Tommie Springer

Coffee enthusiasts from all over the world will agree that when it comes to wonderful flavor and aroma, Kona Coffee is always an excellent choice. In fact, many believe Kona to be the world’s finest coffee. But have you ever wondered why Kona is so distinctive from the other types of coffee? How are Kona coffee beans graded?

Hawaii is the only coffee growing area in the world that requires constant testing and certification for its coffee. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture particularly tests Kona Coffee using a certain grading system and bases it on several factors.

After hand-picking each of the Kona coffee beans, the beans are then graded according to their size, density, moisture, number of defects, and the uniformity of their shape and color. Primarily, however, Kona coffee beans are graded according to their measurement, passing through sieves that have holes of different sizes. The beans’ grades are not at all related to the taste or the quality of the coffee.

The beans are customarily classified as Extra Fancy, Fancy, Kona #1, Prime, and Peaberry. There are several other classifications which are lower in grade, however, these five are the grades primarily used.

Extra Fancy and Fancy coffee beans are high quality and are two of the top grades. Coffee connoisseurs can enjoy these types of beans at a high price, but find the price worth it because of the bean’s refinement in quality.

Kona #1 is a middle grade of bean, and are usually sold at restaurants and at the market in bulk.

Although Prime and Premium coffee beans sound like a very high grade of bean, these are actually a lower grade of bean, and are usually sold at the supermarket and at tourist shops.

The Peaberry bean, on the other hand, is different in shape compared to the other graded beans. The Peaberry bean is oblong and rounded like a football, as opposed to the usual coffee bean that is curved on one side and flat on the other. Many coffee connoisseurs believe that it is the Peaberry’s unique shape that causes it to roast differently from the other types of beans, explaining the bean’s distinctive taste.

The Peaberry bean has an acid content lower than that of the other beans. This type of bean is extremely rare among the Kona coffee beans, and accounts for only 5-10% of an annual Kona harvest.

In Type I beans (two beans per cherry), the beans are classified as either Extra-Fancy, Fancy, Kona #1 and Prime, with Extra-Fancy being the highest grade and Prime being the lowest.

In Type II beans (one bean per cherry), the beans are classified as Kona #1, Peaberry, and Kona Peaberry Prime, with Kona #1 being the highest grade and Peaberry Prime being the lowest.

The grading process of the coffee beans is extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive for the Kona coffee farmers, but this dedication and attention to detail ensures that the consumer enjoys Kona coffee which is of only the best quality.