Frequently Asked Questions

Brewing

For brewing Kona coffee, we highly recommend cone-system drip coffee makers. French presses also make an excellent cup of Kona Coffee.
One rounded teaspoon should be used per six-ounce cup of spring or purified water (using more coffee makes a stronger brew).Our high quality beans can be brewed strong without bitterness.

Roasting

While there are no local, national, or international standards for coffee roasts, the following lists common titles given:
Dark-French, Italian, or Espresso
Medium Dark-Vienna
Medium-Full City
Light Medium-City
Light-American
Our popular Kona Coffees are typically medium dark or Vienna, producing a balanced roast with good body and acidity.

Kona Coffee Blends
"Kona Blends" legally need to contain only 10 percent Kona Coffee. Blends are usually made by large roasters who primarily market inferior coffees from Brazil, Indonesia, Africa, and Central America, boasting "Kona" quality in Hawaii and throughout the world. Kona Blends are not the same as Kona Coffee and are not to be confused as a product of the Kona Coffee industry.
Green (raw) Kona Coffee costs about 600 percent more than foreign coffees. When roasted, Kona Coffee sells for approximately 30 percent more than roasted foreign coffees including "Kona Blends". This amounts to a profit margin of about 570% for selling inferior "Kona Blends" compared to marketing 100 percent Pure Kona Coffee.
Support Kona Coffee farmers and spread the word: "Be sure it's Pure!"

Hawaiian Coffee

Coffee is now grown in large quantities on Kauai, Molokai, and Maui by large corporations. By State definition and cupping quality, these mechanically-harvested, low-elevation, force-ripened, arificially-irrigated, sun-scorched, small-bean, high-number-of-defects per pound coffees, are NOT Kona Coffee. They are NOT mountain grown under conditions native to Kona and certainly do not produce a superb coffee.
Missing, are the rich taste and intense aroma typical with Kona Coffee for the last 150 years. Don't be fooled with exotic Hawaiian names and flashy packaging.

Grades of Kona Coffee

The State of Hawaii Dept. of Agriculture has established different grades for Kona Coffee. They are listed here in order of quality with Sugai's roasting preferences for each grade.

Kona No. 1 Peaberry (Dark Roast)
Extremely rare, small round (one bean per cherry) beans with the highest density, Peaberry coffee possesses a powerful, heavy, robust flavor and smooth consistency. It is medium bodied with a smoky, rich aroma.

Kona Extra Fancy (Medium Dark Roast)
Rare, extra large beans with a sweet, mild flavor, medium body and smooth consistency. It's aroma is most intense with buttery overtones.

Kona Fancy (Medium Dark Roast)
Large beans with a mild flavor and a hint of fruitiness. It is medium bodied with a smooth consistency; it's aroma is superbly rich. 

Kona No. 1 (Medium Roast)
Medium sized beans with a mild but snappy flavor. It is medium bodied with a smooth consistency. It's aroma is rich with nutty overtones.

Kona Prime (Medium Roast)
Small beans. It has a light body on the palate with a smooth consistency. It's aroma is rich with nutty overtones.

No. 3
By Dept. of Agriculture definition, this grade does not qualify as Kona Coffee.

Off grade
By Dept. of Agriculture definition, this grade does not qualify as Kona Coffee.