All About Good Coffee

Just one sip of French press coffee using this uniquely brewed bean makes most people fans forever. Kona coffee which originates from Hawaii, has rare properties that make it a perfect choice for your next cup of coffee. Kona coffee, one of the most exquisite and luxurious coffees known to man, is grown on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Mount Hualalai, in the northern part of Hawaii, as well as many districts found on Oahu.

Buying fresh, gourmet Kona coffee ensures the best cup of coffee possible. Although Kona coffee is higher priced than other coffee blends, it is definitely worth the price. After all, people from around the globe buy this particular type of coffee. The climate, which is made up of beautiful bright mornings and humid afternoons, is perfect for growing unique flavorful coffee.

Cuttings from Brazil were transplanted and used to grow the trees from which we get our gourmet Kona coffee beans today. In the 1800’s, Hawaii saw Samuel Reverend Ruggles bring the first try of it’s kind to the island. Because the weather and soil in Hawaii are highly conducive to crop production, many opportunistic farmers grow beans on large plantations. Kona coffee beans are cultivated over an area that exceeds 2,300 acres, as per current estimates. Two million pounds of fresh, gourmet Kona coffee beans are produced every year, which is considered a highly successful crop.

The tiny white blossoms of the Kona tree make their appearance in February and March each year and are known locally as Kona Snow. The green berries of the Spring turn to red fruit in the summertime that resembles cherries. This is the time when the “fruit” is ripe and should be harvested. One of the benefits of gourmet Kona coffee is that each of the beans is hand-picked for freshness.

The fruit is processed through equipment designed specifically to separate the pulp and bean, in less than a day from the time it is picked. After that, the beans are allowed to ferment for 12 hours at low elevation and 24 hours at higher elevation. Once rinsing of the beans is complete, they will need to be laid out on a rack to dry for one to two weeks. The dry beans are then stored on parchment. Interestingly, to produce just one pound of fresh, gourmet Kona coffee, it takes approximately eight pounds of fruit.

Knowing the categorization of coffee beans is significant while choosing fresh gourmet Kona coffee. For instance, Type I has two beans per cherry or fruit, with one side being flat and one being oval. Beans of the Type II variety have only one bean per berry or fruit and that bean is round. Then based on a number of factors to include size, type, moisture content, purity, and so on would determine further grading. Fresh, gourmet Kona coffee is made of a higher-quality bean.