Why Hawaiian Kona Coffee is Expensive and How to Brew and Drink It?

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What Makes Kona Coffee So Expensive?

Crossing between the 19th and 22nd degrees latitude, south of the Tropic of Cancer, the Hawaiian Islands, caressed by trade winds, form a naturally perfect coffee-growing region. With volcanic soil and tropical climate, complemented by moderate humidity and regular afternoon showers, they create an ideal growing environment that seems straight out of an idyllic landscape, adding delicate yet unique flavor characteristics to the coffee beans here. Some coffee enthusiasts assert: Kona coffee produced here is absolutely the world's best coffee, with drupe and chocolate flavors, smooth and delicious to drink!

After the outbreak of World War I, coffee demand increased dramatically, and the rising demand triggered price hikes, and Kona coffee was no exception. The period from the outbreak of World War I to 1928 was the golden age of Kona coffee. In 1940, the Second World War caused coffee prices to rise again. By the 1970s and 1980s, Kona coffee prices experienced several ups and downs, but it was from this period that Kona coffee established its status as the world's top-tier coffee.

Although Kona coffee has gained worldwide fame, its production remains at a relatively low level. This is because the main Kona coffee production area is located on the slopes of Mauna Loa volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii. This narrow coffee-growing belt is approximately 50 kilometers long and only 1.6 kilometers wide, with a total area of about 1,400 hectares, producing less than 2 million pounds of coffee beans annually.

Kona coffee has always been harvested bean by bean by hand since ancient times. This stems from the tradition of family farms using family labor here, and more importantly, to ensure that only the highest quality coffee beans are used for coffee production. The mature season for Kona coffee is between September and December each year, and farms must ensure that coffee beans that mature at different times are promptly hand-harvested. Therefore, among all coffee producers, Hawaii's coffee industry management ranks among the strictest, with the highest labor costs.

Freshly picked Kona cherries are red and enticing, comparable to cherries, so locals generally call Kona coffee fruits "Kona cherries." Once Kona cherries are picked, they must be processed immediately to prevent fruit rot and deterioration, which affects the taste of the coffee beans. Kona coffee processing generally uses the washed method. Hawaii's clean and sweet mountain spring water provides the most ideal conditions for the washed method. This method creates Kona coffee beans with bright, clear appearance and pure, fresh flavor. Subsequently, the wet coffee beans are placed under the sun in what are called "hoshidana drying racks" to allow the beans to slowly air-dry naturally, preserving their special flavors. The dried Kona beans are called "parchment" or "Kona gold" because after drying, a golden skin forms on the surface of the beans. After the beans are completely dry, the golden skin on the surface must be ground off, and the beans are graded. All of this work requires continuous manual labor.

Superior natural conditions allow Arabica coffee trees with ancient Ethiopian highland lineage to grow freely in the Kona region, creating richer coffee flavors. From planting, harvesting, washing processing, sun-drying, and polishing, every process relies entirely on manual labor, and production is extremely limited. Hawaiian 100% Kona coffee naturally appears high-quality and expensive, ranking alongside Blue Mountain coffee as synonymous with premium coffee. If you're not in Kona, Hawaii, it's difficult to have 100% pure Kona coffee beans.

Kona Coffee Brewing Analysis

1. Dripper: V60

2. Water temperature: 92°C

3. Grind size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

4. Roast level: Medium roast

5. Bloom time: 30 seconds

Flavor: Malt, mulberry, persistent caramel sweetness in the finish

FrontStreet Coffee suggested technique: Slow, steady, continuous water pouring: fine water flow in circles, gently pouring for even extraction, very slowly. You can also appropriately use a stir stick for stirring. Usually, during the bloom stage, perform one cross-stir to allow water to fully contact the coffee grounds, increasing the release of aromatic substances.

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