For a large number of us, coffee is just a way of getting through the morning. For some of us, finding the perfect coffee bean and brewing it in a way that best brings out the flavor is an art form. I won't tell you that Hawaiian coffee is the best coffee in the world, to each, his own. What I am saying is that if you haven't tried it, you'll most likely find it a valuable addition to your favorites list.
What first attracted me to it was that it's grown in mineral-rich volcanic soil; so my thought process was that the quality of what's grown in Hawaii must be superb. To get the best cup of coffee possible, it makes sense to start with high-quality beans. Hawaii has perfect growing conditions, and it's reflected in the taste of their coffees.
Coffee was brought to the island of Oahu in the 1800s and over time, spread to the other major islands in the chain. Coffee production is in the neighborhood of six million pounds a year plus, but much of this consists of family farms cultivating small plots of land. It is the only state where coffee is commercially grown and a very small percent of the coffee produced worldwide. Even though that's the case, there's a high demand for Kona across the globe. What's the reason? It's the soil, perfect weather conditions and family owned plantations where hand picking of the cherries is still employed. It's this combination that produces such a unique coffee.
Kona coffee is grown only in the Kona District on the Big Island and worldwide is probably the best-known gourmet coffee. Less well-known is that there are coffee plantations on Oahu, Kauai, Maui and Molokai. These beans come with the same advantages Kona offers, but providing more depth to your choice. It's worth a little effort to investigate. You'll find numerous plantations offering a wide variety of coffees, including flavored coffees, espresso Hawaiian style and organic coffees.
There's one other advantage I think has become too easy to overlook when we're "consuming." In a world where small business is becoming extinct and we're losing out on the advantage it has to offer, it feels good to support it. We're helping to preserve a little of our past by supporting these plantations who still employ old-time methods making it a win -- win for everyone.
