Hawaiian Kona Coffee

These are the best Hawaiian Kona Coffee beans around. They are a medium-roasted delight from start to finish, going above and beyond to impress all those who brew them.

Hawaiian Kona Coffee is one of the most sought-after varieties available due to its relative rarity and, perhaps most importantly, its outstanding quality. We pack it fresh to order here at our Kent-based factory.

What is Hawaiian Kona Coffee?

Hawaiian Kona Coffee became a possibility in 1825 when Brazillian Coffee plants arrived in Oahu. By 1828, cultivation had become widespread on the Big Island.

Such was the extraordinary character of the beans found here, particularly in the Kona District, that they received recognition at the 1873 World’s Fair in Vienna. It was Kona Coffee trader Henry Nicholas Greenwell who took home the award.

The first hurdle to the industry occurred in 1898 when the United States of America annexed Hawaii. The elimination of tariffs resulted in higher profits for the islands’ sugarcane plantations - at the detriment of Coffee.

In 1899, despite Coffee covering an estimated 6,000 acres of land, the increased value of sugarcane led to investors switching from beans to sugar.

Large Coffee estates continued to disappear in the early-1900s. This left only a few smallholder farmers, many of whom were Japanese immigrant families, attempting to stay afloat. America’s entry into the First World War in 1917 brought new opportunities as production shifted to cater to the U.S. Army. The Second World War led to another rise in demand, and again during the Korean War.

At its peak in the 1950s, workers produced 17 million pounds of Hawaiian Kona Coffee annually. However, changes in market demand, pricing and labour costs resulted in its decline again in the 1960s. The 1980s brought a fresh start as Gourmet Coffee became increasingly popular. It was then, finally, that people truly woke up to the potential of these remarkable beans.

Hawaiian Kona Coffee Region

The Kailua-Kona District is the home of the Hawaiin Kona Coffee region. This is the location of some 600 farms on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano, just upland from the town of Kona on the Big Island.

The rich, fertile soil, situated at high elevations and subjected to characteristically wet and dry tropical climatic conditions, provides the beans’ with a unique advantage.

Coffee plants found here bloom every January and May, a phenomenon that locals call “Kona Snow” as a sweet aroma blankets the region. After several months, these blossoms melt away, leaving behind a green cherry that holds the Coffee bean itself.

The warm summer months that follow lead to their ripening. Workers can then harvest them by hand, ready for processing.

The beans are first sun-dried and raked on hoshidanas (large decks). They are then milled, sorted, graded and sent off to the nurturing hands of The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company.

Our job is to roast them using the latest state-of-the-art Neuhaus Neotec fluidised air-bed system, which primarily uses convection heat transfer to roast the beans. But what can you expect upon brewing?

What Does Hawaiian Kona Coffee Taste Like?

You’re probably wondering right now, “What does Hawaiian Kona Coffee taste like?” The answer, simply, is delicious. But you want to know more. You want to know what, exactly, it offers in flavour and nuances.

Connoisseurs tend to describe it as having notes of brown sugar, milk chocolate and honey with fruity undertones. Bright, crisp and smooth to the last drop, you’re bound to love it.

Does Hawaiaan Kona Coffee Have Caffeine?

The next question is whether it’ll help you get out of bed in the morning. The Coffee plant is one of sixty plants to produce caffeine, meaning that Hawaiian Kona Coffee indeed contains the stimulant.

The average serving will have around 100-mg, which most would agree is more than enough to start the day the right way. Why not find out for yourself today? You won’t be disappointed.