As coffee lovers, we always thought of Hawaiian coffee as a gimmicky souvenir – we thought of artificially flavored beans and stale 10% Kona coffee blends. Coming from the foodie scene and coffee culture of Portland, we had long since been disappointed: the Hawaiian coffee growing region was so close, but it was plagued by Kona coffee counterfeit scams and poor roasting.

Everything changed in 2010. We found a small Hawaiian coffee farm on Craigslist, in a wild, disadvantaged region of the Big Island: Puna, the opposite side of the island to where Kona coffee is grown. With little to lose, we thought: “Why not?”

As we integrated into the farmer community and sampled an array of fresh coffees from Hawaii, we were surprised by the diversity and breadth of the local beans. There was bright Ka’u coffee, earthy Maui coffee, and winey Puna coffee – all counterfeited as Kona coffee because no one had heard of them. 

And the more we learned about the complicated steps farmers took to grow these beans, some of the best Hawaiian coffee, the stranger we found it that the final product would then be sold as an inauthentic Kona coffee blend.

We wanted to change that. We wanted to celebrate diverse, authentic Hawaiian coffees, and tell the stories behind them. We wanted to let aficionados taste the difference between specialty Kona coffee, Maui coffee, Ka’u coffee and more – all fresh roasted and milled in small batches.

Hawaii is populated with over 900 small coffee farms, and Kona coffee production only makes up a fraction of that. Just as champagne can only be made in a specific region of France, Kona coffee can only be called “Kona coffee” if it’s grown on the west side of the Big Island, in the Kona district.

Meanwhile, Ka’u coffee is from the south side of the Big Island, Puna coffee is grown on the east side, and Hamakua coffee is grown on the north. Maui coffee, as you might expect, is grown on Maui.

Hawaiian coffee is rare. It makes up just 0.04 percent of the world’s coffee supply. Furthermore, growing it is expensive and risky. So, what drives coffee lovers to seek it and farmers to grow it? What makes Hawaiian coffee so “good”?

Well, like many heirloom crops and artisan products, it’s simply... different. The experience you have drinking Kona coffee will largely depend on the coffee growers and roasters you purchase from.

Furthermore, each region of Hawaiian coffee tastes different. In the best Hawaiian coffee, you’ll experience sweet, balanced, and clean flavors, often with natural notes of chocolate, vanilla wafers, nuts, stone fruit (peach or apricot), cherry, or jasmine. 

In Ka’u coffee, you can taste roasted nuts, flowers, spruce, berry or citrus; in Maui coffees, you’ll experience vanilla wafer and nuts; and in Puna coffee, you’ll get notes of red wine and almonds.

And what does Kona coffee taste like? Well, it depends on the coffee growers, variety, and roaster, but the best Kona coffees are silky, sweet, and delicate. They have notes of chocolate, caramel, peach, honey, and flowers.

Traditionally, Kona coffee growers have focused on a variety called Kona Typica, but today, many are grown across the district, from Kona Geisha to Pache and Bourbon.

We’re thrilled to offer a broad array of the best Hawaiian coffees out there. These include unique varieties, micro lots, single origins, and award winners. Some of our past favorites have been the HCA Grand Champion Kona coffee Kona Geisha, Wood Valley Single Estate Ka’u coffee, and our own Puna coffee, Puna Kazumura.

Our coffee club members have access to the incredible range of Hawaiian coffees we offer, including 100% Maui coffee Yellow Caturra, Red Catuai, and Maui Mokka. Beyond that, they can experience 100% Ka'u coffee, 100% Kona coffee, Puna coffee and more.

It’s this specialization, this combination of small batch coffee expertise and a focus on such a broad range of coffees, that makes us one of the best Hawaiian coffee growers and roasters.

Ultimately, at Big Island Coffee Roasters, we offer an experience like no other. We only work with the best 100% Hawaiian coffees available, and source high-quality and exclusive varieties from each Hawaiian coffee growing region – from 100% Kona coffee and Ka’u coffee to Maui coffee, Puna coffee and more.