As an avid coffee consumer, I have probably tried it all: Blended coffee, Arabica, Iced, Light, and Dark coffee.

From my experience, some of it left a bitter taste in my mouth while some were the most delicious I’ve ever tasted. Out of all the coffee I have tried, none can compare to the Kona coffee. That’s why I’m here excited to share with you the best Kona coffee.

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What is Kona Coffee?

Kona coffee is a coffee bean that is an Arabica variety harvested on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South districts of Hawaii. Currently, Kona coffee is one of the most prized and rarest coffees in the world. It gets its unique name from the region in which they are cultivated.

Here’s a quick overview of what we think is the best Kona Coffee:

Let’s talk about coffee!

Blue Horse Kona Coffee

The Blue Horse Kona Coffee is a famous and freshly roasted Kona bean that has managed to attract the attention of many avid coffee drinkers mostly due to it being 100% Kona coffee. It is prudent to note that this brand is not a coffee blend so you are guaranteed to get the best Kona coffee that has been harvested in the volcanic slopes of the Big Island of Hawaii.

One of the things that differentiate this coffee bean from others is its mild and smooth taste that is not as bitter as other coffee brands.

Therefore, if you do not prefer strong coffee, chances are high you are going to like this coffee very much. The Blue Horse Kona Coffee is recommended to occasional coffee drinkers as well as those heavy consumers.

When you purchase a bag of Blue Horse Kona Coffee, you get 454 grams of Kona coffee that can serve you for at least a month if you are not a heavy coffee drinker.

If you consume more than 2 cups per day, one might not last you for a long time; you should maybe buy at least two!

Mountain Thunder Kona Coffee

Grown at high elevated slopes in the renowned Kona Coffee belt, the Mountain Thunder Kona Coffee is quite a unique offering.

It is grown and roasted on the slopes of Mount Hualalai, a region that is apt for growing high-quality Kona coffee beans.

The conducive climate, high elevation, sufficient sunshine, volcanic soil, adequate rainfall, and light winds make Mount Hualalai the best place for growing Kona beans.

As a company, Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation cleans, grades, and processes the Kona beans with the assistance of an optical color sorter.

Through this process, black, yellow, and orange Kona coffee beans, which have the potential of creating a bitter taste to the blend, are removed.

The Mountain Thunder Kona Coffee bean possesses a nutty and chocolate flavor that is accompanied by cinnamon overtones, which imparts it with a unique taste. As a private reserve coffee bean, the Mountain Thunder Kona Coffee is roasted from the tastiest and largest Kona coffee beans.

Royal Kona Coffee

The roasters of Royal Kona Coffee is another well-established company based in Hawaii. It has a long history of quality with its precedent Royal Kona coffee beans since the late 1960s.

The Hawaii Coffee Company is known for sourcing their beans from their plantations in Hawaii. They lightly roast their Royal Kona coffee to high-class standards, making it a clean and bright flavor coffee bean. If you favor light roasts, you might find the Royal Kona appealing as it has a fruity and bright taste.

The aroma of this coffee bean is one of the attributes that make it stand out. If you roast it at home, it will fill your kitchen with a pleasing and distinctive aroma that is sure to infuse your day with a taste of Hawaii.

In terms of pricing, the Royal Kona coffee is competitive to other high-quality Kona coffees but offers value for money.

Lion Coffee, 24k Gold Roast

The Lion Coffee, 24k Gold Roast is another coffee brand that stands out as being one of the leading premium Kona brands around. Apart from falling under the Kona Extra Fancy grade, the Lion Coffee, 24k Gold Roast is handpicked and goes through top-quality processing to ensure customer satisfaction.

The beans used to create the Lion Coffee, 24k Gold Roast are cultivated and sourced straight from the farms of Hawaii, right on the volcanic slopes of Holualoa.

The climatic conditions in the region are favorable for the production of coffee that is balanced and has a rich flavor that leaves the drinker with a unique taste of Hawaii. We recommend light-roasting of the Lion Coffee, 24k Gold Roast, to ensure maximum enjoyment of all the different flavor notes, which include toasted coconut and passion fruit.

In regards to the aroma, the Lion Coffee, 24k Gold Roast aroma is divine enticing you to take a sip of the exceptional drink.

Domain Kona Coffee

Domain Kona Coffee is one of the wide rated coffee varieties in the world, with a name that excels at roasting premium coffee beans.

As a company, Domain Kona is a well-known maker of almost dark roast coffee beans that are authentic Kona and are available in Hawaii’s farms.

With over 100 years of experience, Domain Kona has perfected the art of coffee roasting, ensuring you get premium coffee quality in your cup.

The coffee is suitable for automatic coffee makers and manual brewing methods that require coffee grounds. Each bag contains 16 ounces of farm-fresh coffee grounds all from a single origin. This one is medium roast, single estate gourmet coffee.

