The World's Most Expensive Coffee | Hawaiian Coffee Brands, How Much Does a Cup of FrontStreet Coffee Kona Coffee Cost?

The World's Most Expensive Coffee | Hawaiian Coffee Brands, How Much is a Cup of FrontStreet Coffee's Kona Coffee?

Hawaiian Kona Premium Coffee Beans 100g - Kona Queen Estate Fresh Light Roast (Can Be Ground) - 60 Yuan per cup, 120 Yuan per 100g

Hawaii is a beautiful island that began cultivating coffee in the 18th century. Most coffee is grown on Kauai Island and the Big Island of Hawaii, where ideal climate and soil conditions exist. The processing is extremely meticulous, and the coffee beans have a perfect appearance. However, limited cultivation area plus expensive American labor costs are reasons why Kona beans are expensive. But the perfectly clean, uniquely tropical fruit-scented Kona coffee is irreplaceable by other coffees. Kona Coffee remains one of the most expensive coffees on the market. According to Hawaii Department of Agriculture regulations, only coffee grown on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the Kona district of the Big Island can be called Kona Coffee. Hawaii's nearly year-round sunny mornings, cloudy and rainy afternoons, all-day gentle breezes and mild nights, combined with mineral-rich volcanic soil, create its distinctive flavor profile.

KONA comes from the Big Island of Hawaii, located in the KONA region on the western slopes of Mauna Kea at 4200 meters elevation. The tropical rainforest climate provides abundant annual rainfall, and coffee trees are planted on crushed volcanic rock and black gravel. The local natural environment is exceptionally suitable for coffee bean cultivation, thus producing high-quality coffee. KONA has limited production and is processed by small-scale, sophisticated operations that produce excellent green beans, making it quite expensive and second only to Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. Consumers who have traveled to Hawaii know that KONA coffee purchased in Hawaiian tourist areas is not cheap, and many are actually KONA blend coffees (with KONA beans only comprising a small percentage).

Hawaii is the only U.S. state that grows coffee, with coffee grown on five main islands: Oahu, Hawaii (the Big Island), Maui, Kauai, and Molokai. Coffee from different islands has distinct characteristics: Kauai coffee is mild and smooth, Molokai coffee has high body with low acidity, and Maui coffee has moderate acidity but the strongest flavor. Hawaiians take immense pride in their 100% locally grown Arabica coffee beans.

The Big Island of Hawaii is the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, hence also called "the Big Island." Kona coffee is produced in the western and southern regions of the Kona district on the Big Island. Coffee trees are scattered across the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa at elevations between 150-750 meters, which is perfectly suitable for coffee cultivation.

Coffee experts often compare Hawaii's Kona coffee with Jamaica's Blue Mountain coffee. Both coffees have mild, suitable acidity and delicate fruity sweetness, but Kona coffee's rigorous quality control means Kona coffee receives no negative reviews and maintains high quality standards, unlike Blue Mountain coffee which occasionally receives poor ratings. Based on moisture content and bean purity, Type 1 is divided into 'Kona Extra Fancy', 'Kona Fancy', 'Kona Number 1', 'Kona Select', and 'Kona Prime'; Type II Kona coffee is divided into 'Peaberry Number 1' and 'Peaberry Prime'; additionally, there's a lower grade 'Number 3' which cannot be called Kona Coffee.

Processing Method:

After planting coffee trees, how long must one wait before harvesting and sending to market for sale? Generally, coffee trees must be planted for at least 3 years before they can produce satisfactory fruit. Coffee trees bloom several times a year, so harvest workers must hand-pick fruit up to 8 times annually!

Coffee cherries have a lustrous red color and are plump and full, usually containing two seeds inside - these seeds are the coffee beans. Coffee beans are covered by a thin layer of fruit skin, so first the fruit pulp and skin must be removed (2), then the de-pulped beans are soaked in water (3), and finally dried (4). The processed coffee beans are far fewer in quantity than before processing. Depending on the quality of the final product, eight bags of coffee cherries might produce only one bag of roasted coffee beans.

Roasting (5) coffee beans can be considered an art form; besides excellent equipment, the roaster's skill is also crucial. How long to roast mainly depends on the following factors: the beans' natural moisture, weight, grade, quality, desired color, and current weather conditions.

Coffee plantations and grinding mills on the Big Island mostly adopt modern sales techniques. They welcome the public to visit, observe the production process, and taste Kona coffee. Colorful road signs, distinctive old coffee grinding mills, quaint cafes, and hotels are everywhere. Of course, they all sell Kona coffee!

Kona coffee tastes fresh and crisp, with medium body and slight acidity, while having rich aroma with a long-lasting aftertaste. Most precious is that Kona coffee has a mixed fragrance combining wine, fruit, and spice notes, as charming as the colorful volcanic islands. Overall, Kona coffee's flavor profile belongs to the milder category, so much so that some find this mildness synonymous with plainness, feeling Kona is too refreshing and simple. However, if you're someone who needs to slowly get into the mood with coffee's aroma before tasting, then Kona is the coffee for you. Unlike Indonesian coffee's richness, African coffee's wine-like intensity, or Central and South American coffee's boldness, Kona coffee is like a woman walking out of Hawaii's sunshine and gentle breeze - fresh, natural, neither too hot nor too cold.

Aroma:

Wine-red color with citrus and dried fruit flavors, vanilla plant aromas, and sugarcane fragrance

Taste:

Pronounced acidity brings a fresh, bright sensation, with citrus fruit flavors noticeable in the aftertaste

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First infusion with 25g water for 25s bloom. Second infusion to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level drops to half before continuing to pour. Slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back-end flavors. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, pausing during pouring can extend extraction time.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473