Where To Buy Kona Coffee Beans

A Note About Peaberry Coffee

Kona beans are classified according to seed. Namely, Type 1 and Type 2 .

Type 1 beans

Type I beans consist of two beans per cherry: one side flat, the other oval. Extra Fancy, Fancy, Number 1, Select, and Prime fall under this classification.

Type 2 beans

Type II beans, also known as peaberry because of their shape, consist of one round bean per cherry.

New York 100% Kona Fancy 5 Lbs

Kona coffee is graded based on size, quality and imperfections. Kona Fancy is the second highest grade of kona coffee available . The result is some very high quality, flavorful beans. Its a little more pricey than the other coffee retailers, but coming across 5 pounds of fancy-grade coffee is a great find.

Why Does Kona Cost More Than Regular Coffee

Im sure youve already come to the conclusion as to why Kona coffee demands a premium price. Apart from the unique volcanic growing location, the labor-heavy production, combined with the expenses, high demand, and the limited supply also drives up the price of Kona.

That why many retailers are sourcing Kona bends which they can sell at a lower cost but, not all is what it seems, lets take a closer look.

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Volcanica Kona Peaberry Coffee Gran Reserve

The Details | 100% Authentic Kona Peaberry Coffee Beans

• Taste: Smooth Mellow Honey Aftertaste
• Roast: Medium Roast & Medium Dark Roast
• Type: Whole Bean Size: 16 oz. Each)
• Size: 16 oz. Each)

Review

This Kona peaberry coffee is grown higher on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa than most other Kona beans. Food and Wine Magazine have rated it as a Top 10 Coffee.

Available as whole beans or grounds, these beans produce a smooth and mellow cup.

Described by Volcanica as having an aroma of orange blossoms and cherries and a flavor of chocolate and roasted almonds, this is a delicious variety that has a sweet honey aftertaste.

Bottom Line

Volcanica peaberry coffee from the Gran Reserve comes in a 16-ounce bag, and the beans are roasted on the day of shipping to get the freshest possible coffee to your doorstep. If you prefer not to grind your beans you can order pre-ground Kona coffee directly from Volcanica.

Kona Joe Kainaliu Medium Roast 5 Lbs

If you want even sweeter coffee than Kona Nightingale, Kona Joe coffee is bar none the sweetest kona coffee out there. Thanks to a patented growing technique that brings out extra sweetness in the coffee cherries, Kona Joe is the kind of coffee you dont need to add sugar to. The natural sweetness comes out when you have the coffee black.

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How To Store Green Coffee Beans

Just like other perishable food items, raw green coffee beans will go bad if not stored correctly.

Green coffee beans can be stored in a similar fashion to regular roasted coffee. To know all about the ins and outs of storing coffee correctly, take a few minutes to read this article.

One of the essential factors to storing green coffee for ultimate freshness is to keep them away from moisture, direct sunlight, high temperatures, and always sealed in an airtight coffee canister, like one of these.

A note on coffee bean storage temperatures.

Ideally, it would be best to store the raw beans at temperatures around 60F at 60% humidity. Anything too far from these recommendations, and you potentially risk mold growing on your coffee, or they can start to lose their flavor and begin to dry out.

If you dont plan on using your raw green coffee beans within a few months, it is possible to freeze them for long-term storage.

Just make sure you freeze the beans in small batches inside a sealed container and only take them out of the freezer as needed. Once removed and they thaw out, dont refreeze them as the cell structure will begin to break down.

Kona Coffee Beans Arent All Equal Check The Grade

The Kona coffee growing region is small but even in this small area, the quality of the coffee can differ greatly. What might be a great-tasting bean in one location might have flaws in another area just a few meters away.

Due to the vast difference in the batches of coffee produced, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and stepped in and grade each batch. To be frank, the Hawaiian Kona coffee possibly goes through some of the most meticulous testing in the world.

The grade of each batch is based on strict criteria and special attention is paid to the shape, size, moisture content, and any flaws that might be present in the beans.

If youre going to buy Kona coffee you should be paying attention to the HDA grade. Remember, these beans are not cheap so make sure youre getting the best Kona coffee you can.

How Are The Kona Beans Graded?

When the coffee is graded the Kona beans can be separated into two distinct types

A typical coffee cherry will contain two beans that are flat on either side . However, in rare situations, only one of the seeds becomes fertilized leaving just one oval seed known as a peaberry .

Want to learn more take a look at this article What is Peaberry Coffee?

Kona peaberries make up only 5% of the bean grown in the region. Simply put, out of every 100 bags of Kona coffee beans, just 5 of those bags are going to be Peaberry!

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How Kona Coffee Is Graded

Hawaii also puts coffee through rigorous testing through the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. Every batch of Kona coffee is graded based on its moisture content, shape, and size, as well as any possible flaws in the coffee beans.

Extra fancy is the highest HDA grade awarded, but Kona coffee Grade 1 Fancy, Select, and Prime are all excellent quality, as well.

