Kona Coffee Orchard grows Keopu

Keopu Mauka Lani Orchards

When the coffee blossomed in March-April back in the 1940s on the North Kona Coast Coffee District of the "Big Island" of Hawaii, the hotels would alert their guests for evening tours through the coffee district to smell the romantic fragrance of the flowers. Today, high above Kailua Bay, Kona, you can take your own tour of the North Coast orchards on the Mamalahoa Hwy. and enjoy a fun stop in Holualoa, the Art Village. Coffee Flowers

The fruit sets and ripens for the first round of hand picking in late August to early September. At Keopu, we pick on the average a round of ripe Cherry coffee fruit every two to three weeks until January ends the season.

It takes 100 lbs. of picked Kona Coffee fruit, "Cherry," to make 13 lbs. of roasted coffee. The loss occurs with the removal of the fruit and outer shell from the two seeds, "Beans," which are then roasted for their highest and best use. Generally speaking, low grades are used for Espresso and instant coffees, middle grades for average shelf coffees and restaurants, with Fancy grades reserved for the high-end specialty market.

Coffee Bag and Coffee Cup Keopu deals only in the high-end specialty market. It is interesting to note that the law of the International Coffee Organization is, "WHERE COFFEE IS ROASTED IS WHERE IT IS FROM" If Colombia bought coffee from let's say, Indonesia, roasted it in Colombia, it can be legally labeled 100% Colombian! Thus, it really benefits the coffee cartels by being legal, but it does not help the consumer know where it's really grown or what grade they are buying. This is compared to purchasing wine labeled "Napa," whose grapes were actually grown in a less desirable area.

Let us know what you think. We value your comments and appreciate all feedback. Please let us know how you found us, what your interests are, what you think about this page, our website or our products.

You could win! Send us your comments or opinion and have a chance at FREE KONA COFFEE. Every week one visitor from the previous week who has sent us their comments and email address will be randomly chosen by Suzanne to receive FREE COFFEE of their choice.