Hawaii is home to one of the world's finest coffee crops. Its distinct flavor is derived from the tropical environment in which it flourishes. The coffee is cultivated in the Kona District which experiences mild variations in weather patterns, typically a combination of sunshine, rain and light winds. The soil in the area is rich with volcanic minerals which help to boost the quality of the crop produced. It is officially marketed as Kona coffee and maintains a high price tag because of the quality of the beans.

Brief History of Hawaiian Coffee
The coffee plant was first introduced to the island in 1828. Samuel Reverend Ruggles is credited with planting the Brazilian cuttings that sprouted Hawaii's premier coffee farm. The Kona brand was not established until the latter part of the 19 th century when entrepreneur Henry Nicholas Greenwell officially launched and distributed it. What was once the Greenwell store and Living History Farm is now a museum open to the public throughout the year.

Coffee became a very profitable plant that was grown on large plantations which catered exclusively to the crop. By 1899, however, the coffee market crashed resulting in the abandonment of production over extensive areas. Many of these large lands were leased to workers who eventually started to produce coffee on a smaller scale. The quality remained constant and the product was managed by individual small family farms. Many Japanese indentured servants who came to the islands to work on sugar plantations seized the opportunity to cultivate these parcels of lands.

The Japanese family farms flourished for a great part of the early nineteen hundreds. By 1920 Filipino workers came to the islands to help in the cultivation process. Coffee had to be picked by hand and was, therefore, dependent on having capable laborers. Eventually, over time, Europeans and Filipinos began leasing farm lands to grow their own coffee. At present many farms that are still in operation are connected to the first generation of Japanese and Filipino coffee growers. The tradition is mainly concentrated in Kona although other areas of the Big Island have lucrative coffee farms.

The Cultivation of Kona Coffee
The crop grows in different phases. The February to March period is typically marked by the blooms of white flowers commonly referred to as Kona Snow. Green berries begin to come out by April. The maturation of the berries over the next four months leads to a ripe red fruit often called a cherry. The trees are then hand-picked between the August to January period. As much as 30 pounds of cherry can be obtained during this harvest.

Once picked the cherries will go through a series of processes. On the first day the beans are derived using a pulper. This allows the beans and the pulp to be separated. After this they are placed in the fermentation tank for one single night. The total time taken to ferment the beans is approximately 12 hours if the area is low-lying and 24 hours if the coffee is grown at a high altitude. The beans are then washed off and distributed carefully on a drying rack or hoshidana as it is called on the islands.

The hoshidana is conventionally made with a makeshift roof which can be used to cover the beans if it rains. On average the coffee bean will need at least 7 days to reach the right level of moisture of about 13%. The Hawaii Department of agriculture currently sets the mean value for moisture at 9.5%-12.5%. In its post drying state it is considered parchment. Before the coffee is sold commercially this parchment is removed from the beans.

Classification of the Kona Coffee Beans
The beans are separated into two types I and II. The Type I category is composed of two beans in each cherry. On one side it is completely flat and on the other more rounded. The Type II bean is comprised of one circular bean in one of the cherries. It is sometimes called a peaberry. Within these classifications are yet again different methods used to grade them.

The value of the final product will depend on the moisture content, size and overall purity. Type I Kona coffee products are labeled based on this value system. Kona Extra Fancy ranks as the best Type I coffee that can be derived. Kona Prime represents the least expensive type. Type II is categorized as Peaberry number 1 and Peaberry Prime with the latter being the lesser grade. There is also a grade deemed Number 3 from Kona, however it is not considered authentic Kona coffee and therefore cannot be labeled as such.

Today the Kona coffee is revered among avid coffee drinkers. It is grown extensively on Kona, the west side of the Big Island. It is marketed heavily in the United States, Canada and Europe as a gourmet beverage. The added appeal of the coffee lies in the unique terrain in which it grows. The area, which sits on a large expanse of volcanic rocks, gives it that particularly savory taste. A selling point of the Kona coffee is the dedication these small farmers have to ensuring the product is of the highest quality. The process of hand picking the cherries gives growers the opportunity to inspect each bean as it comes off the tree. Only the best are exported and made available for worldwide consumption, thus much care is taken.

Coffee is an early morning beverage that is consumed daily by many people across the globe. The robust flavor of the Kona coffee makes it a great addition to any coffee lovers diet. The product remains Kona's number one export which has earned it the reputation of being one of the world's leading coffee producers. Because of the popularity of the product the Kona Coffee council was established to further strengthen the trade of the cash crop. The organization is comprised of several small farmers who are united in increasing its popularity. The islands though modestly sized are home to some of the most exotic flowers, beautiful scenery and of course great tasting, world renowned coffee.

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