6 Best Kona Coffee

Are you a coffee expert or a coffee lover for that matter and is looking for the best Kona Coffees in the market? Look no more, in today’s post we are going to talk about everything you need to know about Kona Coffee, and what are the best Kona Coffee you can find nowadays that will surely bring your love for coffee to the next level.

What you need to know about the Best Kona Coffee

What is Kona Coffee?

The most important aspect of Kona Coffee is that the beans are cultivated in a volcanic Hawaiian soil that is rich in mineral located in Mauna Loa and Hualalai. The soil where it was grown is considered to be the perfect and perhaps ideal soil in terms of the growing conditions in relation to the amount of light wherein its sunny in the morning , humidity and amount of rainfall in the afternoon which are needed for growing the best arabica beans.

As a result of the perfect condition and the mineral rich volcanic soil, one can truly say that it can really produce an outstanding coffee that every coffee lover and even amateur ones will surely love.

The coffee plants are grown and produced on a Big island of Hawaii also known as “Kona Coffee belt”

How Kona Coffee is Produced?

Ideally, the Arabica beans growing season for Kona Coffee is usually produced at least 12 months (1 year), the most at full bloom. During the months of February and March, what happens with the coffee plant is that it begins to bloom and also during at that same time pollination will also begin. Then, from months of April up to August it is during that time the coffee trees then begin to develop making the months of September to January the harvest season for the coffee beans.

Although it would normally take up to around 3 years for the trees to bear fruits, it usually produces about more or less 25-30 pounds of cherries. 25 pounds may sound like its a lot, but it actually isn’t that much. You see, an eight pound cherry only makes up to just about a pound of coffee. So basically, a single tree can only produce almost 3 pounds of coffee per growing season.

As mentioned earlier, the quality of Kona Coffee beans greatly depends on the growing conditions such as the amount of sunlight, humidity and rainfall, and the type of soil. In terms of sunlight condition, there should be a perfect balance between the amount of sunlight and the amount of shade. With a combination of rainfall, sea breeze and a little fog it can give the trees with the right amount of moisture. Lastly, the soil should be mineral-nutrient rich volcanic type of soil.

Classification and Grade Type of Kona Coffee

In the late 1980s, the Hawaii Agriculture Society (HAS) has developed the grading system as well as its classification to make sure that the Kona Coffee is not being sold and advertised falsely. Keeping in mind the standards of Kona Coffee while at the same time protecting Kona Coffee farmers who are responsible for making Kona Coffee beans.

Classifications of Kona Coffee

There are two types of Kona coffee classifications: Type I and Type II. Cherries with two beans are classified as Type I, whereas cherries with one bean is classified as Type II which is also called as Peaberries and composed of only about just 5 percent of Kona Coffee beans. As compared to Type I, Peaberry Kona beans have a richer and fuller flavor making it the crème de la crème.

Grade of Kona Coffee

The Hawaiian Department of Agriculture (HDA) are responsible for making sure that the Kona Coffee you will purchase are graded. The coffee beans are graded according to several criteria such as the Shape, rarity, size and the content of its moisture.

Here are the five grade bands of Kona Coffee being number 1 as the highest grade quality in a descending order:

1. Extra Fancy: considered to be the highest and top most quality of Kona beans. It is also the largest bean and perhaps the most expensive.
2. Fancy
3. Number 1
4. Select
5. Prime: lowest quality of Kona beans. Considered to be the smallest beans among all other grade beans.

It is important to be aware of the coffee bean grades when planning to buy Kona Coffee. Make sure to check for the HDA grade on each of the bags of coffee in the market to know what grade you are getting yourself.

What are Kona Blends?

Although Kona Blends is not dangerous per se, these are just Kona Coffee brands sold in the market that may contain a little or may not even contain authentic Kona coffee at all. You can now see these Blends in the market everywhere.

If you are not aware of the existence of this type of coffees, you might think that you are actually purchasing an authentic Kona Coffees when in fact you aren’t. It’s still coffee and less expensive , but the taste of these blends will not be the same as compared to the pure Kona coffee taste.

There’s a wide variety of the Best Kona Coffee beans in the market, and in this guide, we will show you what are those Kona Coffee to purchase.

