Kona coffee is coffee grown only within the district of Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. The Kona Coffee Belt is an area that is roughly only one mile wide by 30 miles long. Coffee grown in any other district or on any other isle is called "Hawaiian" coffee. Even coffee grown in Kona is called "Hawaiian" coffee if it is falls below the grade of Prime.

Kona coffee beans are graded according to their size. In the Type I bean the grades are Extra-Fancy, Fancy, Kona #1 and Prime. In the Type II bean the grades are Kona #1 Peaberry and Kona Peaberry Prime. These grades have little to do with the quality or taste of the coffee; they are primarily a measurement of the bean sizes. The beans are graded by passing them through sieves that have various size holes. Grading is also concerned with the moisture content, density of the bean, and how many defects are allowed per pound of beans.

No matter what you might read on other Kona coffee sites, "Estate" is not a grade of Kona coffee. The Kona Coffee Council defines "Estate" as "…the product of one farm, unmixed with crops from other farms and processed through to roast under the control of the estate farm."

Processing companies buy coffee in cherry form (right off the tree) from many farms here. They combine crops from different farms, process it from pulping right through to roasting, and then market it under their own label. Roasting companies buy their coffee in "parchment or green" form (already washed, fermented and dried) from many farms here. They combine the coffee from different farms, roast it and then market it under their own label.

When you buy Estate Kona coffee, you know you're buying coffee that was grown, processed and roasted under the control of one farm. When it comes to coffee production, "being small" is an asset.

Why is Extra Fancy more expensive than Fancy or Kona #1?  Extra-Fancy Kona coffee costs more not only because you're getting a bigger and denser bean, but because you're also getting a rarer bean. The Extra-Fancy grade beans account for only about 20% of the entire crop. Approximately 5% will be Peaberry and the remaining 75% will be in Kona #1 and Fancy grades.

What's so special about peaberry? Peaberry is classified as a type II bean and accounts for less than 5% of the entire crop. Peaberry is an aberration of nature and occurs when the coffee cherry yields only one bean instead of two. The Peaberry bean is shaped like a football; it is not flat on one side and round on the other, like a regular coffee bean. Peaberry has a lower acid content than regular beans. 

Many people believe that its cylindrical shape causes peaberry to roast differently than a regular bean, therefore giving it a different taste. Many of our customers adore it and prefer it above all other Kona coffee. It is the absolute rarest of all the Kona coffee beans. Whichever grade you choose is a matter of personal choice.

What about "Kona blend"? Current agricultural law states that any coffee with at least 10% Kona coffee beans can be called "Kona blend". Coffee with 10% Kona beans and 90% other coffee beans does not taste anything like 100% Kona coffee. How could it? You may be surprised to learn that very few hotels or restaurants in Hawaii actually serve 100% Kona coffee.

The coffee trees that thrive here in Kona are the same species (arabica) that are found in most other gourmet coffee-growing areas, such as Africa, Indonesia and South America. However, the methods and practices in the way coffee is grown and processed in Kona are completely different. There is no comparison between machine-picked, mass-produced coffee and 100% Kona coffee. 

The attention to detail and the dedication, care and pride that Kona coffee farmers take in producing their coffee is legendary. When you buy Kona coffee you really are purchasing the world's finest coffee.