We are proud to introduce our newest estate, ‘Kona Old Style’. What a thrill to hear the judges announce that this estate was FIRST PLACE with “flavor and aroma clearly distinguishable” from all 66 entrants.

AVAILABILITY: We’ve scored only 50% of the cherries grown at this small estate. Order from Pele Plantations and your Kona Old Style Estate coffee will be air roasted either to our Medium or Madam Pele roast, no Dark roast. It can also be ordered from www.kuaiwifarm.com where it will be barrel roasted Full City or Dark. There is a two pound per customer limit at both sources.

THE ESTATE. Una Greenaway and Leon Rosner have been growing organic Kona coffee at their 2,000-foot elevation estate since 1977. A stroll through this lush farm takes you back to ‘pre-contact’ Hawaiian style farming when clusters of coffee trees were separated by lava rocks from cacao, fruit, and mac nut trees. Their 1200 coffee trees that were planted circa 1895 produce large cherries under the partial shade cover of Avocado, Kukui, and Koa trees.

CUPPING FROM THE GEVALIA JUDGES . Before the announcement, the buzz was that “one entrant stood out so far and above during preliminary trials that re-cupping was not required”. According to Sherri Johns, cupping judge from WholeCup Coffee Consulting LLC “It has 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.”

IN STOCK. 2007 brought another FINALIST ribbon to Pat Pearlman at the Gevalia Cupping Contest, proving year-to-year flavor superiority and consistency for this 2006 WINNER . Our first milling (of parchment to green) is now ready for roasting. Although it may be another slim year for cherries produced by this two-acre estate, due to radical pruning of the 30 ft tall trees growing on the steep, terraced lava flows at 1900 ft elevation. Although we will hold a portion of this estate’s beans for Coffee Clubbers, there should be plenty for everyone for awhile.

AVAILABILITY. There will be a limit of TWO POUNDS per customer per season. Believe us that we regret this, but we just can not coax more beans out of her tall beautiful trees.

CUPPING FROM THE GEVALIA JUDGES: This coffee has enough acidy to produce pleasurable sensations of sweetness and dried fruit in both the aroma and flavor. In the cup the flavor sparkles with sweetness and notes of spice and black currants. The rich classic Kona flavor has body that is impressive and a finish that is smooth. So you can enjoy the delicate flavors in store for you, DARK ROAST is not available.

In stock. Over 50 inches of rain and mild days have made 2007 an excellent year for BrocksenGate with big flavor that lives up to expert Kenneth Davids review of the 2004 crop. The crop ripened early with the first harvest coming off the trees in late July. Still the total will 1,071 lb of roasted. This estate has earned 1st in 1998 and Honorable mention in 1999, 2002 and 2004 at the Gevalia Kona Coffee Cupping Contests.

This is Pele Platantions headquarters, purchased by Gus and Cynthia Brocksen in 1989, and home of our central wet milling and sun-drying decks. Here the farm and processing facility is open for tours, giving visitors the chance to walk through the 1,200 trees that overlook Kealakekua Bay. The farm and processing facility are HOFA Certified Organic. 14 sheep are used to eat weeds around 4 acres of mac nut trees and to entertain folks on tour.

CUPPING PROFILE: As posted in coffeereview.com “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).

IN STOCK. Keauhou is an ancient land division, or ‘Ahupua a, that extends from the uplands to the sea. So beautiful was this area that, in ancient times, it was used by Hawaiian Royalty as a resort and playground for the Ali´i, hence the name ‘Crown Lands’. To grow coffee on this steep, rocky, free draining soil is difficult, especially when chemicals are forbidden. But, with 60 inches of rain per year, this area. At 1700 ft. elevation, is perfect to produce a lush Kona coffee. Crown Lands Estate produces coffee that is Certified Organic by the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association.

OUR CUPPING REVIEW: The steep rocky soil has pumped character into these beans. The aroma is sweet, chocolate-toned fruity notes that resemble the scent of sweet plum wine. The plum fruit notes continue into the cup, coupled with a gentle spicy-sweet sparkle. There is a satisfying balance of body and flavor. A classic Kona.

Panda Bamboo Ranch

IN STOCK. From Silicone valley to a Kona coffee farm. On a trip from the Bay area to the Big Island in 2004, new owners-to-be, Eric Maeder and Christy Carrico, realized they could buy a coffee farm, and so they did. A real beauty at 2,000 ft elevation on Bamboo Road in Kealakekua. Eric still splits his time with IBM.

