The Coffee Bean

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Estate Select 100% Kona Coffee - Decaffeinated - Whole Bean:
The Kona region provides an ideal environment for coffee cultivation. The region where most of the coffee farms are concentrated commonly referred to as the 'coffee belt,' runs along Mamalahoa Highway which cuts across the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa from 300 to 800 meters above sea level. This coffee belt lies on rich, uncultivated lands greatly influenced by the volcanoes that created the Islands. Here the soil contains nutrients necessary for the growth of coffee. In addition, the calm winds, moderate temperature, favorable amount of precipitation, and the temperature differences between night and day create an ideal environment for coffee cultivation.

To preserve the balance, flavor, and unique acidity of this exquisite coffee, UCC Hawaii roasts the certified Kona to a 'city' roast. Too light a roast can leave the Kona coffee tasting 'earthy' and 'sour'. Too dark a roast emphasizes the bitter characteristics of the coffee bean and removes some of the body that Kona is known for. In order to ensure the coffee reaches this optimal city roast each time, UCC Hawaii uses a color meter with each roasting of Kona coffee.

We offer whole bean or ground.
A note about UCC’s ground coffee: Since heat is one of the enemies of coffee and a regular grinder will produce a certain level of heat as it grinds the coffee, UCC Hawaii uses a specially designed grinder called a 'Crackulator' to grind all of their ground Kona coffee. The crackulator reduces the amount of heat in the grinding process compared to a normal grinder thus preserving the quality of the coffee. Additionally, it also removes more of the chaff found inside the roasted coffee bean providing a much purer form of Kona coffee.
These beans are decaffeinated by using the Swiss Water Process. This is how it works: Beans are cleaned and then soaked in flavor-charged water. Beans are put in water that is caffeine free. Caffeine is then diffused from the bean. Then water is sent though a carbon filter that traps the caffeine but not the flavors. This process is repeated for about 8 hrs until the beans are 99.9% caffeine free.