The summer rains seem to be here. At least in the evenings. The last few nights we've been getting some light rains and the beans love it. Our beans are in their growing stage and need to be juicy to pull in all those delicious Kona coffee flavors. Today we looked at them and they are green and glossy. Their next step is just to grow larger and keep taking on the moisture that our summer rains give.
This is always the watch and wait season and also the season that we can take a little time off the island to visit with family. So we are doing just that. Because of the dryness of our past winter and spring we are expecting our crop to come in later this year. Normally when we return from the mainland we have a small first crop to pick but this year we think the ripening of our crop is set back at least a month. So those beans we looked at today have awhile to grow and ripen, probably 4-6 weeks. Grandchildren are coming back with us. So they will be just in time to learn how to pick wonderful red Kona coffee beans.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Kopi Luwak
Kopi Luwak coffee now seems to suffer the same problems that Kona coffee has endured for many years, fake and misleading labeling and packaging. First, what is Kopi Luwak anyway? You know, the coffee that sells for $120.00 per half pound and is retrieved from the excrement, or for a more pop culture word 'the poop', of a civet. Kopi Luwak has become popular in upscale coffee shops and resturants not only in the mainland USA but worldwide. You saw Jack Nicholson drinking it in 'Bucket List'.
One attribute of Kopi Luwak coffee is purported to be that the beans are fermented in the civets digestive system which gives the coffee it's delicate flavor. Our Kona coffee is also fremented but we do it the old fashioned way. After hand picking the cherry (ripe beans) and pulping them, we give them a warmish water bath, letting the sugary substances ferment overnight, something like how fine wines get fermented. The beans are then rinsed and set out to dry.
On a search on Amazon I found a 7oz package of Kopi Luwak coffee for $45.00. Upon reading the package label it said 2% Kopi Luwak and the rest other arabica blends. Aha, BLENDS!! Sounds familiar to me. A 10% blend of Kona coffee (with the rest other arabica blends) selling at $8.00 for 7oz is no more a bargain than the fake Kopi Luwak.
Kopi Luwak is supposed to be marvelous but I don’t have the fortitude to test it. I’ll just stick with my 100% homegrown gentle hand processed Kona Lisa Coffee.
One attribute of Kopi Luwak coffee is purported to be that the beans are fermented in the civets digestive system which gives the coffee it's delicate flavor. Our Kona coffee is also fremented but we do it the old fashioned way. After hand picking the cherry (ripe beans) and pulping them, we give them a warmish water bath, letting the sugary substances ferment overnight, something like how fine wines get fermented. The beans are then rinsed and set out to dry.
On a search on Amazon I found a 7oz package of Kopi Luwak coffee for $45.00. Upon reading the package label it said 2% Kopi Luwak and the rest other arabica blends. Aha, BLENDS!! Sounds familiar to me. A 10% blend of Kona coffee (with the rest other arabica blends) selling at $8.00 for 7oz is no more a bargain than the fake Kopi Luwak.
Kopi Luwak is supposed to be marvelous but I don’t have the fortitude to test it. I’ll just stick with my 100% homegrown gentle hand processed Kona Lisa Coffee.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Coffee Brewing Tips
A customer at our Saturday market asked us how we brewed our coffee because she didn't think her coffee tasted as good when she brought it home and brewed some up. It would have been nice if I could have told her about the magic potion I sprinkle in each pot to make tastings to our Saturday morning crew so delectable, but this is really what I suggested.
Eventhough Hawaii has very good tasting water in most parts of the island, I use filtered water right from my refrigerator door. Coffee is very delicate and some water components can interfere with the flavors you like. So, if you are not experiencing rich coffee flavors in your brewed pot try clearer fresh cool water.
Keep your pots and brewing equipment fresh and clean. Build up accumulates rather quickly and can also interfere with a great tasting cup of coffee. The good news is that it's really easy to keep your pots ready to accept a fresh brew. Just a drop of Ivory liquid swished in the pot and rinsed is good after daily use.
Today I did the thorough clean of all our brew and pump pots. We take 4 pump pots to the Market every Sat. so today I ran a mixture of my favorite easy cleaner, BrewRite, thru our brew pots. I, then, poured that hot solution into our four pump pots and let it set for no more than 5 minutes. After pressing the pumper a few times and swishing the solution around I rinsed them and they are now air drying. I love how the pots look like new again inside and out and sparkle as they will be ready to accept our fresh brews next Saturday morning.
It makes it all worth it when our first customer arrives and sips that great 100% Kona Lisa Coffee and goes "just what I needed, this is definitely the best coffee I have ever had".
