Is Starbucks Hawaii KAU Coffee Delicious? What Does Starbucks Hawaii KAU Coffee Taste Like

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The History of Coffee in Hawaii

Coffee was first introduced to Hawaii in 1817 during the reign of King Kamehameha by Don Francisco de Paula Marin, the first Spanish advisor. However, the initial cultivation was unsuccessful. It wasn't until 1825, when Oahu Governor Chief Boki imported coffee from Brazil and successfully cultivated it in Manoa Valley, that coffee cultivation began to spread throughout the islands.

Around 1828, Bourbon variety coffee was introduced to the Big Island. By 1836, large-scale cultivation began in Kauai. However, due to pests and diseases in 1858, the entire crop was wiped out, with only the KONA region on the Big Island surviving.

Hawaii is a beautiful island with abundant agricultural products, cultivating various fruits, cocoa, hazelnuts, and coffee. Among these, coffee commands the highest price and yields the greatest harvest for farmers. Hawaii began coffee cultivation as early as the 18th century, mostly on Kauai Island and the Big Island of Hawaii. The ideal island climate, fertile volcanic ash soil, and meticulous processing methods result in Hawaiian coffee beans that are uniformly complete with minimal defects and chipped beans. However, limited cultivation area and expensive American wages keep Hawaiian coffee prices high and expensive. Yet the perfectly clean, uniquely tropical fruit-scented Hawaiian coffee beans are irreplaceable by other coffees.

Comparison with Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

Compared to Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, both varieties share mild, suitable acidity and delicate fruitiness with a tender sweetness. However, Hawaiian coffee beans' strict quality control and advanced low-temperature storage equipment ensure that Hawaiian coffee beans maintain consistently high quality without negative reviews, unlike Blue Mountain coffee which occasionally receives poor evaluations.

The KAU Coffee Region

The southernmost region of Hawaii's Big Island is the KAU coffee region, considered a newly emerging Hawaiian coffee cultivation area that began in the 1990s. These areas were previously planted with sugarcane plantations, but market factors caused sugarcane profits to decline. As many sugarcane plantations were abandoned, farmers were displaced and left without livelihoods, bringing hope through coffee cultivation. Despite having ideal growing conditions, they initially worked hard to escape the shadow of their established Kona coffee beans.

In 2007, coffee from Hawaiian KAU made a splash as a dark horse, achieving excellent sixth and ninth place results in the SCAA coffee competition held by the American Specialty Coffee Association. Then in 2011, it again won the World's Best Coffee of the Year award.

This coffee region was previously not given much attention. Through local coffee cultivation supporter Chris Manfredi, agronomy experts and consultants were hired to help local small coffee farmers succeed. After several consecutive years of winning awards in American Specialty Coffee Association competitions, Hawaiian KAU coffee beans are now regarded as among the world's finest coffees.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests brewing with 89-91°C water for approximately one minute and fifty seconds. It features cream, milk chocolate, and almond sweetness.

Related recommendations: Introduction to Hawaiian Kona coffee, How to brew Hawaiian Kona coffee

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