Kona coffee is grown along the slopes of Mauna Loa and Mount Hualalai in Hawaii. It is actually a type of Arabica coffee. Kona coffee got its name because it is grown in the Kona district of Hawaii. Pure coffee from this district is highly sought after around the world.

The ideal climate in Hawaii makes it perfect for coffee growing. The land is rich with volcanic soil and the afternoon clouds provide a good cover for the coffee plants to thrive. Much of the flavor of the Kona coffee is attributed to these factors. There are other Hawaiian coffee like from the island of Molokai, Maui, Kauai, etc.

Growing And Processing

The initial coffee plant was introduced into Kona District of Hawaii in the 19th century by Samuel Ruggles. It didn't have much impact until after about 100 years later. Due the world coffee market crash in 1899, most of the large plantations of Kona coffee were leased to their workers, who are mainly of Japanese origin. Currently there are about 600 plantations around the district. Each of these plantations is no more than 5 acres totaling to less than 2,300 acres (1997 census).

The Kona coffee plants will start to bloom around February and March and the small flowers provide a scenic view to many visitors. After about a month, green berries will start to appear. These berries will ripen by late August and the workers will start collecting the red berries until December or January. Each tree can produce around 20 to 30 pounds of berries.

The berries will then be processed within 24 hours after being plucked to maintain quality. They will go through the usual process other coffee beans go through including fermentation. The green coffee beans are then dried on drying racks or hoshidanas for around 2 weeks, depending on weather. It will be ready to be stored when the moisture level of the Kona coffee beans reaches about 10 to 13%. Grading and classification of Kona Coffee beans is based on the shape, size, moisture content.

Kona Coffee Blends

Due to the high prices and rarity of Kona coffee in the marketplace, some coffee producers may sell Kona coffee blends. These blends are a combination of Kona coffee with either Colombian or Brazilian coffee. The blend usually contains only 10% Kona coffee whilst the remaining 90% is made up of the cheaper imported coffee beans. The unusually high price makes some retailers resort to using underhand advertising and marketing techniques to promote their Kona coffee blends.

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