Our Kona coffee is so smooth, slightly sweet with a nutty flavor and absolutely no bitterness that you don't want to confuse the senses with any extraneous matter. So those pots get washed and wiped down after use and I do a thorough clean about each month.
Remember your Kona Lisa coffee now gets brewed the way you like it and I suggest that you may not need as much coffee as you are used to using from mainland store bought coffees. So try using less and adjust until your taste buds tell you you've got it right. My measurments consist of 2/3 of a cup of ground coffee to a twelve cup pot. Tell me what works for you.
Eventhough Hawaii has very good tasting water in most parts of the island, I use filtered water right from my refrigerator door. Coffee is very delicate and some water components can interfere with the flavors you like. So, if you are not experiencing rich coffee flavors in your brewed pot try clearer fresh cool water.
Keep your pots and brewing equipment fresh and clean. Build up accumulates rather quickly and can also interfere with a great tasting cup of coffee. The good news is that it's really easy to keep your pots ready to accept a fresh brew. Just a drop of Ivory liquid swished in the pot and rinsed is good after daily use.
Today I did the thorough clean of all our brew and pump pots. We take 4 pump pots to the Market every Sat. so today I ran a mixture of my favorite easy cleaner, BrewRite, thru our brew pots. I, then, poured that hot solution into our four pump pots and let it set for no more than 5 minutes. After pressing the pumper a few times and swishing the solution around I rinsed them and they are now air drying. I love how the pots look like new again inside and out and sparkle as they will be ready to accept our fresh brews next Saturday morning.
It makes it all worth it when our first customer arrives and sips that great 100% Kona Lisa Coffee and goes "just what I needed, this is definitely the best coffee I have ever had".
Our Kona coffee is so smooth, slightly sweet with a nutty flavor and absolutely no bitterness that you don't want to confuse the senses with any extraneous matter. So those pots get washed and wiped down after use and I do a thorough clean about each month.
Remember your Kona Lisa coffee now gets brewed the way you like it and I suggest that you may not need as much coffee as you are used to using from mainland store bought coffees. So try using less and adjust until your taste buds tell you you've got it right. My measurments consist of 2/3 of a cup of ground coffee to a twelve cup pot. Tell me what works for you.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
You can now text "like KonaLisaCoffee" to 32665 if you are not already a fan.
You can see us on facebook by logging in at www.facebook.com/KonaLisaCoffee.
Just a few ways for you to interact and see what is going on at the farm and how each delicious crop is progressing.
You can see us on facebook by logging in at www.facebook.com/KonaLisaCoffee.
Just a few ways for you to interact and see what is going on at the farm and how each delicious crop is progressing.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Our facebook page
An easy way to keep updated on Kona Lisa'a coffee is to join in with other fans on our facebook page. www.facebook.com/konalisacoffee
Also today there is a newer easier way per the facebook gang
Introducing the Like button
Starting today people will be able to connect with your Page by clicking “Like” rather than “Become a Fan.” We hope this action will feel much more lightweight, and that it will increase the number of connections made across the site.
Just thought I'd pass this on.
Also today there is a newer easier way per the facebook gang
Introducing the Like button
Starting today people will be able to connect with your Page by clicking “Like” rather than “Become a Fan.” We hope this action will feel much more lightweight, and that it will increase the number of connections made across the site.
Just thought I'd pass this on.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
New visitor to the farm
We get all kinds of visitors to the farm but this is the first time we have seen him and amazingly were able to photograph him too. Yes, the Jackson chameleon paid us a visit today. Doesn't he look smashing in his lime green suit as he inspects our coffee trees.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Rain
Being away from the farm can cause a bit of anxiety. Watching all the foliage in the western side of the island disappear also underscores how important rain is for our tropical environment. Those facets were preying on our minds as we wondered if the dryness would continue while we left the farm in others hands. So, today it was nice to see this gentle rain dampening all around us. Weatherman, Guy Hagi, had said the high pressure area north of the state would not make it down to this island. Guy, we are glad you were wrong just this once. The whole state is in a drought but I hear that Maui and the Big Island are experiencing the worse of it. It's nice to leave knowing that there is such a thing as rain on the Big Island or was that just a practice for what we will see in New Zealand?
Our trees will be ready for pruning when we return and Ron has been faithfully irrigating. Mother Nature just needs to let loose of her moisture more often.
Our trees will be ready for pruning when we return and Ron has been faithfully irrigating. Mother Nature just needs to let loose of her moisture more often.
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