Meet Kona Coffe, the only coffee grown in americal soil

The only coffee produced on American soil is one of the finest and most rare coffees of the entire planet.

The United States of America may be one of the world's largest consumers of coffee, but it is known not to produce coffee itself. And yet ... in the 50th US state, not just coffee is being grown, but one of the most expensive coffees of the world is produced: Kona Coffee from Hawaii.

Where is Kona Coffee produced?

Although Hawaii has several coffee plantations, only a small part of the production can be officially designated as Kona Coffee. Kona Coffee is cultivated only on a specific piece of land on the largest island of the Hawaiian complex on the slopes of the Hualalai and Mauna Loa volcanoes. The strip of land called by locals and connoisseurs of coffee as "Zone of Kona" is 22 miles long and two miles wide and combines the special climate of Hawaii, which is characterized by sunshine and frequent rainfall with particularly fertile volcanic soils. Coffee trees are booming from January to May, and the fruits mature slowly until the end of August. Coffee makers choose one by hand, depending on their degree of maturation, and then the grains are collected by the traditional method, as they dry in the sun on special surfaces called hoshidanas.

What's Kona Coffee's history?

Kona Coffee fully reflects the rich and multicultural history of Hawaii. Arabica coffee beans arrived in the island in the 19th century from Brazil, thanks to Samuel Ruggles, a missionary who acted in the area. Initially, Hawaiian coffee plantations belonged to large landowners, but at the beginning of the 20th century, more and more countries have been actively involved in coffee production, causing prices to fall, which has led major producers to leave Hawaii. The old farms were abandoned, divided, and passed into the hands of the poorer social class, as family farms. For years, coffee production in Hawaii was a case of the Japanese immigrants on the island, and today more than 600 small coffee producers operate on the island.

What one should expect from a Kona Coffee cup?

The soils in which Kona Coffee can be produced are scarce, and the manual labor required is laborious, resulting in an extremely limited production that does not exceed 1500 tonnes per year. The taste of Kona Coffee is described by the initiates as particularly spicy, deep, with an aftertaste reminiscent of wine and the absence of characteristic bitterness of coffee. Mark Twain wrote for Kona Coffee in 1866 that "it has the richest aroma than any other coffee, wherever it grows, whatever it is called."

How easy it is to find Kona Coffee?

The really limited production of Kona Coffee, but also its high price makes it vulnerable to counterfeits. It has been calculated that from coffee that is promoted as Kona Coffee around the world, only 30% is genuine Kona Coffee. Still, many blends are being marketed using only a portion of Kona Coffee, usually combined with other fine coffees. But even here, caution is needed as many laborers promote Kona Blends that do not contain the famous Hawaiian coffee or contain it in really negligible quantities that do not affect the flavor of the blend at all - the minimum required amount of Kona Coffee in a blend is 10%. In any case, the authentic Kona Coffee must be marked with the "Kona Coffee Council" which certifies its authenticity, even though this is the case with counterfeits.

The times that coffee was just a daily habit seem to have gone unspent. The world of coffee hides many gastronomic delights, in honor, prestige and pleasure that have nothing to envy of a good whiskey or expensive wine. Meanwhile, good coffee - the coffee that we deserve, is what really matters.