The Kona Coffee Bean

Today, coffee is one of the world’s most consumed beverages, especially in the United States. Often starting their day with a cup of joe, consumers love coffee for its high caffeine content. Many countries export coffee, including Brazil, Columbia, and Hawaii. Hawaii is the only state that produces coffee in the United States. Kona coffee is one of the most sought after coffees in the world. In an area known as the Kona Coffee Belt, true Kona coffee is grown on a two-mile wide strip of land running along the southwestern coast of the big island of Hawaii. Only beans from this district can be legally described as Kona coffee beans.

Kona Coffee Beans Are Not Beans

A Kona coffee bean is actually the seed of a Kona coffee plant- the pit inside the red or purple fruit. This fruit is called a coffee cherry or coffee berry. Kona coffee beans are classified according to seed type. A Type 1 bean has two beans per cherry while the Type 2 bean has one round bean per cherry, otherwise known as a peaberry. These beans are graded based on size, moisture content, and purity of bean type.

The Kona Coffee Bean- From Hawaii With Love

Kona coffee beans are cultivated on the slopes of Hulalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts. In February and March, Kona coffee blooms are white flowers that cover the trees. In April, they become green berries and by August the coffee cherry is red and ready for harvesting. Handpicked several times between August and January, every tree yields 20-30 pounds of cherry.

Within 24 hours of picking, the coffee cherry is run through a pulper to separate the Kona coffee beans from the pulp. After fermentation, the Kona coffee beans are spread on a hoshidana to dry and then stored as peragamino or parchment. Prior to roasting or wholesale, the parchment is milled off the green bean. Many hours of labor and are involved in processing a Kona coffee bean, which yields a taste that’s unforgettable.

Enjoy a cup of 100% Kona coffee today and treat your taste buds.