Dont waste your money on Kona coffee thats graded No. 3, Natural Prime, or Mixed Natural Prime. These are the lowest grades awarded.

Trust us, its worth a few extra bucks to get Kona beans with a higher HDA rating.

The History Of Pure Kona Coffee

Heres the shocker Kona isnt native to Hawaii.

In fact, Brazil is the original location of these coffee beans.

The coffee bean plant cuttings were first introduced to Oahu from Brazil in 1828. The climate and the mineral-rich soil proved to be ideal for Kona coffee crops to flourish. Towards to end of the 1800s, the Brazilian variety was replaced with plants from Guatemala, from which all modern Kona crops are descended.

Due to increasing labor costs, pricing, and global market demand in the 1960s the production of Kona coffee began to slow. However, towards to end of the 1980s, gourmet coffee began the gain popularity once again mainly due to an increasing presence of specialty coffee shops sprouting up on American high streets.

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Where Can You Purchase Kona Peaberry Coffee Conveniently

You may purchase Kona Hawaiian coffee through the internet. All you have to do is follow these easy steps and in no time, youll get your own Hawaiian Kona and be able to experience a whole new different thing when it comes to coffee drinking. First, youll have to type in the keywords on your search engine just simply type Kona coffee.

Then you will be prompted to a page where website/s of different manufacturers of Kona is written on a list type so click on each of these websites so you will be brought to the manufacturers web page. Read through each website because this will help you decide which brand you prefer.

The Hawaii Coffee Company Royal Kona Estate Kona Coffee

Our last suggestion for everyone interested in buying authentic Kona coffee thats worth every penny is the Hawaii Coffee Company. Just as the name suggests, this Hawaiian-based business offers delicious coffee coming from their own plantation.

This makes the Royal Kona Estate coffee an extra fancy option for those who want to taste the real deal and want to avoid falling in the advertising scams of brands that claim to sell Kona coffee.

With a fruity and clear taste, this coffee is a light roast that works well as pour-over coffee. You can opt between all-purpose grind and whole bean delivery and, much like most of its competitors, the coffee will be roasted only after ordering.

Those living in the US get to benefit from flat rate shipping, with the possibility to choose expedited shipping as well.

Who Would Enjoy This Coffee?

The Royal Kona Estate coffee is great for those of you that enjoy a light roast and like to make pour-over coffee, and might not be the best choice for people who like rich flavors.

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Hawaii Coffee Company Royal Kona Private Reserve

• Size: 7 oz.

Review

If you have been to Hawaii, this Royal Kona coffee will take you back to the islands with its intoxicating aroma and smooth profile.

Judged superior by the American Academy of Taste, this medium roast Kona is available in whole beans or as an all-purpose grind.

While some coffee comes with a certain level of bitterness, this brew should satisfy even the pickiest of drinkers particularly those who cant tolerate high levels of acidity. Fruity and with a touch of earthiness, theres absolutely no bitter after taste.

The brew may even be a little light for those who prefer some kick to coffee.

Bottom Line

While all our picks would make great gifts for coffee lovers, Royal Kona Private Reserve coffee is one you may want to keep for yourself.

Kona Peaberry Is The Best Kind Of Coffee

Normally the cherry of the coffee tree contains two seeds or beans that develop with flat facing sides, but sometimes only one of the two seeds is fertilized, and the single seed develops with nothing to flatten it. These oval or pea-shaped beans are known as Peaberry. Peaberry coffee is particularly associated with Kona Coffee although other Peaberry varieties of coffee have also become quite popular.

Bean Type: Peaberry coffee beansRoast Type: MediumBlend Type: 100% Kona Peaberry coffeeRoast Type: Fancy Kona Peaberry

What are you waiting for?

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The Taste Of Kona Coffee

If you get the opportunity to taste Kona coffee, you can tell apart the scams from the authentic. Kona coffee has a unique flavor profile and knowing more about it is the best way to tell when youre dealing with the real thing.

Its also important to remember that there are a series of factors that will impact the taste of your coffee, including the freshness, the roast, and the brewing method. When you taste coffee made from authentic Kona beans, you can expect to sense that flavor of brown sugar, honey, and milki chocolate. Some claim they can also sense a bright fruit flavor.

The aftertaste will leave you sensing citrus and nuts, so you can definitely tell that the Kona flavor profile is exquisite and easy to recognize. Kona coffee has an aroma that reminds you of fruit, cocoat, butter, or caramel. When you combine the aroma, flavor, and aftertaste of Kona coffee, you can tell youre dealing with something unique.

Why Are Kona Brands So Special

Coffee production is only successful in a limited number of regions around the world. The reason for this is that coffee plants need the right combination of sun, rain and quality soil to produce great tasting coffee.

What makes Kona Hawaii coffee so highly prized is that this coffee belt has all the critical factors to produce the best tasting gourmet coffee including:

• Nutrient rich volcanic soil on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes.
• Little need for irrigation due to high rainfall.
• Well drained slopes for ideal coffee growing conditions.
• The perfect island microclimate of warm sunny days, humid wet afternoons and mild overnight temperatures.