The flavor of this Kona is what sets it apart from other coffee beans. You do not have to roast it for a long time to get the rich, bold flavor, which is elegant thanks to the volcanic slopes of Hawaii.

Also, the flavor of Domain Kona coffee is a little bit different from other Kona beans. Although it has those sweet and nutty flavors found in other Kona beans, Domain Kona has a noticeable smokiness to it and a much deeper flavor as compared to other Konas. Several Kona beans have a lighter flavor as compared to Domain Kona.

Mamalahoa 100% Pure Kona Coffee

The Mamalahoa coffee is made of 100% Kona coffee, all carefully harvested and packed to preserve its unique flavor and taste.

Farmers individually handpick the coffee cherries during the peak season and are micro-roasted in small batches to ensure its freshness is preserved.

Mamalahoa coffee use beans that are naturally grown 2,100 feet above sea level in their farms, which regularly experience gentle winds and misty rains.

The Mamalahoa coffee itself has a mild yet distinct taste. It is advisable to brew it longer than other coffee beans to produce a more robust taste that is perfect for espresso shots.

For individuals who prefer a strong brew, two tablespoons of Mamalahoa coffee will quench your cravings.

The roast and taste of Mamalahoa coffee are consistent, and it remains constant with each serving. Even the size of each bean inside the bag is the same.

Despite the taste of the coffee being mild, it develops over time to give you secondary and tertiary flavors the longer you drink your cup.

Contrary to how it looks, the Mamalahoa coffee does not have a harsh and bitter aftertaste; instead, it has a smooth and subtle sweetness.

Kona Java, Dark Roast

As a company, Kona Java is one of the few coffee makers that have had the opportunity to have their coffee graded.

As a brand, Kona Java has an Estate grade, which is one of the most sought-after grades in the world.

Each bag contains 7 ounces of pure medium roast coffee grounds that are processed the old fashion way from handpicking to roasting.

The Kona Java coffee is as authentic as it gets. It enjoys unique climatic conditions, volcanic soil, and favorable altitudes, which gives it an exceptional and unique taste.

With the world looking at the booming and best Kona coffee districts for premium coffee, Kona Java has managed to take advantage by branding themselves as the best coffee brand in the world.

As you already know by now, Hawaii enjoys heightened volcanic activities. With that, Kona Java is using Hawaii’s volcanic climate to its advantage.

This part of the world enjoys a tropical climate, volcanic soils, and favorable altitudes that promote a bolder, richer taste and flavor of their Kona coffee.

Kona Kulana Farms Cold Brew Dark Roast

The Kona Kulana coffee is a unique hand-selected high mountain cultivated Arabica coffee. What does unique mean? When we say unique, we mean that this coffee brand goes through planting, cultivation, picking, drying, roasting, and packaging all under the watch of one farmer.

By going through all these processes under one roof, the coffee is guaranteed to have a more consistent taste and flavor. Astute coffee drinkers say it has hints of brown sugar, cinnamon, and even lavender.

However, the aftertaste tends to leave a somewhat bitter taste, a factor that compromises the overall drinking experience.

The Kona Kulana coffee is also a high achiever as it was the first brand to be selected for the 2008 Best Holualoa Award in the Coffee and Tea category. The coffee brand is also the first two-time winner of the Gevalia Kona Cupping Classic award.

As it is evident, Kona Kulana is a force to reckon with in the coffee sector as it offers the 100% best quality of Kona coffee.

So What is so Special About Kona Coffee?

What makes Kona coffee so special is the fact that it is the only coffee bean in the world that grows on the western slopes of two volcanoes on the big island of Hawaii.

Since the early 1800s, Kona coffee has been cultivated on the slopes of the west coast of the big island of Hawaii, where the soil is mostly dark volcanic and lava rock. There is no other place in the world where there are such conditions as the slopes of Kona.

Also, Kona coffee goes through a similar process like fine wines, where it receives the utmost attention through all the processing stages from harvesting to milling. It is the end result that makes Kona coffee so unique, delicate, yet rich in flavor and aroma.

You cannot compare handpicked Kona and other coffee beans that are picked by machines. It is necessary to know that when you take a sip of Kona coffee, you are sipping a rare drink that constitutes only 1% of all coffee.

What Does Kona Coffee Taste Like?

The flavor profile of the finished drink is uniquely accompanied by a mixture of six characteristic tastes, each of which makes Kona coffee the best in the world.

If the first thing you notice when brewing a cup of the best Kona coffee is a sweet aroma that the brew exudes, you are most likely to experience a sweet and creamy taste that is accompanied by a mellow, nutty, honey-like taste.

The taste is similar to butter, caramel, cocoa, and fruit. You will also fall in love with the aftertaste of nuts and citrus.

In regards to acidity, Kona coffee has reduced acidity that makes it a gentle on your stomach drink.

