed with beans from other places such as Indonesia, Brazil, and Africa. It’s therefore wise to check the label of your purchase to ensure that your next brew comes from the real and exceptional goodness that comes only from Hawaii’s best beans!