Few coffee growing regions in the world can tick all these boxes and this is what makes Hawaiian Kona beans so special.

Plus, when you combine these climatic factors with strict quality controls, hand cultivation and generations of family run business experience, the result is not only the best coffee in Hawaii, it is world famous quality coffee.

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Best Kona Coffee Beans Reviewed For 2021

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If youre looking to take your coffee drinking to the next level, choosing Kona coffee beans is the way to go.

Kona coffee from Hawaii is famous for its mouth-watering aroma and deliciously smooth, rich flavor, and distinctive fruity profile.

Thats why we have reviewed and picked 9 of the best Kona beans for you to consider.

But be warned, once youve tasted the best Kona coffee available, you may find it hard to enjoy anything else!

The Best Kona Coffee Beans For 2021

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When it comes to world-renowned coffee, Kona is one of the first varieties that come to mind. With a unique flavor profile and plenty of brands trying to copy its authenticity and scam people into thinking their products come from the Kona region, this type of coffee is very sought-out and expensive, and for good reasons.

Today, were going to learn what makes Kona coffee so special, how to avoid scams that promise authentic Kona coffee but deliver something else, and what are some of the brands you can trust when you want to taste the very best Kona coffee beans.

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What Does Kona Coffee Taste Like

The best Kona coffee has a unique, amazing flavor profile and aroma which is why its on the world coffee map.

As always, the taste of your coffee will be affected by the roast, the brew method and freshness. But if you do the right thing by your Kona beans you can expect to taste hints of brown sugar, milk chocolate, honey, and a hint of a bright fruit flavor. In general, its described as bright, crisp and clean. Expect a very pleasant, lingering aftertaste, with hints of nuts and citrus on your pallet.

The Aroma is one youll never forge a unique, sweet mix of aromas thats reminiscent of caramel, butter, cocoa or fruit.

Its not so much the flavor, the aroma or the aftertaste alone, but the combination of all 3 which make Kona so unique, addictive, and beautiful.

Your First Kona Coffee Experience

With a fresh-brewed cup of Kona coffee in front of you, the first thing you notice is the sweet fragrance that the brew exudes.

You tilt the cup towards your lips. Itâs sweet and rich at first taste but not overpowering. More subtle than anything. Then comes nutty, honey-like notes accompanied by flavors like caramel, butter, and cocoa.

Being naturally low in acidity, itâs gentle on your stomach and smooth on your palate.

While you bask in all of the savory glory of the nectar of the Hawaiian Gods, you also notice that there is a lingering aftertaste of citrus and nuttiness thatâs both bitter and sweet. If you werenât already sitting, you are now.

Physically speaking, you donât get the jittery over-caffeinated feeling either. In fact, well-roasted Kona does the opposite to you, making you feel lively and rejuvenated.

This is the good stuff. If only you broke college students could afford it.

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What Is Special About Kona Coffee

Kona coffee is one of the most esteemed coffee varieties on earth. Its highly desirable, therefore a tad expensive, but delivers supreme and distinctive aromas that will have your mouth watering the minute you open a packet.

Grown exclusively in the north and south areas of the Kona district on the big island of Hawaii, the coffee trees nurtured here thrive in the rich volcanic soils on the slopes of the Hualalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes.

The microclimate on these two mountains provides sunny mornings, misty afternoons, and mild nights perfect conditions for growing coffee.

Although Hawaii has a fantastic climate for coffee production due to the fertile, volcanic earth and abundance of sun and rain only coffee grown in the Kona district can be officially classified as Kona coffee.

Kona has around 600 small, independent coffee plantations, most of them family-run. It is estimated there is only a total of approximately 2290 acres of farms, producing about two million pounds of coffee annually.

This makes Kona coffee a highly-limited commodity, with a cap on how much is available every year.

Forget mass-production and automation the farmers painstakingly handpick Kona coffee beans.

Not all coffee cherries ripen at the same time, so handpicking beans enables harvesters only to select the beans that are perfectly ripe and ready.

What Is The Best Kona Coffee Brand

So how do you find the best brand of Kona coffee? It is worth noting that just because coffee is grown in the Kona region, doesnt automatically mean it will taste great.

Differences in the quality of the soil, growing and production techniques as well as roasting methods produce distinctly different coffees.

To help you choose the best Hawaiian Kona coffee beans, we have reviewed some of the top 100% pure Kona coffee brands here.

Choose from this list and you can be confident you are buying the best quality pure Kona coffee.

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Hand Sorted Kona Coffee

Prior to going to market, Kona coffee beans are hand sorted. Sometimes Kona coffee cherries produce a single oval shaped bean called a Peaberry. These are separated and sold as a unique specialty Kona coffee. Most Kona coffee cherries however, produce two flat-faced coffee beans. These are hand graded and sorted according to the coffee bean moisture content and the coffee beans quality and size. Hand sorting Kona coffee beans is a meticulous and laborious process but necessary to ensure the consistency and quality of the end product.