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Which Hawaiian Coffee Is Best? Why Is Hawaiian Coffee Popular? How Should You Drink Hawaiian Coffee?

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/28, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style) The origin of coffee consumption is said to have started with the Ethiopian shepherd Kaldi, who one day discovered his usually lazy flock of sheep suddenly bleating excitedly at some transported goods. After several experiments with neighboring monks, they accidentally discovered that the red magical fruits in the sack could be brewed

The Origins of Coffee Consumption

The origin of coffee consumption is said to date back to the Ethiopian shepherd Kaldi. One day, he discovered that his usually lethargic flock of sheep suddenly became excited and bleated at some transported goods. After several experiments with neighboring monks, they accidentally discovered that the red magical fruits in the sacks could produce a divine beverage that refreshed the spirit. After being introduced to the Middle East, due to the Middle Eastern people's love for spices, they began adding spices or nuts to coffee as early as several hundred years ago.

Hawaiian Coffee: A Comparison with Jamaica's Blue Mountain

Coffee experts often compare Hawaiian Kona coffee with Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee. Both coffees have a mild, suitable acidity and delicate fruit sweetness. However, Kona coffee's rigorous quality control ensures that Kona coffee maintains high standards without any negative reviews, unlike Blue Mountain coffee, which occasionally receives some criticism.

Hawaii's Two Famous Coffee Regions

Hawaii has two relatively famous producing regions: the KONA region and the KAU region.

KONA Region

When people think of Hawaiian coffee, Kona coffee often comes to mind. In 1828, missionary Samuel Ruggles first planted coffee in the Kona district of the Big Island. Today, Kona coffee production accounts for about half of Hawaii's total coffee production, with about six hundred independent farms located in the northern and southern parts of Kona. Kona coffee is mostly grown on the western slopes of Manua Loa and Hualailai volcanoes, typically at medium to low altitudes, around 2000-3000 feet. The volcanic region is famous for its black soil, which has moderate pH, is rich in minerals, and helps maintain soil moisture content. The Kona region enjoys sufficient morning sunlight, with clouds and fog appearing around noon, which conveniently allows coffee seedlings to avoid the harsh afternoon sun. This creates a climate suitable for coffee pollination and flowering, helping coffee cherries to develop fully.

The famous American writer Mark Twain mentioned in his "Letters from Hawaii" in July 1866: "Kona coffee has a richer flavor than any other, be it grown where it may and call it by what name you please." Legend has it that Kona coffee became his favorite from then on. Coffee experts consider Kona coffee to be on par with Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee, with an elegant and mellow taste, slightly fruity acidity. Depending on the roast level adjustment, it can be either a clear tea with a sweet aftertaste or a delicious fruit juice.

The special feature of Kona coffee is that every Kona coffee bean is hand-selected and harvested to ensure only the highest quality coffee beans are used in coffee production. In fact, 100% pure Kona coffee is quite rare and sometimes difficult to find. The rarest Kona coffee beans are peaberries (round coffee beans with only one bean per cherry), whose annual production accounts for only 4-5% of the total Kona coffee bean production. The uniqueness of peaberry coffee beans lies in the fact that each coffee fruit contains only one coffee bean, while other types of Kona coffee fruits contain two coffee beans.

KAU Region

In recent years, Hawaiian KAU coffee has begun to gain attention locally in the United States. It is grown on the eastern slopes of Manua Loa volcano at an altitude of about 2000-3000 feet. Award-winning estates are mostly located in Pahala town, at the northernmost tip of the KAU region on the Big Island. The KAU region has diverse topography, with coffee grown on sunny slopes. The climate conditions of sufficient morning sunlight combined with afternoon clouds and fog, plus the mineral-rich black soil from the world's largest Manua Loa volcano, which has moderate pH and porous texture that helps maintain appropriate soil moisture, create the optimal growing environment for coffee trees.

The KAU region originally focused on sugarcane cultivation. In 1894, they also began planting small amounts of coffee. It wasn't until 1996, when sugar prices fell sharply, that the KAU region actively transitioned from sugar to restart coffee cultivation. Through the efforts of farmers, leveraging excellent soil conditions and intensive cultivation techniques, they rapidly caught up and began participating in regional and national cupping competitions, consistently receiving high praise since then. In the 2011 SCAA cupping competition, KAU coffee not only won the top prize in the Hawaii region but also received the honor of world-class top coffee. KAU coffee has been praised by experts as having a rich and full-bodied taste with unique aroma, like strolling through a garden. It is silky smooth on the palate, and world-renowned coffee brands have rushed to purchase it, making it a rising star among Hawaiian specialty coffees.