Richness And Flavor In Kona Blend Coffee
Some of the most exciting and dynamic coffee is created when you combine the best of several worlds. Kona blend coffee makes use of at least ten percent Kona coffee, plus other tasty imported coffees like Colombian and Brazilian. These are available through many retailers, and they’ve gained in popularity thanks to their dynamic taste and relative affordability.
Kona coffee is perhaps the most sought after coffee in the world. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the priciest, as its quality and exotic residence in the Kona districts of Hawaii have fomented the hype surrounding it.
There are a number of things that make this an optimal milieu for growing coffee. Minimal wind, volcanic soil with plenty of minerals, sunny mornings, overcast afternoons and mild nights all combine to make environmental conditions perfect for growing coffee.
However, coffee isn’t native to Kona, Hawaii. First from Brazilian cuttings, it was brought over in the first half of the nineteenth century. By 1900, it had become a well established crop in the region. It was first grown on large plantations, which were broken into smaller farms in time. The average farm size now is about five acres. The first workers of the crops were primarily Japanese who’d come over to work sugarcane plantations. In addition to Japanese, many Europeans, continental Americans and Filipinos joined in the tradition of family Kona farms.
The process for growing coffee in Kona is quite involved. The plants start blooming in early spring, even as early as February. In the late summer to early winter the berries are harvested and sent to the pulper to remove the skin, which is recycled and used to fertilize farms. Stripped of their skin, only the beans remain and they are fermented, cleaned and dried. To prevent mildew, the beans are raked while drying. Finally, they are graded according to their weight and size.
As mentioned previously, other types of coffee that are used in Kona blends are frequently Colombian and Brazilian. Acclaimed for its high quality and one of a kind taste, Colombian coffee boasts a global reputation. And Brazil is the largest producer of coffee. The majority of it is Arabica coffee, which you’ll find in coffee shops and in the more high end coffees. In specialty stores you’ll find high quality types like Estate Brazils and Santo Brazils.
In Hawaii, pure Kona coffee is labeled as “100 percent Kona”. If it is a blend, the label must say what percentage is Kona coffee. These combinations, called Kona roasts and Kona blends, have a different but rich flavor and are popular because of their affordability. However, outside of Hawaii, there is no mandate to label the percentage of Kona coffee so some people are unaware of the difference between the flavor of pure Kona coffee and tasty, affordable blends.
For the best of diverse worlds, Kona coffee blends have it all. Affordable and offering a unique, enjoyable taste, you can benefit from the flavors of some of the most popular coffees on the globe.
Get the ultimate inside scoop on the richness, affordability and exquisite taste of Kona coffee now in our Kona Blend review on http://www.konablend.net
Filed under Food by on Sep 9th, 2010.