About Organic Kona Coffee. On the west side of the Hawaii Island there are about 650 Kona coffee estates. Most of these 3 - 5 acre farms have been passed down through generations, where coffee is still grown as it always has been - traditionally. Over twenty years ago the status quo began to change. New owners changed to growing Kona coffee organically, complying with the strict rules of certifying agencies. Organic farmers cannot spray weeds or throw synthetic fertilizers. Instead they mow, whack and pull the weeds and use expensive, hard-to-find organic fertilizers.

Today there are around 60 Certified Organic Kona Coffee Estates. We have found several top organic growers to partner with us. They know that we will coax the very best flavors out of every bean with our careful, tightly controlled pulping, sun-drying, and roasting processes.

Growing Kona coffee organically benefits the environment and coffee experts are finding that it tastes better too. Consider this - in seven out of the past 10 years it’s been an organic estate that wins first place!

Head Bean & Bean Marketing Gus and Cynthia

AVAILABILITY. IN-STOCK Our new crop is already coming in, processed, rested and ready for roasting. Looks like enough to last through the coming new year. We'll even have green coffee available for home roasters.

THE ESTATE. This is Pele Plantations headquarters, purchased by Gus and Cynthia Brocksen in 1989, and home of our central wet milling and sun-drying decks. The farm and processing facility, both Certified Organic, are open for tours, giving visitors the chance to walk through the 1,200 trees that overlook Kealakekua Bay. A flock of sheep are wander around four acres of Mac Nut trees to eat weeds and entertain folks on tour. This farm might have the best view in Kona.

CUPPING PROFILE. As posted in www.coffeereview.com by co-founder Kenneth Davids this is “A purists cup: big, authoritative, powerfully but sweetly acidy, complete. The (Pele) roast rounds the dry fruit tones toward chocolate but leaves the robustly rich acidity intact. 92 points (range from 70 to 100).

AWARDS. This estate has earned 1st Place in 1998 plus Finalist (top 15) in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2008, and 2009 at the Gevalia Kona Coffee Cupping Contests.

¹Kenneth Davids, www.coffeereview.com

John & Elisa Tolfree


Elisa enjoys beautiful trees.


Exotic flowers can be found throughout the estate.

AVAILABILITY. IN STOCK First available 12/13/12.

THE ESTATE. This beautiful 6 acre coffee farm, located at 2000 ft. elevation, was purchased by John and Elisa Tolfree in 2000. While in the Peace Corp in the Philippines, John learned to grow coffee. In the early ‘90s the Tolfrees moved to Seattle for John to finish nursing school so he could practice nursing while they looked for the perfect coffee farm in Kona. They found it in 2000 and started clearing the surrounding jungle and planting more coffee trees, so that today there are 3,000 manicured, certified organic coffee trees (by the International Certification Services, Inc.) Exotic fruits and flowers abound in patches weaving around the coffee trees. Most of the coffee trees are 80 to 100 years old. In a typical year they produce around 10,000 lbs. of dark red cherries (which yields around 1400 roasted lbs).

OUR CUPPING NOTES. Tolfree Estate is located adjacent to ‘Kona Old Style (Kuaiwi coffee farm)’, which won 1st in 2007 and 2nd in 2008, at the Gevalia cupping. Therefore the taste, flavors, and aroma are similar. This is partly due to fertilizers, rainfall, and the deep rich soil. Like any well grown Kona, it is very deep, smooth, rich, naturally sweet and well balanced. It's easy to detect subtle notes of chocolate, plums and sweet berries in the cup.

Pat Pearlman's Tall Trees Win 1st Place


Pat, Cynthia, Miss Kona Coffee 2006

AVAILABILITY. IN STOCK
First available 12/13/12.

THE ESTATE. Pat Pearlman's two acre estate is located at 1900 ft. elevation up 'Telephone Exchange Road' in Honaunau. The land is steep, but terraced to create three levels where her Coffea arabica Kona typica coffee trees thrive. The coffee trees grow up to 20 ft. high in the deep verdant soil, making it difficult at times to pull down the vertical branches, loaded with giant red cherries, for picking.

CUPPING FROM GEVALIA JUDGES. This is one of our most celebrated, consistently recognized estates. Feedback from many Pearl Estate enthusiasts confirm that Pat’s Kona coffee will meet your highest expectations. It’s fragrance and aroma are extraordinary, body is full and mouthfeel silky. The flavor is saturated with a natural sweetness which rounds towards fruit and cocoa, ending in very satisfying finish.’

AWARDS. At the prestigious Gevalia Cupping Contests, Pearl Estate Organic is a consistent winner, year after year. Pearl Estate brought home the 1st Place honors in 2006 (among 71 contestants), 3rd Place in 2004 and Finalist (top 15) in 2002, 2007 and 2009. For the coffee lover, this means that coffee that is enjoyed one year is very likely to be just as enjoyable in years to come.

Una Greenaway, Leon Rosner


Gus, Una, Cynthia at 2007 Cupping

AVAILABILITY. IN STOCK.

THE ESTATE. Una Greenaway and Leon Rosner have been growing and nurturing coffee at 2,000 ft. elevation, on their beautiful estate in Kealakekua since 1977. In 2007 they entered the Gevalia Cupping for the first time and took home 1st Place. A walk through this estate is a tropical dream with 1200 coffee trees, planted circa 1895, producing very large Kona coffee beans, thriving under the partial shade cover of Avocado, Mac Nut, Banana, Chocolate, Kukui Nut, and Koa trees.

CUPPING FROM THE GEVALIA JUDGES. When this estate was crowned 1st Place at the 2007 Gevalia Cupping Contest, one of the four professional judges, Sherri Johns, stated to the West Hawaii Today newspaper reporters
“This coffee has a subtle jasmine floral and sweet key-lime notes as if it had been dipped in honey. A lingering butter finish. A classic Kona with perfect balance, body, flavor and acidity that is not overwhelming so it can be enjoyed all day. Quintessential." We agree, this is truly one of the best we have ever tasted.

AWARDS. November 2007 Gevalia Cupping Contest. Rumors were spreading among the judges after the first’s days announcement of the Finalist (top 15) estates. “One estate cupped superior to all the others.” After re-cupping the Finalists on day two, the 1^st Place Ribbon was awarded to Kona Old Style Estate, out of 60 competitors. In 2008, it placed 2^nd , again out of 60 at the Gevalia contest. Most recently, in 2009, the Gevalia judges recognized this estate as a Finalist (Top 15).

HCA (Hawaii Coffee Association) Cupping Contest. The latest triumph came in July 2010 at the Hawaii Coffee Association (HCA) annual meeting. A different group of professional judges blind cupped the entrants from each Hawaiian Island - Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Kona, and the Kau District on the Big Island. Once again Kona Old style was awarded First Place, among the 25 Kona Estates entered.