Moderately Adventurous

Hawaii – Deluxe Kona Coffee Tasting on the Big Island

Hanna Ashcraft

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woman sharing Kona Coffee Tasting experience

If you drink coffee and are visiting the Big Island of Hawai’i, you must visit a coffee farm to taste real Kona coffee! I stopped by five farms while visiting Kona, each with its own charms, but I wanted to delve into the incredible experience I had at Buddha’s Cup. Instead of a farm tour, I opted for their deluxe tasting, which included five different coffee and treats that accompanied each coffee. During the tasting, I learned about each of the five farms within the Buddha’s cup brand, how the coffee is grown here, and living in Hawai’i in general. I loved the relaxed pace of the tasting and practically one-on-one private experience that Buddha’s Cup provides. 

In this post, I’ll cover:

  • What the Deluxe Coffee Tasting experience was like at Buddha’s Cup
  • Kona Snow!
  • Other coffee farms I visited in Kona
  • Coffee plantations tours in other countries and what to ask while on a tour

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Prepping for the Deluxe kona Coffee Tasting

Buddha’s cup has a couple of different tour options. There is an ATV tour of the 80-acre farm, which looks like fun. Since it was drizzling and I’ve gone on coffee tours before – see the “Coffee Plantations in Other Countries” section below – I opted for the deluxe coffee tasting. I asked all of my questions to my knowledgeable tasting guide while sipping on the various flavors. 

Inside the main building, there are multiple areas where you can have a tasting. I was seated in a room with barstools and open windows. Although I felt incredibly safe on the Island of Hawai’i, it was still good to keep the staff of Buddha’s Cup safe. I believe this is also why they try to get people to make an appointment before arriving.

My guide asked me about my coffee preferences to prepare the tasting experience. They had not brewed much coffee yet that day, so I could have my pick. I let her know I tended to prefer a lighter roast with less acid. She went in the back to freshly grind options for my tasting. Before leaving, she poured a bit of delicious hibiscus tea. 

At a Glance:

Highlights:

  • Taste genuine Kona coffee
  • Compare and contrast the five different farms and flavors
  • Learn about brewing a cup and the farms 
  • Treats with each cup of coffee

Deluxe Coffee Tasting

My tasting guide returned with a coffee filtering contraption that would brew up to five different coffees using the pour-over method. She was meticulous about the temperature and amount of water to ensure the perfect brew. She brewed the five coffees at slightly different times to taste them in a particular order while they were still hot.  Under the Buddha’s cup brand, there are five sub-brands. During the tasting, I tried one coffee from each brand that was color-coded with the farm:

  1. Red – Buddha’s Cup: This was my second favorite!
  2. Purple – Imagine: This was my absolute favorite! I ended up buying a half-pound of the Imagine Medium roast.
  3. Green – Kona Kulana Farms
  4. Orange/Yellow – Kona Gold Coffee
  5. Blue – Manny’s Brew: This farm is actually on the Hilo side of the island and not technically Kona coffee, but fun to try other Hawaiian coffee.

Then, with each coffee pour, my guide told me more about the farm and provided a sweet treat that matched the flavor profile of the coffee. The goodies included chocolate-covered coffee beans, dried macadamia nuts, dried and partially caramelized banana, cookies, and Hawaiian honey cake. Overall, I found all of the coffee to be delightfully less acidic than my average cuppa at home. I LOVED taking a sip from one and directly comparing it with the next, all while asking questions about the farms. My top picks from the ones I tasted were the Buddha’s Cup and Imagine coffees for their mild and dynamic flavor profile, which developed during each sip. 

I recommend eating before beginning the tasting! By the time I left, I was 110% caffeinated and sugared-out. My heart was racing, but I loved every minute of the tasting.

Kona Coffee Region (and Getting to Buddha’s Cup)

On the west side of the Big Island, there is a long strip of land running north to south on Hualalai and Mauna Loa slopes that create the perfect environment for growing coffee – just the right amount of sun, rain, and volcanic soil. Further down the slopes toward the ocean, it is too warm and too sunny. And just like how champagne can only be “Champagne” when coming from that specific region of France, coffee can only be labeled as “Kona Coffee” if it is grown in this region. There are as many as 600 farms in the area; most are small, independent farms. By visiting the farms directly, you support local families, some of whom have had the farms for generations.

