At Brazen Hazen, we think the richness of Kona Coffee is a true gem that demands to be experienced and savored. With its smooth velvety texture and enticing aroma, each cup you brew will transport you to a world of paradise. But what does Kona Coffee mean and why does it matter?

Kona Coffee is the term for an Arabica coffee grown exclusively in the Kona District on the island of Hawaii (known commonly as the “Big Island.”) Roughly 35 miles long, a mile and a half wide, and at an elevation between 500 to 3,200 feet, the Kona District sits on slopes of the Mauna Loa and Hualalai volcanoes.

With its consistent temperature, well-drained mineral rich soil, and 70-plus inches of rainfall a year the Kona District has the perfect climate for coffee to thrive. Kona Coffee is known for its smooth, mellow, and well-balanced taste with low acidity. It often exhibits notes of nuttiness, chocolate, and sometimes fruity undertones. It is considered by coffee connoisseurs as some of best in the world due to its high quality, unique flavor profile, and limited production.

When purchasing coffee grown in this unique terroir, there’s an important distinction between the terms “Kona Coffee” and “100% Kona Coffee.” As of this writing, a product being sold only needs to contain 10% Kona Coffee to be labeled as “Kona Coffee.” Meaning you could purchase a product you believed to be entirely Kona
Coffee but is a mixture of Kona and potentially inferior beans. In its current state, the law doesn’t stop companies from using the Kona label for low-quality, high-profit coffee that often misleads consumers. An example of this is when companies use logos and branding utilizing Hawaiian iconography (such as images of hula dancers, palm trees, or outlines of the Hawaiian Islands) but the coffee only contains 10% Kona coffee, the rest from elsewhere. Not only is this marketing deceptive, but it also competes with small farmers producing pure, 100% Kona coffee.

At Brazen Hazen, we believe that coffee is an art form and strive to provide you with an experience with each cup of coffee. This standard is only achieved through precise technique, refined expertise, and commitment to excellence. That's where Brazen Hazen's roaster, Brian Axelrod, comes in. Brian has gone by many titles; "Roaster," "Chief Roast Master," "Master Roaster," and at one time his LinkedIn profile even said, "Head Bean Wrangler."

Brian and his wife, Amy, provide "tree to cup" services for Big Island coffee farms, including Brazen Hazen. From harvesting, to pulping and separating, to soaking and rinsing, to drying, to hulling and grading, to roasting, to packaging and shipping, Brian manages every step of the process.

Brian's is one of only 3 or 4 operators on the Big Island that offer "tree to cup" coffee. Most farmers lack the equipment to do every step of the process themselves. By keeping all the production in-house, Brian has complete control of the quality of the product he provides. He says as soon as the coffee is picked, it starts deteriorating. His job is to preserve the coffee and remove imperfections so that the final product reaching the customer is the best that it can possibly be.

Brian has been honing his craft as a master roaster since 2007. When he and Amy came to the Big Island from Ohio, they fell under the tutelage of Bob Nelson, the then-owner of Lehuula Farms. He shared the fruits of his more than 20 years of experience running a coffee farm, eventually passing the reins and selling the farm to Brian and Amy. Building on that foundation, Brian toured other facilities on the island and conducted extensive research on best practices to perfect their process. The result is the cultivation of a true standard of excellence.

"If I'm putting my name on it, I want it to be the highest quality it can be," he says.

That meticulous level of scrutiny makes it to the final product, meaning Brazen Hazen always offers only the highest-grade beans.