Kailua Kona Coasts Offers Access to the Rare Kona Coffee Bean
If you are staying in one of our beautiful Kailua Kona condo rentals you may walk outside and notice an amazing, delicious smell…the wonderful smell of freshly brewed coffee. Just minutes from your vacation doorstep sits an area of land known around the world for spectacular coffee, the Kona Coffee.
Cultivated from the slopes of Mount Hualalai and Mauna Loa in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii, Kona Coffee is known among coffee connoisseurs to be a special and unique coffee. It is one of the most expensive and sought-after brews in the world. Like champagne from France, only coffee beans from the Kona District may be called “Kona.”
Coffee plants require a tropical environment to thrive with an annual rainfall of at least 59 inches, and the rainfall combined with the rich, volcanic soil make the Kona District an ideal environment for growing beans.
The Original Kona Coffee Plant
The original Kona coffee plant was brought to the Big Island from Brazil in 1829. Today, there are 800 Kona coffee farms, mostly small and family-owned, that produce roughly 2.5 million pounds annually. In contrast, Thailand (which is the 20th largest coffee exporter, though is not really known as a coffee producer) exports 55,000 TONS annually. The scarcity of Kona beans helps to drive up the price.
Buyer Beware
Because of the rarity and price of Kona coffee, there are many Kona imposters on the market. Beware of any coffee sold as a Kona Roast, Kona Blend or Kona Style. These are usually a blend of 10% Kona coffee and other, cheaper beans. Hawaiian law requires that coffee sold as Kona must contain 100% Kona beans. Kona coffee is sold for about $18/pound, compared to $10/pound for more abundantly grown coffees from South America or Africa.
The Secret is the Arabica Coffee Tree
Arabica coffee trees are grown along the Kailua Kona. The trees produce beans at a young age and keep producing until they are 80 years old. Kona coffee beans are harvested by hand, ensuring careful inspection of each bean for ripeness and quality.
If you are visiting the Kailua Kona Coast in November, check out the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival.
Kona coffee plantations offering tours include:
- Honualoa Kona Coffee Company
- Kona Le’a Plantation
- Greenwell Farms
- Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation
- Pele Plantation Farms
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