THE ORIGINS OF KONA COFFEE

Though the coffee plant thrives in the rich volcanic soil of Hawaiian Islands, coffee is not native to Hawaii. The first commercial Hawaiian coffee was imported from Brazil, but it is an Arabica variety first imported from Guatemala in 1892 that comprises the majority of Kona coffee today, known as “Kona typica.”

Sugarcane was being grown extensively throughout the Hawaiian Islands, but the rugged slopes in the district of Kona, located on the Big Island of Hawaii, was unsuitable for growing sugarcane. Instead Kona became the center of the island’s coffee industry. Coffee growing was once a large-scale plantation industry, but the 1899 crash of the international coffee market compelled large growers to break up their land into smaller manageable plots which could be leased for family farms. Small-scale coffee production has endured as a unique trait of the Kona district and most Kona coffee beans are still grown on family farms.

KONA: THE IDEAL COFFEE CLIMATE

Coffee plants are hardy, but they grow best in tropical climates with bright sun, ample cloud cover, and regular (but not torrential) rain. Kona Coffee is grown in an area approximately 26 miles in length and 3 miles wide, mostly between 700 feet and 2,000 feet of elevation on the slopes of Mount Hualalai. This area is known as the “Kona coffee belt.” The area is known for consistent morning sunshine followed by drizzly overcast afternoons. That combined with volcanic soil rich in minerals creates perfect growing conditions for coffee. Perfectly sheltered behind the massive mountains Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, the coffee trees are uniquely protected from harsh trade winds (In Hawaiian, Kona means “leeward” or “without wind.”)

Located right in this sweet spot for coffee cultivation, Brazen Hazen coffee is grown on property featuring rocky, volcanic soil which provides our Kona coffee beans with essential nutrients. To keep our plants happy and healthy, our coffee trees are planted along the natural contours of the land in the Old-Kona fashion. Many of our trees sit beneath sprawling canopies of avocado and mango trees, which provide additional shade.