Kona Coffee: Special Growing Conditions
Like fine wines, Kona Coffee is processed with the special attention through each processing stage from handpicking to processing, aging and roasting to dry milling. Kona coffee offers the world-renowned Kona character, a full, rich flavor with balanced acidity, great aroma and long finish lacking bitterness. Coffee grown elsewhere than Kona district on Hawaii must not be called Kona Coffee. There is no comparison between hand picked Kona beans and other, mass produced coffee beans that are harvested by machine. By buying and drinking Kona coffee you are part of a special world, because Kona coffee beans represents only 1% of all the coffee grown in the world today.
Kona Coffee - Certificate of Quality
By definition of State of Hawaii's Department of Agriculture ther are five grades of Kona Coffee.
Extra FancyExtra Fancy consist of green coffee beans of one type, which are clean and possess a uniformly good green color, good roasting quality, and good aroma and flavor when brewed; It contains not more than 10 full imperfections or defects per pound by count. Extra Fancy is in the Extra Large Category having beans that will not pass through a 19/64" round hole.
Kona Fancy
Fancy consist of all of the same qualities as extra fancy except for the following two areas. It contains not more than 16 full imperfections or defects per pound by count and is in the large category having beans that will not pass through a 18/64" round hole.
Kona #1
Number #1 consist of the same qualities as Fancy except for defect count and size. Number 1 contains not more than 20 full imperfections or defects per pound by count and is in the small category having beans that will not pass through a 16/64" round hole.
Kona Prime
Kona Prime consist of green coffee beans, which are clean, and does not impart undesirable aromas and flavors when brewed. It contains not more than 15 percent defective beans per pound by weight. There is no size requirement for prime.
Kona Peaberry
Peaberry consist of the same quality standards as Kona Number I except for bean type and shape. Peaberry is produced one bean to a cherry and are oval in shape. Only 6 percent of the entire crop becomes peaberry making this grade a rare commodity.