Best Kona Coffee brands in 2024

Blue Horse Kona Coffee

100% Kona Coffee from Blue Horse 100% Kona Coffee store. Harvest and Handpicked, and sun dried directly from Blue Horse Family Kona coffee farms with trees that are older than you I supposed, about 120 plus years of age. The company also guarantees the coffee beans are grown not using any herbicide and pesticide. Aside from that, the company maintains the freshness of the coffee beans with its top of the line packaging.

Kona Coffee authenticity guaranteed and not just Kona Blends where the latter may contain a little or may not contain Kona Coffee at all. Since Blue Horse Kona Coffee is roast Dark, with its caramel finish it is ideal for coffee drips and espresso drinks.

Although considered to be pricey, it is definitely worth it.

Buy it now: Amazon

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Hawaiian Roasters

Hawaiian Roaster is a medium roastlevel Kona Coffee by Hawaiian Roasters company. Harvested from the Kona coffee farms in Hawaii. Whole Coffee beans are chestnut in color and aroma flavor making mornings something to wake up to. A US grown, locally brewed 100 % premium Hawaiian Kona Coffee.

Hawaiian Roaster Coffee kona beans was awarded the Hawaii Governors Export Award and the Innovative Product award. These awards were given during the world largest food exhibition which was held in Paris. Also, it was featured on radio network stations such as Food and Wine Radio network as well as KGO radio.

With its re-seal packaging feature, assurances of its freshness is retained.

Buy it now: Amazon

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Royal Kona Private Reserve

Royal Kona Private Reserve is another Kona Coffee brands produced by the Hawaii Coffee company. A medium roast level Kona coffee with a smooth flavor but with a pleasant aroma and strong smell that will fill the entire room and you’ll surely love. The Hawaii Coffee Company makes it sure that you are getting the 100% guaranteed authentic Kona Coffee there is.

From the name itself Royal Kona Coffee , it is considered to be an “Extra Fancy” grade ranking. Although with its ranking, the price isn’t not that bad at all considering all other high quality Kona coffees in the market.

Buy it now: Amazon

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Imagine Kona Coffee Beans

Another 100% Kona Coffee with Kona “Extra Fancy” graded rank best Kona coffee brands. A medium Roast Kona Coffee that creates a more robust and purest roast unlike the rest. Imagine Kona Coffee beans are produced by the company Imagine 100% premium Kona Coffee awarded with the AVPA Gold award as first place for two consecutive years (2018-2019) Silver Medal Winner in the Olymp Awards (2020), with a Certificate of Excellence at Hawaii Coffee Assn (2017) and got the 2nd place during the Kona Cupping Competition (2017).

What makes it distinct from the rest is that it is air roasted at about 2,200 feet high making it the perfect Kona coffee. It can be used for dripping coffee machine, automatic coffee maker and brewer machines as well as with the use of French Press coffee maker.

Buy it now: Amazon

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Hawaiian Mountain Gold Kona Coffee

Another Hawaiian Kona Coffee brands roasted by the Ferrari Coffee company, a major company that primarily owns one of the big island in Hawaii. A medium roast that is guaranteed to be 100% Kona Coffee.

The packaging has an airtight seal coffee bags making sure the freshness of the ground course of Hawaiian Mountain gold Kona Coffee are maintained.

Since this coffee if inexpensive, it is considered to be one of the most affordable Kona Coffee in the market nowadays.

Buy it now: Amazon

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KonaRed Kona Coffee

A non GMO, 100% guaranteed authentic air roasted Medium Roast Kona Coffee. KonaRed Kona Coffee beans are available in the market either on Ground or Whole beans.

It has a smooth and mild flavor with a not so strong but rich pleasant aroma. It has a distinctive caramel, chocolatey and with a touch of floral taste. Perfect for dripping machines, French press coffee makers, automatic coffee maker as we all cold brew machines.

When you order, the seller makes it sure that Kona Coffee will arrive at your doorstep still fresh with their state of the art packing. Although the company also sells Kona Blends which is less expensive but not guaranteed to be 100% contains Kona beans.

Buy it now: Amazon

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Bottom line

The quality of the coffee that one brews greatly depends on several factors that one should always take into consideration when planning to purchase a Kona Coffee. It is then recommended to try the different best Kona Coffee brands listed above.

Whichever Kona Coffee brands you choose to be your favorite, it is still a 100% Kona Coffee