Coffee culture

Hawaii Kau | Starbucks Coffee Varieties | Starbucks Single Origin Coffee

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). The State of Hawaii is the only archipelagic state in the United States, composed of 132 islands in the central Pacific Ocean. The capital is located in Honolulu on Oahu Island. The earliest residents were Polynesians, and after 1778, European and Asian immigrants gradually moved here.

Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

The State of Hawaii is America's only archipelagic state, consisting of 132 islands in the central Pacific Ocean. The capital is located in Honolulu (Honolulu) on Oahu Island.

The earliest inhabitants were Polynesians, and after 1778, European and Asian immigrants gradually moved in. The Kingdom of Hawaii was established in 1795. It was annexed by the United States in 1898. It officially became part of the United States in 1900. It became America's 50th state in 1959. Today, the local population consists mainly of European and American whites and Japanese, followed by people of mixed race, Filipinos, and Chinese. Its land area is 16,700 square kilometers.

Hawaii has an island-type climate, regulated by monsoons throughout the year, so the annual temperature is approximately 26℃-31℃.

Hawaii - Ka'u

Ka'u is located at the southernmost tip of the Big Island of Hawaii, and its terrain is very diverse. Most Ka'u coffee is produced in several mountainous areas above the town of Pahala on the slopes of Mauna Loa volcano. Coffee was first planted in Ka'u by JC Searle in 1894. However, due to competition from sugarcane plantations for land and labor, his coffee business did not achieve commercial success. When the sugar industry collapsed a hundred years later and Ka'u's sugarcane plantations closed in 1996, displaced plantation workers saw coffee as one of the most promising avenues.

The first few years of the nascent Ka'u coffee industry were full of challenges, as farmers needed to work hard to acquire the various agricultural, processing, and business skills needed to succeed in the modern coffee industry. Through the persistent efforts of coffee farmers, the production of magical coffee rooted in Hawaiian traditions quietly began.

In the early days, Ka'u coffee was mainly sold to the Kona market, giving Ka'u growers almost no recognition. Ka'u coffee then slowly began to develop its own brand identity among local coffee enthusiasts. In 2007, Ka'u coffee entered the Specialty Coffee Association of America's annual competition and became an overnight success. In 2011, Starbucks Reserve Hawaii Ka'u won the Specialty Coffee Association of America's Coffee of the Year award.

Ka'u Coffee Region's Award Records from 2007-2012:

2012 SCAA Roasters Guild Coffee of the Year

2011 SCAA Roasters Guild Coffee of the Year

2011 Hawaii Coffee Association Hawaii Coffee Champion

2010 SCAA Roasters Guild Coffee of the Year

2010 Hawaii Coffee Association Hawaii Coffee Champion

2009 7th SCAA Roasters Guild Cupping Competition

2008 11th SCAA Roasters Guild Cupping Competition

2007 6th and 9th place SCAA Roasters Guild Cupping Competition

Ka'u Coffee Bean Information

Origin: Asia Pacific - Hawaii - Ka'u

Processing Method: Washed

Varieties: Guatemala Typica, Yellow Catuai, Red Catuai

Acidity: Medium | Body: Medium

Description: Creamy chocolate flavor with sweet almond notes

Ka'u has always been featured in Starbucks Reserve, and it's also active elsewhere, such as the seasonal limited edition - Copelan's Blend that Ming previously introduced.

Ka'u Brewing Guide

This bean is not roasted very dark, making it display more pleasant characteristics.

1. V60 (Hot): 15g coffee, Ditting grind setting 6, water-to-coffee ratio 15:1, two pours (125g, 100g), fine water flow, uniform circular motion from inside to outside.

Description: Soft acidity, almond, creamy chocolate, tea-like notes

2. Six-cup Chemex (Hot): 25g coffee, Ditting grind setting 7, first pour 50g for 28s bloom, second pour to total 320g water, wait 40s then pour to total 400g.

Description: Enhanced acidity, tea-like notes, almond, chocolate

3. Matsuya: 20g coffee, Ditting grind setting 5.5, total water-to-coffee ratio 8:1, 50g water bloom for 3min, then pour 50g water, after dripping complete, add 60g hot water directly for dilution.

Description: Lower acidity, creamy chocolate, almond, higher body, delicate texture

4. Kalita Wave (Cold): 220g ice in cloud pot, 30g coffee, Ditting grind setting 5.5, 60g water bloom for 12s, then fine flow from center outward in circles to total 200g.

Description: Refreshing acidity, almond, more prominent tea-like notes, chocolate sweetness

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online shop services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

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Tel:020 38364473

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