You’ll need a vehicle to get to Buddha’s Cup! Plug Buddha’s Cup into GoogleMaps and get ready for an adventure. Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee Farm has MANY signs and is on the same road, so you can follow the signs and keep going. As you climb the hill, you’ll pass fields and fields of coffee plants. Some of them are the different farms within the Buddha’s cup brand. Follow the multi-color flags through the jungle-like vegetation until you arrive at the multiple buildings.

Kona Snow!

In February and March, the coffee plants bloom little white flowers. When blooms cover the hillsides, it is referred to as “Kona Snow.” Going in early March, this was the first time I got to see the coffee flowers bloom, and it was delightful. Flowers bloom along the branches instead of at the end, making neat little rows of white flowers. Since the branches are relatively sparse, it’s not as dense as apple trees but still lovely. Keep an eye out for blooms if you are visiting this time of year.

Other Coffee Farms in Kona

Buddha’s Cup was not the only place that I stopped by to try coffee. Although I appreciate that nearly all the farms had tours, I was more interested in getting to immediately try the coffee to compare to the other places I’ve been. Double-check the hours of operation at each location because they are not open every day. 

  • Hula Daddy – free tasting of two coffees, both of which were DELICIOUS. They were friendly, and we chatted with the owners for quite a while. This farm is north of Kilauea-Kona, which makes it a good detour if you’re going to or from Costco.
  • Greenwell Coffee – offers a free tour and tasting of 6 different flavors of coffee. I was able to do the tasting without the tour, but it also did not have anyone to explain the different types of coffee. I was not blown away by the flavor, but they had various coffee and treats, which made great souvenirs and gifts. This farm is further south, nearly to the Captain Cook area.
  • Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee – I TRIED to do a tasting here, but it was mandatory to go on a tour. It was also hectic and difficult to park. However, the view from the pool area is stunning. This farm is on the same road as Buddha’s Cup.
  • Kona Joe’s Coffee – Again, I tried to go here, but it was closed that day. The view from the patio is delightful. This farm is near Buddha’s Cup and Heavenly Hawaiian Coffee.

I used a combination of Love Big Island’s incredible list of coffee tours and tastings as well as Google Maps to locate coffee farms. 

Coffee Plantations in Other Countries

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know that is not my first coffee-related experience. I have gone to so many that I wonder if this should be a coffee travel blog.  I LOVE coffee, so I also find it fascinating to go to the source and find out more information about how it is grown and what makes a good cup. Check out my other experiences:

Also, I wanted to share some questions that I typically ask when visiting a coffee farm or plantation. I have found these questions lead to exciting points of comparison between how coffee is grown in various countries or regions:

  • Is there water irrigation at this farm? 
  • How do you keep pests in check? Pesticides? Natural methods?
  • Who picks the coffee berries?
  • Where are the coffee beans dried?
  • Do you roast the coffee on-site? 
  • Do you wholesale to other companies? Or only sell directly from the farm?

Overall Thoughts: Deluxe Coffee Tasting at Buddha’s Cup

I was very excited to try Kona coffee in Hawaii, and it did not disappoint! With so many farms to choose from, it is difficult to decide which one to visit. I think you should visit more than one to be able to compare and contrast the flavors! However, if you could only choose one, I think the experience at Buddha’s Cup was luxurious in that it was a private experience while still feeling local and down to earth. It did NOT feel like I was one-of-many tourists that they were churning through a tour. Instead, the deluxe tasting at Buddha’s cup was customized entirely to me – from the flavors to the pacing. You can also combine the ATV tour with the deluxe tasting to round out the experience even further. 

Don’t forget to check out my other blog posts about the Big Island:

Have you gone to any coffee tastings like this? Let me know in the comments below so I can check them out during my future travels! I might even make it a goal to visit all the coffee-producing countries in the world.

Happy Travels,

Hanna

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