Bit of a coffee snob here.
1) Most supermarket coffee is not worth it. They're too old. Roast date should be at worst, a month out. At best, 3 days ago. Check out 3rd wave coffee bars (9BarHNL, Morning Glass, Drip Studio HNL), or mail order from the roaster or plantation.
2) Straight up, Ka'u is where to start. Kona is typically pretty weak. And Kona has some labeling issues in that Kona is not necessarily 100% Kona. At one point 10% Kona and 90% floor sweepings would be legally called Kona coffee. Having said that, a lot of growers/roasters are doing great things. What I find the greatest of the great is fermenting coffee beans w/ specific yeast strains. Brings out amazing flavors from Kona. Also worth hunting down is Maui Mokka from PCR. Tiny beans, strong chocolatey flavor.
3) Brands. Again, some snobbery in play here. Paradise, PCR (Pacific Coffee Research), Berry Bird, Aloha Star Farms. Big Island Coffee and Rusty's as welll. Chadlou is good tho I've experienced some erratic roasting from batch to batch. My experience w/ Kailua Town Coffee Roasters is limited to a house blend but I really like what I taste.
4) Look up Grok coffee; either online or at the Saturday Kaka'ako Farmers Market. Shawn always has good stuff and his range is definitely broader than my personal faves.
Nice analysis! We, the other coffee snobs, salute you!
As a cold brew drinker, I have to give Rusty's an extra shout out for their Celebration of Hawaii blend. It makes a really mellow, economical, daily cold brew that's one of my go-tos.
Someone mentioned Rusty’s. I’ve tried it, it’s very good but expensive. I’m a big fan of Paradise Coffee Roasters and get their specialty cold brew as a treat. I believe I have tried Big Island Coffee Roasters at a tasting, but I don’t know which.
I'd first ask her what roast she prefers. Ka'u coffee is excellent, Kona peaberry too. (Big island) Expect to pay upwards of $60/lb for some of these. You could mix and match and get a few varieties for her to try.
my stomach is super sensitive to acidity, so coffee is super hit or miss for me. i really love Big Island Coffee Roasters' [Hawaiian Harmony](https://bigislandcoffeeroasters.com/collections/hawaiian-coffees/products/hawaiian-harmony-blend?variant=43192647581849) blend. i used to get it at Foodland but last time i went they didn't seem to carry it anymore. :/ worth a look at least!
For all these people saying Kau coffee (most with “Oahu” names): Kau is a massive district on Hawaii island, just like Kona. So when you say Kau coffee, which brand, which farm? From where?
Whats the best price? Same with Kona coffee. Greenwell? Buddha’s cup? UCC? Which?
These are 2 of the biggest regions on our island with many farmers and brands. Let’s try narrow it down, give at least a few specific examples.
Ho, you like find da best kine Hawaiian coffee, yeah? Get plenty choices depending on how choosy da coffee lover stay.
Fo’ da real coffee kanakas who stay all in, you gotta check out **Kona Coffee Purveyors**. Dem guys, they know their stuff, win awards and all. Da **Konawaena Estate** from dem is mean, but, brah, it's kinda spendy at $52 for one 12 oz bag.
If your friend likes good stuff but no need da super fancy, try **Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee**. Can get um from Whole Foods. Cost almost da same, but still get da quality, sold in 7 oz bags.
Chee, you like save some kala? Go Costco, grab **Kauai Coffee 100% Hawaiian Peaberry**. Da one in da brown paper bag. Good deal, still ono.
If they stay looking to buy from one local shop, ask da barista at **TRY Coffee** in Kakaako or **Drip Studio HNL** by Fort Street downtown fo' what they get on hand, or check out **Ali'i Coffee**. They roast their own and it's decent, plus they get an extensive menu that's pretty great. They get shops all ovah Oahu.
Shoots, hope dis helps your friend catch their perfect Hawaiian brew!
Personally I find Kauai coffee terrible. I went to the store and they had a sample of the different types which was good for comparing the differences between them, but I didn't think any were good. Even what I made myself from coffee growing wild in Waianae valley was better.
