Kona Red Bourbon brewed the winning coffee at the "Brewers Cup" U.S. Coffee Championship prelims in Hawaii last August.
“This Kona Red Bourbon stood out in the cupping table against the others and I think it tasted great brewed as well. Excellent example of a red bourbon. Fragrant, complex, sweet and only got better as it cooled.” - Thomas Kiesling, the winning barista.
See the parameters used by Thomas to win below!
This coffee reminds us of Black Forest cake, thanks to its dark chocolate and cherry notes. 🍒
With abundant sweetness, intense aromatics, Kona Red Bourbon is as lush and elegant as it is rare to find in Hawaii. And despite its name, Red Bourbon (pronounced 'boar-bone') has nothing to do with the adult beverage.
Red Bourbon is a coffee variety known for it's natural sweetness and lush fruit flavors. As such, it does very well in competitions. Case in point, this coffee was used to brew the winning cup at the U.S. Coffee Championship Brewer's Cup prelims last weekend.
Kona Red Bourbon was grown by Franc of Uluwehi Farm at an elevation of 1800ft. It was processed via controlled fermentation with a wine yeast that is commonly used to ferment Rose', Viognier, and Chardonnay. Through using this wine yeast, Franc is 'dialing in' the flavor profile of this coffee, in the same way that vintners do with wine.
The US Coffee Champion Brewer's Cup is an annual U.S. competition that celebrates the art of manual brewing. For first time in USCC history, a preliminary featured only coffees grown in the United States (Hawaii).
The Brewer's Cup 1st place winner, Thomas Kiesling, is an experienced roaster and barista. He chose Big Island Coffee Roasters' Kona Red Bourbon to brew in the competition.
"It was great coffee. Stood out in the cupping table against the others and I think it tasted great brewed as well. Excellent example of a red bourbon. Fragrant, complex, sweet and only got better as it cooled.”
Thomas was kind enough to share the winning brew method with us. Enjoy!
· 13g coffee 210g water @205 F
· I used a clever dripper and I make sure I stir for 15 seconds in my recipe.
· 3:55 brew time but start the dripping process at 3:00.
· I adjust my grind size to make sure it it completely finishes dripping in 55 seconds, so it’s a coarse grind size similar to cupping parameters."
Blind Assessment:
Richly sweet-tart, deeply chocolaty. Dark chocolate, pomegranate, lemon verbena, agave syrup, pink grapefruit zest in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with apple-like malic acidity; very full, smooth, viscous mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to notes of pomegranate and dark chocolate with undertones of pink grapefruit zest.
Notes:
Produced by Franck Carisey of Uluwehi Farm entirely of the Red Bourbon variety of Arabica, and processed by the traditional washed method (fruit skin and flesh are removed from the beans before they are dried) with the addition of wine yeasts during fermentation. Big Island Coffee is an award-winning coffee roaster operated with hands-on passion by Kelleigh Stewart and Brandon von Damitz.
The Bottom Line:
This Big Island Red Bourbon fermented with wine yeasts displays an intriguing cup profile that juxtaposes tart fruit with rich chocolate notes — juicy, deep, balanced and bright.
| Order | Cost & Carrier | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| ≤$79 | $6.95 via USPS/FedEx | 5-8 days* |
| Over $79 | Free FedEx (USPS if PO Box) | 4-6 days* |
| Expedited | $25.50 via FedEx 2Day | 2-4 days** |
* Delivery quote excludes weekends/holidays and is based on fulfillment+delivery times. Does not include delays that are caused by carrier or out of our control.
** Upgraded and expedited shipping may be purchased at the time of checkout. ‘Expedited’ prioritizes your shipment in the queue. Delivery quote excludes weekends/holidays and is based on fulfillment+delivery times.
