The house blend at Small Town Coffee in Kapaa includes beans from Big Island’s Ka`u district. Daniel Lane photo

I just received an announcement naming the winners of the Hawaii Coffee Competition. Congratulations to every island, and to the farmers who hand-craft their coffee. Big coffee companies add 10 percent Kona coffee beans to 90 percent inferior beans sourced from outside the United States. As the Hawaii government bumbles through the Truth in Labeling bill, the only insurance you have when buying authentic Hawaiian coffee is knowledge. So feel free, indulge in these award winners!

Tasting Kauai hopes this announcement inspires more Kauai coffee growers to enter the 2013 competition.

WAIKAPU, HAWAII—The Hawaii Coffee Association (HCA) crowned the Grand Champions of Hawaiian Coffee at the 17th Annual Conference and 4th annual Cupping Competition at the Maui Tropical Plantation in beautiful Waikapu, Maui on Saturday, July 21st.

Wood Valley Coffee Co. from Hawaii Island’s Ka’u district received Grand Champion honors in the Commercial Category for those entries that had at least 300 pounds of the winning coffee available for purchase as of the time of entry.

Heavenly Hawaiian Farms from the Big Isle’s Kona district received Grand Champion honors in the Creative Category for those entries that had less than 300 pounds of the winning coffee available for purchase. The Creative Category encourages farmers to try new cultivation or processing methods without having to produce a commercial-level quantity of coffee.

The coffees were ‘cupped’ and scored from a pool of 117 premium Hawaiian coffees from eight statewide districts, a 100 percent increase in entrants over 2011. Entries were critiqued by a judging panel of coffee industry professionals using standardized blind procedures, as defined by the Specialty Coffee Association of America.

Java Kai in Kapaa sells and makes coffee grown on Kauai. Daniel Lane photo

The Specialty Coffee Association of America defines “Specialty Coffee” as a coffee that has a cupping score of 80.0 or greater. Awards were given for up to the top three eligible entries from each district, and the top 10 eligible coffees in each of the Commercial and Creative categories received awards.

Judges assigned a single numerical score to each coffee. Lead judges for this year’s cupping panel were Shawn Hamilton of Java City Roasters, Warren Muller of Inter American Coffee, and Paul Thornton of Coffee Bean International.

“This event seems to be creating more interest in learning and improving,” observed Thornton, who also serves as president of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. “There are more, better coffees, than ever. Bravo to the HCA for persevering and continuing this event. Keep it up.”

Incoming HCA President Greg Stille added, “New farms and the improvement and expansion of existing farms are combining to raise the bar on innovation and quality for the benefit of the entire Hawaii coffee industry and the drinking enjoyment of the specialty coffee consumer.”

Coffee cupping is a combination of art and science where coffees are evaluated and scored based on subtle characteristics including flavor, aroma, ”mouth-feel,” acidity, sweetness and aftertaste.

The conference also featured an industry trade show, guest speakers, growers’ reports, diverse educational seminars, a hands-on cupping workshop and a Hawaiian Coffee store.

The Hawaii Coffee Association’s mission is to represent all sectors of the Hawaii coffee industry, including growers, millers, wholesalers, roasters and retailers. HCA’s primary objective is to increase awareness and consumption of Hawaiian coffees. A major component of HCA’s work is the continuing education of members and consumers. This annual conference has continued to grow each year and has gained increased international attention. For more information visit Hawaii Coffee Association’s website.

Cupping Results for HCA’s 4th Annual Hawaii 2012 Competition

District Champions

KONA

• 1ST PLACE Heavenly Hawaiian Farms
• 2ND PLACE Naturescape Holding, dba Mountain Thunder
• 3RD PLACE Onouli Farm

KA’U

• 1ST PLACE Wood Valley Coffee Company – “Wet Process Peaberry”
• 2ND PLACE Wood Valley Coffee Company – “Wet Process #18 Screen”
• 3RD PLACE Rusty’s Hawaiian

MAUI

• 1ST PLACE Tambra Gardens
• 2ND PLACE Keokea Farms
• 3RD PLACE Upcountry Farm Specialties

HAWAII

• 1ST PLACE Manny’s Brew
• 2ND PLACE Big Island Coffee Roasters

KAUAI

• 1ST PLACE Kauai Coffee – “Sun Dried Yellow Bourbon”
• 2ND PLACE Kauai Coffee – “Sun Dried Kauai Blue Mountain”

OAHU

• 1ST PLACE Waialua Estate – “Fancy Typica Washed”
• 2ND PLACE Waialua Estate – “Select Typica Natural”

HAMAKUA

• 1ST PLACE Hawaiian Rainbow Farms

MOLOKAI

• 1ST PLACE Coffees of Hawaii

Commercial Division Awards

• 1st Wood Valley Coffee Company – “Wet Process Peaberry”, Ka’u
• 2nd Wood Valley Coffee Company – “Wet Process #18 Screen”, Ka’u
• 3rd Naturescape Holding, dba Mountain Thunder, Kona
• 4th Onouli Farm, Kona
• 5th Arianna Farms Ono Kona Coffee – Estate Typica / Washed, Kona
• 6th Molinto, Kona
• 7th R&A Coffee Farm, Ka’u
• 8th Rusty’s Hawaiian – “Wet Process Typica”, Ka’u
• 9th Kona KuLana Farms, Kona
• 10th Ka’u Coffee Mill – “Natural Process Typica”, Ka’u

Creative Division Awards 

• 1st Heavenly Hawaiian Farms, Kona
• 2nd Tambra Gardens, Maui
• 3rd Rusty’s Hawaiian – “Guatemalan Typica/Bourbon Wet Process”, Ka’u
• 4th Arianna Farms Ono Kona Coffee – “High Elevation Washed Typica”, Kona
• 5th JN Coffee Farm – “Guatemalan Washed”, Ka’u
• 6th Kowali Farm – “Wet Process Typica Peaberry”, Kona
• 7th Mauka Meadows, Kona
• 8th Kona Earth, Kona
• 9th Arianna Farms Ono Kona Coffee – “Grafted Progeny 502 Washed Process”, Kona
• 10th The Rising Sun, Ka’u