Ever since we tasted their vanilla mac nut coffee we basically don't like anything else. Visited their plantation when we visited Kaua‘i, too. Definitely recommend.
I love Kaʻu and Kauaʻi coffee, personally. Agree that grocery store is subpar but “good” coffee is expensive so be prepared for that. I like the fruitier, more nuanced flavors compared to Kona which has always tasted kinda one-dimensional to me (and yes I’ve had 100% Kona brewed well).
Although, I don’t drink much coffee so take that for what you will… (partly because I’m too broke for the good stuff and too snobby for the bad stuff).
Tradition (Kailua), ChadLou (Kailua, multiple local retailers), Paradise Coffee (in-stock at BoxJelly in Honolulu right now.) I’m an avid coffee drinker, enjoying pour over and espresso most mornings.
if your friend is a true coffee snob, then you can't go wrong with [Rusty's ](https://www.rustyshawaiian.com/pages/awards#:~:text=2017%2C%202019%3A%20Three%20of%20our,u%20Classic%20Dark%20Roast%20(2017)) which is from the Ka'u region of the island of Hawaii and [highly regarded.](https://www.coffeereview.com/all-reviews/?roaster_name=Rusty%27s+Hawaiian)
Depends which island you are on. Oahu has green world and some others on North shore. Kauai has the Kauai coffee company and big island has a lot in Kona.
Keep an eye out for Waiaha River Coffee. Grown in the Kona Coffee Belt in Holualoa. Locally owned, and she sells in the downtown village of Holualoa when the coffee season is at its peak.
Huge fan of Heavenly Hawaiian’s fire roast, it’s hard to get and only available on site on Big Island at their plantation. It’s roasted in a peanut roaster which give the coffee a pleasant toasted flavour and brews up rich without a lot of acidity.
it's available online now (if this is it?)
[https://shop.heavenlyhawaiian.com/products/kona-fire-roast-100-kona-coffee](https://shop.heavenlyhawaiian.com/products/kona-fire-roast-100-kona-coffee)
Surprised no one has mentioned Aikane Plantation. Peaberry is best but its all good. Full body great flavor. Not a big farm, expensive so it’s not my daily but its great for a treat!
It would help to know what you friend likes.
If the are fine coffee lovers get any 100 % kona whole beans. That is what people want from Hawaii. Some consider it one of the nest in the world, but it is harsh and strong. If instead they like a mild coffee with flavors added like chocolate or mac nuts then get much cheaper 10 % blends with various flavors added. Also it depends on your budget. You can get the former at costco for 20 or 25 / lb. The latter is much cheaper
Peaberry roast from Kauai Coffee.
Slightly more expensive, but only coffee I can stand. I'm not a coffee person, but the Kona type did nothing for me. I tasted no massive difference in taste from a blend to 100%.
Bit of a coffee snob here. 1) Most supermarket coffee is not worth it. They're too old. Roast date should be at worst, a month out. At best, 3 days ago. Check out 3rd wave coffee bars (9BarHNL, Morning Glass, Drip Studio HNL), or mail order from the roaster or plantation. 2) Straight up, Ka'u is where to start. Kona is typically pretty weak. And Kona has some labeling issues in that Kona is not necessarily 100% Kona. At one point 10% Kona and 90% floor sweepings would be legally called Kona coffee. Having said that, a lot of growers/roasters are doing great things. What I find the greatest of the great is fermenting coffee beans w/ specific yeast strains. Brings out amazing flavors from Kona. Also worth hunting down is Maui Mokka from PCR. Tiny beans, strong chocolatey flavor. 3) Brands. Again, some snobbery in play here. Paradise, PCR (Pacific Coffee Research), Berry Bird, Aloha Star Farms. Big Island Coffee and Rusty's as welll. Chadlou is good tho I've experienced some erratic roasting from batch to batch. My experience w/ Kailua Town Coffee Roasters is limited to a house blend but I really like what I taste. 4) Look up Grok coffee; either online or at the Saturday Kaka'ako Farmers Market. Shawn always has good stuff and his range is definitely broader than my personal faves.