Orders are roasted Sunday-Friday and shipped Monday-Friday. Roast dates are applied to the bags in your order.
| Hawaii to Canada* | Varies based on Territory |
|---|---|
| Up to 1 lb: | $17.29-$18.58 |
| 2-5 lbs: | $17.35-$25.28 |
| 6-10 lbs: | $21.84-$29.76 |
| 11-15 lbs: | $29.14-$44.21 |
| 16-20 lbs: | $35.76-$48.72 |
| 21-25 lbs: | $42.95-$55.63 |
| 26-30 lbs: | $55.07-$70.03 |
| 31-99 lbs: | $59.63-$125.86 |
| 100+ lbs: | Email for quote |
|
De Minimis for Duty |
De Minimis for VAT |
|---|---|
| $150 CAD | $40 CAD |
|
Hawaii to Germany, United Kingdom* |
|
|---|---|
| Up to 1 lb: | $17.62 |
| 2-5 lbs: | $17.64-$25.22 |
| 6-10 lbs: | $25.67-$29.08 |
| 11-15 lbs: | $41.44-$50.04 |
| 16-20 lbs: | $53.98-$58.28 |
| 21-25 lbs: | $61.46-$62.84 |
| 26-30 lbs: | $83.21-$88.46 |
| 31-99 lbs: | $90.07-$165.31 |
| 100+ lbs: | Email for quote |
| De Minimis for Duty | De Minimis for VAT |
|---|---|
| 150 EUR | 22 EUR |
| 135 GBP | 15 GBP |
|
Hawaii to Japan, South Korea* |
|
|---|---|
| Up to 1 lb: | $17.64 |
| 2-5 lbs: | $20.93-$31.81 |
| 6-10 lbs: | $34.32-$41.56 |
| 11-15 lbs: | $43.99-$53.74 |
| 16-20 lbs: | $53.84-$61.03 |
| 21-25 lbs: | $63.48-$67.64 |
| 26-30 lbs: | $75.35-$92.33 |
| 31-99 lbs: | $94.17-$189.94 |
| 100+ lbs: | Email for quote |
| De Minimis for Duty | De Minimis for VAT |
|---|---|
| 10,000 JPY | 200,999 JPY |
| 150,000 KRW** | 150,000 KRW |
| ** price of goods+shipping cost+insurance | |
| Hawaii to Australia* *Rural locations may incur additional costs at checkout |
|
|---|---|
| Up to 1 lb: | $20.70 |
| 2-5 lbs: | $22.16-$30.40 |
| 6-10 lbs: | $29.33-$36.40 |
| 11-15 lbs: | $55.54-$72.31 |
| 16-20 lbs: | $76.98-$85.37 |
| 21-25 lbs: | $91.27-$93.29 |
| 26-30 lbs: | $122.59-$126.73 |
| 31-99 lbs: | $126.77-$245.34 |
| 100+ lbs: | Email for quote |
| De Minimis for Duty | De Minimis for VAT |
|---|---|
| 1000 AUD | None |
* Please note that customs and duties are displayed at checkout. All costs listed are estimates.
Because Espresso Bites are made without stabilizers or preservatives, they may bloom or melt when shipping temperatures exceed 80 F. If this is a concern in your location please select FedEx shipping.
If you notice a white color to your bar, it's perfectly safe to eat. This happens when the cocoa butter softens and migrates to the surface. It happens more often when shipping in warm weather. Learn more about blooming.
Espresso Bites that melt or bloom when shipped via FedEx are eligible for a full refund or credit.
Espresso Bites that melt or bloom when the buyer elects Free Shipping or standard USPS are eligible for a credit.
If your order is incorrect or damaged in any way, please email us at hello@bigislandcoffeeroasters.com with your order number within 7 days of receiving your order.
We stand behind the quality of all our coffees and want nothing more than for you to love them.
Please consider your preferences and ensure the coffee(s) you order align with those preferences. For example, if you love dark roasts, we strongly advise you only order dark roasts.
If you're dissatisfied with any of our coffees, please reach out to us at aloha@bigislandcoffeeroasters.com within 7 days of receipt and we'll do our best to find the right coffee for you. Please note that we do not provide refunds or returns for perishable products.
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Big Island Coffee Roasters, PO BOX 400, Mountain View, HI 96771