Another feature that makes Kona coffee a unique drink is its after physical effects. Unlike other caffeinated drinks, Kona coffee does not make you highly energetic; instead, it gives you a calm feeling as well as assisting you in recovering your strength.

Not all Kona coffee taste the same as they are from different farms that have different dynamics.

Some coffee beans have a more distinct vanilla aroma, while others have a more berry-like aroma. Although the taste profile might change from one berry to another, all Kona beans make a creamy sweet drink.

Tips for Buying the Best Kona Coffee and Avoid Getting Ripped Off

Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world. Many coffee brewers call their coffee Kona when in fact, it is only 10% Kona beans and 90% Colombian or Brazilian coffee.

While this is not illegal, it is not the best practice for coffee brewers. Instead of lying to customers, they should just come out clean and allow you to save money by buying original brands.

If you are looking to enjoy 100% Kona coffee, here are a few tips you can use to find real Kona beans:

• Stay away from coffee brands that declare “Hawaiian flavors” but do not indicate the Kona districts.
• Be attentive to where the coffee beans were cultivated. Real best Kona beans only grow in Hawaii.
• Visit the coffee brand’s website to know how they source their coffee beans. Ensure the beans are grown in the Kona district on the big island of Hawaii. If you see another place indicated, the coffee is probably fake.

Kona Bean Grades

Before we delve into the grades present of the Kona beans, it is essential to know that in the late 1980s, the Hawaii Agriculture Society developed the Kona classification and grading system to monitor the sale of Kona beans.

Today, the Kona Coffee Farmers Association continues to regulate the interests of Kona coffee farmers and the processing and sale of the cash crop.

Kona beans are classified as Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 Kona beans are the cherries that have two beans, while Type 2 refers to the cherries that have one bean.

From all the Kona berries that are produced in Hawaii, only five% of the beans are Type 2, which is also known as peaberries. Type 2 beans produce a richer flavor, making them the elite of coffee beans.

In descending order of quality, the five grades of Kona Type 1 coffee are:
• Kona Extra Fancy
• Kona Fancy
• Kona Number 1
• Kona Select
• Kona Prime

Type 2 Kona coffee include:
• Peaberry Number 1
• Peaberry Prime

The grading scale for Kona beans considers weight, number of defects, size, and moisture content. Interestingly, coffee beans with fewer defects bring forth better coffee, which brings forth better grades.

What is the Best Brew Method for Kona Coffee?

You can brew Kona coffee in any way you prefer, but we recommend you first choose the method according to the coffee grade, your preference, and the equipment available.

• Use 100% Kona Coffee: If you are looking for the best tasting Kona coffee, you should use 100% Kona coffee beans rather than a Kona blend. Kona blends tend to be cheaper than Kona beans.

• Use Spring Water: A majority of people use tap water to brew their coffee. However, this is not the best practice as tap water contains chlorine, which alters the taste of the Kona bean. Always use Spring water when brewing your Kona coffee for the best results.

• Brew at 200 Fahrenheit: If you are a coffee expert, you will know the best temperature to brew your coffee is between 190 and 205 Fahrenheit.
• Regularly Clean your Coffee Maker:

Make it a habit to clean your coffee maker every time you finish brewing your coffee beans. This is because they contain oils that are secreted when brewed. This oils affect the taste of your coffee when it comes into contact with water and air.

• Consider Using a French Press: The French Press prevents your Kona coffee from getting direct contact to air hence preserving the taste. The French Press is a superior kitchen tool than the regular coffee maker because it has limited space inside for air to alter the taste of your Kona beans.

Is Kona Coffee the Best in the World?

Yes, Kona coffee is the best in the world due to its outstanding reputation for quality.

Which Brand of Kona Coffee is Best?

According to our research, we think the best brand of Kona coffee is the Blue Horse Kona Coffee, Dark Roast, Whole Bean.

This is due to its chocolatey flavor that comes with a caramel finish and a fruity aftertaste. The Blue Horse Kona Coffee brand is so naturally tasty that a cup can convert an avid tea drinker.

Why is Kona Coffee so Expensive?

Unlike other coffee varieties that are grown on vast plantations, Kona is cultivated on a small but vibrant coffee belt. Before it reaches your coffee maker, the best Kona coffee involves an arduous and time-consuming process.

Other factors that influence the cost of Kona coffee are the high cost of land in Hawaii and farmers’ wages for their sweat and toil.

Where Can I Buy Kona Coffee?

You can buy Kona coffee beans online, through designated online retailers who offer a large selection. However, it is tough to find 100% pure Kona coffee today.

Final Thoughts

Just like any other coffee varieties, the taste profile of the best Kona coffee depends on where it is produced and where the roasting process takes place.

Therefore, it is recommended you visit the nearest coffee connoisseur shop to have a taste of a few different Kona brands before settling on one.

Regardless of which brand you are going to choose, one thing is expected, Kona coffee is going to give you an exceptional drinking experience.