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How is Kona Coffee Made?
Ever wondered how the famous Kona coffee is made? The historical process of making the Kona Coffee is what gives its amazing taste and aroma.
The Kona coffee making process is divided into six main steps – nursery and planting, Pruning, Growing Cycle, Harvesting, Drying and final roasting. Follow us as we discuss the journey of world famous Kona coffee from seed to a steaming cup.
Where does Kona Coffee Begin?
Kona coffee is grown exclusively in the Kona region of Hawaii. This particular region is popularly known as the Kona Coffee Belt. Thanks to its rich volcanic soil and very unique micro climate, the area is ideal for growing coffee, providing consistent morning sun and afternoon rain all year round.
This perfect microclimate also enables most Kona coffee farmers to make use of the natural rain water rather than the need for any formal irrigation for the trees. The consistent afternoon rains are usually enough to keep the trees watered and healthy year-round.
Let’s discuss “How is Kona Coffee made?” from seed to the steaming cup.
Kona Coffee Nursery and Planting
Kona Coffee is grown in the Kona region on the slopes of volcanoes, where the soil is rich in minerals and the climate is mild and humid.
Kona coffee plants are often grown in volcanic soil under shade trees to protect them from direct sunlight and wind. The ideal region to grow Kona coffee is the Kona district of Hawaii due to its volcanic soil and unique microclimate.
The life of Kona coffee begins with green coffee seeds. The seed variety of the world famous Kona coffee is named Kona Typica. The Kona Typica variety is known for its amazingly smooth, non-bitter and floral flavor. However, its rhizomes are prone to disease and often not strong enough to allow the tree to reach its full potential, requiring good care from the start for proper growth.
Pruning
Pruning is an essential technique used to improve the quality and yield of Kona coffee. It involves removing old or damaged branches from the coffee tree to encourage the growth of new branches and leaves.
Proper pruning can also improve the circulation of air and sunlight to the coffee plants, which can improve the flavor and quality of the coffee beans.
Kona Coffee Growing Cycle: Flowering to Cherry
Once new seedlings are planted, it takes about three to four years to produce a decent coffee yield.
The growing cycle of Kona coffee begins with the flowering stage, which typically occurs in February or March.
The coffee flower gives out a sweet smell and is locally addressed as “Kona Snow”.
The coffee cherry, which contains the coffee bean, begins to develop after the flower has been pollinated. The cherry ripens over a period of several months and turns from green to bright red when it is ready to be harvested.
Kona Harvesting and Husk Removal
Kona coffee is typically harvested by hand-picking the ripe cherries from the local farmers. This method allows for selective harvesting, which means that only the ripest and highest-quality cherries are picked.
Machine harvesting is also used in some coffee plantations, but it can result in lower quality coffee due to the inclusion of unripe or damaged cherries.
After the cherries are harvested, they undergo a process to remove the outer layers of the fruit. This process typically involves removing the husk and pulp from the coffee cherry using water and fermentation.
The fermentation process lasts from 12 to 24 hours in a mill to remove the sugary pulp. After rinsing the beans with pure volcanic aquifer water, farmers will dry them to the parchment stage. This stage means that the beans are only about 11% to 12% water.
Kona Coffee Beans Drying In The Sun
After fermentation, farmers spread the beans on terraces or on the ground for sun-drying. This way, the warm Kona sun and breeze dries the beans to the ideal moisture level.
Sun-drying is the best and most traditional method for drying coffee beans after they have been harvested and processed. It is essential to monitor the moisture content of the coffee beans during the drying process to ensure that they dry evenly and do not develop mold or other defects.
The beans will then be moved to a dry grinder to remove the outer skins. This is what you see as green coffee.
Farmers then use machines to sort beans into different grades based on their shape, weight and size. Grades include peaberry, extra fancy, fancy, No.1, and prime.
Roasting
Green Kona coffee is commonly roasted over indirect heat in a rotating drum at a high temperature. As the drum rotates, heat from the flame is transferred through the metal casing by conduction. This is the method favored by professionals these days because it allows for very precise temperature control throughout the roast.
Another way of roasting green Kona is by using hot air. Similar to a popcorn machine, hot air is pushed up through the green coffee beans, achieving the desired level of roast through convection. This method produces even and even heating as the hot air passes through the bed of green coffee beans.
One downside, however, is that this method tends to roast the beans very quickly, making adjustments during the process a challenge.
The technique or roasting recipes is what gives the coffee its unique flavor and aroma.
Brewing
During the roasting process, coffee beans begin to release carbon dioxide. Therefore, the beans should be allowed to sit for a few days to a week to allow most of the carbon dioxide to dissipate before brewing Kona coffee. If brewed too quickly, the carbon dioxide molecules interfere with the extraction of the water, resulting in weak and less extracted cups.
Carbon dioxide is responsible for the “coffee bloom” or bubbles that form during brewing that many coffee lovers look for. Most of the carbon dioxide gas will dissipate and stop producing bubbles about 1-2 months after baking.
These are the six steps to how a typical Kona Coffee is made. This Hawaiian Coffee is unique and is highly sought after coffee that is renowned for its rich flavor and aroma. This whole Kona coffee making process provides the top-tier quality of the coffee making it the most expensive coffee.
FAQs
What makes Kona coffee unique?
Kona coffee is unique due to its growing region, which has a specific microclimate and soil type that allows for the production of high-quality coffee beans with a rich flavor and aroma. Additionally, Kona coffee is hand-picked and undergoes a rigorous post-harvest process to ensure its quality.
How is Kona coffee different from other types of coffee?
Kona coffee has a unique flavor profile that sets it apart from other types of coffee. It is known for its smooth, non-bitter, and floral taste, which is a result of the unique growing conditions and processing methods used for Kona coffee.
Can Kona coffee be grown in other regions?
While the Kona region of Hawaii is the only place where Kona coffee can legally be grown and labeled as such, other regions may produce coffee beans that are similar in flavor profile to Kona coffee. However, the Kona coffee name is protected by law to ensure its authenticity and quality.
