100% Kona Coffee Vs. Kona Blend
Some things taste good when blended with other elements. A few common examples - your morning milk and cereal, your afternoon meat and mashed potatoes or perhaps your evening bourbon and soda. Apply this theory to authentic Kona Coffee however, and you have a recipe for perfect disappointment not delight. Kona Coffee tastes its best only when it’s 100% Kona Coffee and not a blend.
There’s more Kona Blend going around than the real thing
Go looking for Kona Coffee in your neighborhood or online and chances are, you’ll come across names like Kona Sunset, Kona Roast, Kona Gold and so on. Although the name spells ‘Kona’, what you’re getting is very little ‘genuine’ Kona that’s mixed with plenty of ‘other’ beans. This ‘Kona Something’ or ‘Something Kona’ is what coffee experts term a ‘Kona Blend’. And it’s nowhere close to the legendary taste, feel and aroma that’s associated with genuine Kona Coffee.
Why is Kona Blend so easily available?
Cost has everything to do with it. The cost of cultivating Kona beans in Hawaii is significantly higher than the cost of growing coffee outside the US. One reason includes stringent US laws that mandate a ‘minimum living wage’ for all coffee plantation workers whereas workers in similar plantations around the world make do with paltry, unpredictable incomes. This coupled with environmental compliances drive up the cost of cultivating 100% Kona coffee as compared to coffees grown in less ‘law intensive’ countries like Colombia, Vietnam, Brazil and Ethiopia, to name a few.
In order to make Kona Coffee more ‘affordable’ and their offerings more ‘profitable’, companies mix 10% genuine Kona beans with 90% cheaper beans to create and offer lower-priced Kona Blends to Kona seeking markets. The magic of the ‘Kona’ brand coupled with the economical price drives up demand; this is why Kona blends are more visible than the real thing which anyway, is produced in very limited quantities (just about 1% of the total coffee production in the world).
Read More - The Ultimate Guide to Kona Coffee
How does a Kona Blend taste?
Imagine being in a room packed with 100 people, each engaged in conversation. Imagine trying to make yourself stand out amidst all that chatter. It’s the same kind of scenario for the 10% Kona beans that go into a blend with 90% common beans when they try to get their world-famous flavor across to you. The flavor you’ll ultimately get will be dominated by the 90% rather than the 10%.
How does 100% Kona Coffee taste?
100% Kona beans are a pampered lot. Not only do they get the best of nourishment courtesy the nutrient-rich volcanic soil of the Mouna Loa and Hualalai slopes, they also enjoy the best of weather with moderate sun and rain as well as abundant cloud cover all year round. These perfectly favorable conditions result in a flavor that’s semi-sweet with a rich and prominent aroma, a soft finish and absolutely no bitter aftertaste. It’s this unique combination of flavor, aroma and finish that make Kona Coffee one of the most sought-after premium coffees in the world.
The cost of Kona Coffee vs Kona Blend
If you’re looking for genuine 100% Kona Coffee, be prepared to shell out anywhere between $20 to $80 for a pound – it could even go upwards of $100 for exceptional varieties. Compare that with a pound of any common ‘Kona Blend’ that’ll pack it in for approximately $20. The huge difference tells you the story. The real thing can cost you up to 5 times the amount you pay for a blend.
How to buy 100% Kona Coffee
There are a number of ways to ensure you end up buying nothing less than the real deal. Firstly, look for the place of origin – it has to be Hawaii and no other. Secondly, look for the availability – unlimited stocks should indicate a ‘blend’ because authentic Kona Coffee is made in very limited quantities. Thirdly, look for labels that clearly read 100% Kona Coffee.
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