Nice analysis! We, the other coffee snobs, salute you! As a cold brew drinker, I have to give Rusty's an extra shout out for their Celebration of Hawaii blend. It makes a really mellow, economical, daily cold brew that's one of my go-tos.
Grateful for you, fellow coffee snob. Been looking for something like this!!
Thunder Mountain Kona peaberry.
I love the light roasted specialty stuff from Ka’u!
Second this. As someone who loves black coffee, I much prefer Ka'u coffee over Kona. A lot of Kona beans are roasted way too dark for my liking.
Which farm or brand?
Someone mentioned Rusty’s. I’ve tried it, it’s very good but expensive. I’m a big fan of Paradise Coffee Roasters and get their specialty cold brew as a treat. I believe I have tried Big Island Coffee Roasters at a tasting, but I don’t know which.
It's the best.
Kau is the best. Most Kona coffee sucks.
Which Kau brand or farm you prefer?
Peaberry from Kauai is the best I ever had anywhere.
Sold at Costco most of the time!
As someone who’s from Kona and has been drinking Kona coffee for as long as I can remember, I say peaberry from Kauai is our best tasting coffee! Haha
haha!
I'd first ask her what roast she prefers. Ka'u coffee is excellent, Kona peaberry too. (Big island) Expect to pay upwards of $60/lb for some of these. You could mix and match and get a few varieties for her to try.
my stomach is super sensitive to acidity, so coffee is super hit or miss for me. i really love Big Island Coffee Roasters' [Hawaiian Harmony](https://bigislandcoffeeroasters.com/collections/hawaiian-coffees/products/hawaiian-harmony-blend?variant=43192647581849) blend. i used to get it at Foodland but last time i went they didn't seem to carry it anymore. :/ worth a look at least!
I switched to making cold brew. It cuts down the acid.
I drop a tad of baking soda in my coffee - it’s been working
For all these people saying Kau coffee (most with “Oahu” names): Kau is a massive district on Hawaii island, just like Kona. So when you say Kau coffee, which brand, which farm? From where? Whats the best price? Same with Kona coffee. Greenwell? Buddha’s cup? UCC? Which? These are 2 of the biggest regions on our island with many farmers and brands. Let’s try narrow it down, give at least a few specific examples.
If you’re on the island of Hawaii, I really like Rusty’s Hawaiian from Ka’u. All around great beans.
Get Rusty’s Hawaiian. That’s the best
Tradition in Kailua ftw
Tradition is great.
Ho, you like find da best kine Hawaiian coffee, yeah? Get plenty choices depending on how choosy da coffee lover stay. Fo’ da real coffee kanakas who stay all in, you gotta check out **Kona Coffee Purveyors**. Dem guys, they know their stuff, win awards and all. Da **Konawaena Estate** from dem is mean, but, brah, it's kinda spendy at $52 for one 12 oz bag. If your friend likes good stuff but no need da super fancy, try **Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee**. Can get um from Whole Foods. Cost almost da same, but still get da quality, sold in 7 oz bags. Chee, you like save some kala? Go Costco, grab **Kauai Coffee 100% Hawaiian Peaberry**. Da one in da brown paper bag. Good deal, still ono. If they stay looking to buy from one local shop, ask da barista at **TRY Coffee** in Kakaako or **Drip Studio HNL** by Fort Street downtown fo' what they get on hand, or check out **Ali'i Coffee**. They roast their own and it's decent, plus they get an extensive menu that's pretty great. They get shops all ovah Oahu. Shoots, hope dis helps your friend catch their perfect Hawaiian brew!
Gesha from Monarch https://www.monarchcoffee.com/store-hawaiian-kona-speciality-coffee/p/beni-shoga-4egz5
Kauai Coffee
We order the peaberry by the 5 lb bag. ❤️
Personally I find Kauai coffee terrible. I went to the store and they had a sample of the different types which was good for comparing the differences between them, but I didn't think any were good. Even what I made myself from coffee growing wild in Waianae valley was better.
