Kona Coffee is grown solely in the districts of North Kona and South Kona on the big Island of Hawaii, mostly grown on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa, two dormant volcanoes. Our farms are a little south of the art community of Holualoa on the slopes of Hualalai. Kona Coffee is grown between approximately 700 feet and 3,000 feet of elevation. The dark, rich volcanic soil, temperate climate, morning sun, and afternoon showers make a wonderful environment for growing coffee.

Kona Coffee is from the Arabica coffee tree family, and the coffee process really begins with what we call Kona Snow. This is the flowering of the coffee trees, usually in January to March of each year. Each flower will eventually become coffee cherry. Our harvest season starts in July and ends in February, with October, November, and December being the busiest months with the most coffee cherry produced.

Our coffee is hand-picked when the coffee cherry is a deep red color, meaning the beans have fully developed. Each bag weighs approximately one hundred pounds. Most pickers can pick two to three hundred pounds a day, although some routinely pick upwards of five hundred pounds a day. Once picked, coffee must be processed within 24 hours, as the high sugar content in the fruit begins to ferment, which can ruin the coffee. The process takes time and, like any fine art, cannot be rushed.

So to answer the question “Why is Kona coffee so special?” It is special because Kona coffee makes up less than 1% of all the coffee grown in the world. It grows in exotic, volcanic soil, it’s delicious to the pallet and once the crop is gone… it’s gone for the season.

We have the “Seal of Approval” from the Kona Coffee Council on every bag. These little stickers are only sold to authentic Kona Coffee farmers and members. It’s a validation that the farmers not only grown in the Kona Distrist of Hawai’i, but they also have to get their beans certified by the USDA.

Remember Coffee brewing is subjective and is not a science, but an art form.

•For best tasting results, grind your beans just prior to brewing. We recommend using a course to percolator grind for the filter-drip system method of brewing, which is what most Americans use at home.

•Always use a clean coffee maker. Make sure there is no residue from previous usage, because coffee does mold and can leave a "moldy" taste.

•Use filtered or spring cold water. Do not start with warm or hot water. Tap water is fine, but remember- that coffee is 98% water, so good tasting, clean water makes for good tasting coffee.

•Use two level tablespoons for every cup (6 ounces) of water on average. For an average 10 cup maker, (60 liquid ounces) use about 3 ounces of ground coffee (about 1/3cup). Adjust for your taste preference.

•Remove any spent grounds immediately to prevent bitterness.

•Serve coffee immediately. If brewed coffee must stand before serving, keep it airtight using a vacuum carafe to preserve flavor.

•Never reheat or boil coffee, if it can be avoided- but we know about desperate times!

Coffee should be stored as whole beans in an airtight container away from heat and light at room temperature. We recommend in stainless steel or ceramic containers.