Although coffee is the second-largest traded commodity in the world, very few people realize the complexity involved in producing the perfect cup of coffee. There are six stages to producing the perfect cup of coffee: Growing, Harvesting, Processing, Sorting and Grading, Roasting, and Brewing. As you read about what goes on beyond the water, sit down and enjoy a fresh cup of Pure Kona Coffee.

Growth
In the springtime, mature coffee trees burst into bloom, covering the landscape with fragrant white blossoms. Coffee trees can take up to 5 years to mature and the older plants yield a better flavored bean. From the time of blossom on, teams of skilled workers tend each plant. They prune, water and mange soil content, pest control and exposure to sunlight of each branch loaded with buds. During the growing period, each plant will receive ongoing personal attention and grooming and that's just the beginning. When ripe, each tree will only produce one pound of coffee annually!

Harvesting
Kona's coffee berries are harvested one at a time. Beginning in the late summer, the picking teams inspect every plant, every cherry. When the cheery is ripe, with the proper color of deep rich red, only then is it deemed ready to pick. Even on the same branch, the cherries will ripen at a varying pace. The teams of pickers spend days evaluating and selecting each cherry until they are all in.

Processing
This individualized attention continues into the processing. After picking, a procedure called pulping removes the outer red skin and brings forth the precious seed inside, usually two seeds to each cherry. Pulping is the key step in processing of Kona Coffee. After pulping there is another round of inspection and selection. By putting the seeds in a shallow pan of water, they separate the "floaters", seeds that are empty or not ripe enough. "Pea Berries", cherries with only one seed, are separated and sold as a delicacy. They are round in shape and have received more nutrients from the plant. Therefore, they are more flavorful and command a higher price on the market.
The seeds are then laid out in the sunshine to dry. They are raked and turned until what emerges is a stiff white skin called parchment. The parchment is then removed through a process called milling. The result of this scrutiny is a small harvest of highly cultured pearls, green beans of exceptional quality and character.

Sorting & Grading
Following milling, beans are sorted by size in preparation for grading. Beans are graded into one of the following categories: Extra Fancy, Fancy, #1, Prime, and X. Because peaberry is a delicacy in it's nature, it is not graded. The Kona Coffee council and Hawaii's Department of Agriculture have developed strict certification standards that must be applied to every bean. These standards are designed to protect the consumer and to protect the integrity of the Kona product. The process demands workers with enormous skill, patience and experience. The workers in Kona all have these qualities and paying them costs.

Roasting
In its green state, coffee beans do not give a hint of what their individual aromatic characteristics will be when they are roasted. The ideal roasting time will vary depending on each individual variety. During the roasting process, coffee beans expand in size and reduce in weight, as moisture is lost from the green bean. Chemical changes also occur as soluble oils are developed and released sugar in the bean forms caramel. The roasting of these sugars is what gives the coffee its distinct taste and rich brown color. Caffeine gases are also released from the bean. The longer the beans are roasted, the more caffeine gasses are released. Thus, a dark roast actually had less caffeine than a light roast!

The Market
Kona Coffee in its pure variety (not blended with any other coffee) commands $35.00 to $45.00 a pound on the retail market. The profit margin in Kona Coffee is skinny. As massive as the gourmet coffee industry has grown, with over 500,000 gourmet coffee shops currently in the USA, very few offer 100% Kona by the bean or by the cup. It's low profit margin and availability account for the fact that Kona coffee is difficult to find.

The Bad Ass Coffee Company™ proudly brews 100% Kona Coffee every day in every one of our stores. Why? Because we believe that you, our valued customers, are worth it. Take home a bag of beans today, brew up a pot yourself, or enjoy a cup in our store and you’ll taste, see and understand why Kona coffee is the best there is.