We knew this coffee was great. So did the Gevalia judges at the 2006 contest when Panda Bamboo Ranch was included in the Finalist circle of 15 (our of 55). The 2007 yield of roasted will be small, maybe a little as 200 lb. The beans from this estate are very large and naturally sweet, due to elevation that works to slow down the beans maturation. We’ve reserved some for coffee club members and the rest will be distributed first come, first served.

OUR CUPPING NOTES: The classic Kona aroma is crisp with slight acidity detected as dried fruit with a hint of chocolate. In the cup a delicate acidy adds notes of peaches and plums to a classic, smooth, full bodied Kona flavor.

IN STOCK. In 1987, Kim and Kelly Christensen, from Lake Tahoe CA, found their partially planted 30 acre ranch on the ocean side of Mamalahoa Hwy. in Captain Cook, at 1200 ft elevation. They cleared and planted more of the rocky hillside so that today it is a well manicured farm with grassy open spaces, buildings scattered about, patches of Mac Nut, Avocado, and tropical fruit trees, and rows and rows of coffee.

OUR CUPPING NOTES - This coffee is full of body and one of the smoothest coffees we have . The aroma is filled with notes of sweet, roasted hazelnut and spicy cedar. In the cup notes of sweet citrus can be detected which last into a very satisfying finish.

IN STOCK. “You’ll know a great Kona coffee estate by the company it keeps.” Mauka Fire Estate shares common borders with Gevalia’s 2006 Cupping Contest Winner - Pearl Estate Organics, and Finalist Zuma Estate. The three estates share a private valley at 1700 ft. up Old Telephone Exchange Road. In the late 1970s, owners Charlie and Carol Carroll, came to the big island for adventure and surf. The coffee farm was perfect to support their aspiration. It came with 50 year old coffee stock terraced on one acre around the house. The Carroll’s terraced and planted a second acre. The 2006/ 2007 harvest totaled 5,500 lbs. of cherry or 730 lbs. roasted.

AVAILABILITY: The Carroll’s have held back a portion of their cherries so you can order from two web sites. Order from Pele Plantations and your Mauka Fire will be roasted in our Sivetz air roaster to your choice of Medium, Madam Pele , or Dark roasts. Or order directly from the farm, at http://www.maukafire.com, where your coffee will be roasted to a medium-dark Vienna color with slight shimmer of oil using a gas-fired Diedrich barrel roaster.

OUR CUPPING NOTES: Everything about this coffee reflects the qualities of its 1st place neighbor. It’s delicate acidy adds sweetness to the aroma. In the cup the brew was smooth and body satisfying. The classic Kona flavor was bright and notes of spice and chocolated could be detected.

ZUMA Estate scored again at the 2007 Gevalia Cupping Contest. FINALIST - top 15 out of 66 contest competitors! No surprise to us since this is located up rugged Telephone Exchange Road in Honaunau near Maukia Fire Estate and Pearl Estate Organic, the 2006 Gevalia Cupping FIRST. It's a 'hot bed' of excellent farms where trees thrive on the same lava flow.

ZUMA is now IN STOCK with green ready to roast just for you. This estate was established by Craig and Masumi Olstad in 2002. It is a charming 3-acre farm at 1700 feet, which is divided into small terraces where 1000 coffee were planted to mingle within patches of organic white pineapples, oranges, lemons, limes, avocados, and bananas.

OUR CUPPING NOTES: Regarding the 2007 contestents, the Gevalia judges were "really impressed by this years entries", noting a "crisp, sweet acidity and good balance." Since the judges only describe the 1st place estate, we defer to Gus's and customer assessment.... "the brew from Zuma estate has balanced body, flavor, and gentle acidy. The acidity adds zesty sweet notes of dried fruit to its hardy aroma and smooth bodied, mellow flavor. It's a Kona purist's cup.

IN STOCK. The morning is busy. After getting their 2 year-old boy up, Patrick Herman rakes lots and lots of parchment as the hot morning sun comes over the western side of Mauna Loa volcano. It’s a good thing his 5,000, 50-year old Arabica coffee trees produce plenty of cherries. We buy about 30% of the green they net to supply our online customers and the Kona Four Seasons Hotel - gift shop, espresso bar, and luxury suites. The five acre estate can be found at 1500 feet up the treacherous ‘Filipino Clubhouse Road’ in Honaunau.

OUR CUPPING NOTES: This estate delivers a brew that is a superb example of a classic Kona - with flavor that is rich and deep, yet mellow and smooth. Its aroma is sweet and caramel-like. The cup has body that is very satisfying with delicate acidy producing sparkle and caramel-like sweet notes that continue through to the finish.