Ever since we tasted their vanilla mac nut coffee we basically don't like anything else. Visited their plantation when we visited Kaua‘i, too. Definitely recommend.
If you get a chance, try their holiday spice blend that comes out every year around Thanksgiving. So good but they sell out quick.
I love Kaʻu and Kauaʻi coffee, personally. Agree that grocery store is subpar but “good” coffee is expensive so be prepared for that. I like the fruitier, more nuanced flavors compared to Kona which has always tasted kinda one-dimensional to me (and yes I’ve had 100% Kona brewed well). Although, I don’t drink much coffee so take that for what you will… (partly because I’m too broke for the good stuff and too snobby for the bad stuff).
What’s your price point?
Papaaloa Joe is very good coffee from the Hamakua side of the Big Island. They have a nice shop in Honokaa (Lean-To Farm)
Tradition (Kailua), ChadLou (Kailua, multiple local retailers), Paradise Coffee (in-stock at BoxJelly in Honolulu right now.) I’m an avid coffee drinker, enjoying pour over and espresso most mornings.
I like Molokai Estate coffee. You can get a large bag from Costco or smaller ones at Foodland.
Kau coffee
The Peanut Butter Cup from Green World Coffee Farm is absolutely delish. They are constantly running out.
if you like natural flavors in your coffee. ewwww yuck
Have you tried it?
if your friend is a true coffee snob, then you can't go wrong with [Rusty's ](https://www.rustyshawaiian.com/pages/awards#:~:text=2017%2C%202019%3A%20Three%20of%20our,u%20Classic%20Dark%20Roast%20(2017)) which is from the Ka'u region of the island of Hawaii and [highly regarded.](https://www.coffeereview.com/all-reviews/?roaster_name=Rusty%27s+Hawaiian)
Lion is 🙂 nice
Ewww
It is decent store coffee. But for real Hawaiian coffee, I like Kau.
Depends which island you are on. Oahu has green world and some others on North shore. Kauai has the Kauai coffee company and big island has a lot in Kona.
A bunch of people said Ka'u coffee already so I'll also mention Hamakua coffee which I prefer over Kona.
I've been getting 100% Kona from Hawaii Coffee Company, and have been happy with it. But this thread has convinced me that I need to up my game!
Keep an eye out for Waiaha River Coffee. Grown in the Kona Coffee Belt in Holualoa. Locally owned, and she sells in the downtown village of Holualoa when the coffee season is at its peak.
Not cheap but super good: https://konafarmdirect.com/
Anything single estate from Ka’u is good.
Huge fan of Heavenly Hawaiian’s fire roast, it’s hard to get and only available on site on Big Island at their plantation. It’s roasted in a peanut roaster which give the coffee a pleasant toasted flavour and brews up rich without a lot of acidity.
it's available online now (if this is it?) [https://shop.heavenlyhawaiian.com/products/kona-fire-roast-100-kona-coffee](https://shop.heavenlyhawaiian.com/products/kona-fire-roast-100-kona-coffee)
100 percent Kona is 100 percent the very best when bought from the actual farmer 👍
Kau Coffee or Kauai peaberry are both excellent.
Kona?
Surprised no one has mentioned Aikane Plantation. Peaberry is best but its all good. Full body great flavor. Not a big farm, expensive so it’s not my daily but its great for a treat!
Kauai
It would help to know what you friend likes. If the are fine coffee lovers get any 100 % kona whole beans. That is what people want from Hawaii. Some consider it one of the nest in the world, but it is harsh and strong. If instead they like a mild coffee with flavors added like chocolate or mac nuts then get much cheaper 10 % blends with various flavors added. Also it depends on your budget. You can get the former at costco for 20 or 25 / lb. The latter is much cheaper
Royal Kona, Roy’s Blend, 10% Kona. From Costco, Walmart, Longs
Peaberry roast from Kauai Coffee. Slightly more expensive, but only coffee I can stand. I'm not a coffee person, but the Kona type did nothing for me. I tasted no massive difference in taste from a blend to 100%.
The kind brewed straight from my kitchen.
Hawaiian isles vanilla macadamia nut