Hawaii

[Brewster]

I am currently holidaying on the island of O'ahu, Hawaii. After a week of searching high and low for a coffee anywhere close to the quality I am used to, I was fortunate to come across Kai Coffee Hawaii located in the Hyatt Regency Resort at Waikiki on it's opening day.
The owners are Sam and Natalie Suiter. From what I have read online, Sam and his brother originally founded the Honolulu Coffee Company which has since been acquired by new owners. Sam has vast experience in the industry from growing coffee to serving it.
I had a good chat with Sam on opening day. All staff are very friendly and are happy to spend time answering any questions you may have about the business.
In my opinion, this is the best coffee in Hawaii!
The coffee is freshly roasted, (they even have proper flat whites on the menu to cater for Aussies) and the coffee is served in proper sized porcelain cups, not the oversized take aways normally seen in USA.
This post may sound like a sales pitch, but I am just so pleased to be able to enjoy good coffee at last while I am here!
So, if you are living in or travelling to O'ahu, do yourself a favour and drop in, say hi to Sam and the team and enjoy great coffee.

Aloha
Mal

[Rolf]

if I would be on Hawaii, I would search for one or more of these address:
Buy 100% Pure Kona Coffee, Direct from the Farmer

[fatboy_1999]

Very interested in your post Mal.
We are heading over in a couple of weeks so I will be sure to try them out.
As for the ad regarding pure Kona coffee, I can say from previous experience that, just like ALL other coffee grown around the world, not all Kona is equal. Just because it is grown on Kona, does not make it automatically wonderful!
Rolf - have you actually had coffee from this supplier?

Brett.

[Rolf]

I had some green beans from Lehualani Estate, but I would not take them again, too expensive, I expected more taste out of it.

[scoota_gal]

I so want to go to Hawaii. Its on my list for either this year or next.

Am keen to hear how your trip goes too Brett.

[daledugahole]

I'm off to Maui later this year, and thought I'd load up on the expensive one Andy has on beanbay straight from the supplier..... But I had a sniff around & surprise surprise it's dearer to buy from them on the island, than from beanbay! We're spoilt I think!

Be interested too in a good coffee in Oahu and Maui.... Needless to say the aeropress will be the1st thing packed & organised (before children).
Cheers,
Link

[smokey]

I'm off to Maui later this year, and thought I'd load up on the expensive one Andy has on beanbay straight from the supplier..... But I had a sniff around & surprise surprise it's dearer to buy from them on the island, than from beanbay! We're spoilt I think!

Be interested too in a good coffee in Oahu and Maui.... Needless to say the aeropress will be the1st thing packed & organised (before children).
Cheers,
Link

And don't forget us, we want to know what the coffee is like there and if you find the Kona bean holy grail

[Brewster]

if I would be on Hawaii, I would search for one or more of these address:
Buy 100% Pure Kona Coffee, Direct from the Farmer

I know that Kona coffee is supposed to be very good and you can certainly find it in stores everywhere in O'ahu.
The thing is that it all has a "Use by" date of Dec 2015! doesn't give me any confidence of freshness.

I'll stick to Kai coffee for the duration and will be bringing some of their beans home to try in my machine.

Cheers
Mal

[fatboy_1999]

Well. We just had coffee at Kai Coffee and I must agree with Mal. Very nice. Very much the style and quality that we tend to take a bit for granted. Still hard to find places in Hawaii that do espresso based drinks and even harder to find one that does it well. If you're over here in Honolulu, drop in and give them a go. I have my first real coffee smile in 9 days

[Brewster]

I'm hearing you fatboy_1999. Thankfully I only had to wait 6 days to get that smile.
Hope you are enjoying the Hawaiian hospitality as much as I did.
Cheers,
Mal

[daledugahole]

Well, finally in Maui and yet to find anything remotely close to our lofty oz standards. Best I could describe what I've had so far is 'coffee stew'. In saying that, I'm a member of the 'when in Rome' club of thinking, so I'm doing my best to 'suck it up'. Will give Kai coffee a go when back in Oahu in a few days time hopefully. On the positive, did manage to buy x2 16oz bags of 'yellow caturra' green beans (if anyone has a hint or any advice on how to deal with this bean I'd love to know) direct from a grower (ka'anapali estate) which I'll hike home and roast up (customs willing). Their Maui mokka bean is the local signature bean, but they're so crazy small I think I'd lose the lot through the sides of the drum in the behmor. Even at the sales outlet in Lahaina all their samples were 'americano'. Judging by their roasted stuff, it all looked very dark. Tasted good though I have to say, but I WAS cranking for a coffee despite the super hot day. Good people too.... Like everyone here. Very glad I've bought the aeropress with me and a home roasted 800gm bag of India elephant hills, Guatemala jac and PNG wahgi.

[Thunder240]

Hi all, when I was last in Kona in '09 I visited Pele Plantations, and was very impressed both by the coffee and by the tour I was given. They pay their workers more per lb in order to be more selective with respect to the cherries they pick, they roast in small batches, and will do a custom roast if desired. (Their house roast is a medium-dark which they term their "Pele roast".) I realize it's possible for things to change in 6 years, but I'd encourage any coffee snobs in the area to check them out. And of course if you like what you taste, they'll ship a fresh roast international. And if you do visit, please feel free to post a more current review!