Kona Coffee Recommendations?
September 13, 2011 12:22 PM Subscribe
Visiting the big island in Hawaii, and I'm a coffee lover. Any recommendations on which specific coffee plantations I should visit in the Kailuna-Kona region?
I thought I would tour some of the coffee plantations in Hawaii while I was there, but I can't visit them all. I love coffee, but don't know much about specific Kona varieties, and I would like to visit the farms since I'll be so close to the source.
I'm looking for quality coffees for tasting moreso than a touristy experience.
Thanks for your recommendations!
I thought I would tour some of the coffee plantations in Hawaii while I was there, but I can't visit them all. I love coffee, but don't know much about specific Kona varieties, and I would like to visit the farms since I'll be so close to the source.
I'm looking for quality coffees for tasting moreso than a touristy experience.
Thanks for your recommendations!
There's a Kona Coffee Farmers Assoc that might be useful.
posted by Ideefixe at 1:03 PM on September 13, 2011
posted by Ideefixe at 1:03 PM on September 13, 2011
Best answer: Kona Joe - this is hands down the best coffee in the world. Anyone who even suggests otherwise is only demonstrating their coffee ignorance.
posted by H. Roark at 1:13 PM on September 13, 2011
posted by H. Roark at 1:13 PM on September 13, 2011
Greenwell Farms was great! You can taste a lot of coffee (there were many different Kona roasts) and, if you want, have a touristy experience. The tour was short but fun and pretty educational... and the coffee was excellent, IMHO.
posted by hooper4 at 1:53 PM on September 13, 2011
posted by hooper4 at 1:53 PM on September 13, 2011
Seconding Kona Joe, we stopped by on the way to Kealakekua Bay to walk around the grounds and taste the fantastic coffee. Just don't expect a discount buying from the source, they were still charging $25/lb IIRC!
posted by TungstenChef at 2:59 PM on September 13, 2011
posted by TungstenChef at 2:59 PM on September 13, 2011
I think the Ka'u region is a lot less tourist-ified than the Kona, and I personally like the coffee better. If they do tours, they don't publicize it, but I'm sure their association would be able to help.
posted by Hither at 10:16 PM on September 13, 2011
posted by Hither at 10:16 PM on September 13, 2011
I got some Greenwell Farms here on the East Coast about a year ago it is by far the most amazing Kona coffee I've ever had. Unfortunately the roaster around here doesn't stock it any more, but I've also made a lot of orders from Coffees of Hawaii. They seem to have lots of events and are a really fun company, so I'm definitely planning to visit them if I ever make it to Hawaii
posted by RobotNinja at 5:45 AM on September 14, 2011
posted by RobotNinja at 5:45 AM on September 14, 2011
Response by poster: I went to Kona Joe (fantastic coffee!), Greenwell (good coffee, great tour). If I could add to these great recommendations, try Mountain Thunder, which was actually the best Kona coffee I had on the Island. Highly recommended.
posted by jabberjaw at 8:18 AM on November 28, 2011
posted by jabberjaw at 8:18 AM on November 28, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
(But avoid the Kailua-Kona farmers market, which is not really a farmers market, as far as I can tell.)
posted by purpleclover at 12:45 PM on September 13, 2011