Hawaii Coffee Company – Hawaii’s Favorite Coffee Brands

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages, earning the title ‘Elixir of life.’ People love it because coffee is a fantastic beverage since you can prepare it in so many different ways, both hot and cold—espresso, filter, or drip-through. It’s also an excellent way to unwind in the morning and can be enjoyed in breezy evenings.

We all enjoy coffee regardless of the preparation—instant, iced with sugar and cream, French press, cold brew, or pour-over. However, choosing the best coffee proves challenging.

You have to consider which brand tastes the best, but you should also keep other things in mind, such as its consistency, type, growing region, grind style, roast style, and brewing method.

For your convenience, we have reviewed the best Hawaiian coffee brands. Let’s dig deeper:

Quick View

• Best Ground Coffee: Hawaiian Lion 24K Gold Roast
• Best Decaf Coffee: Royal Kona Decaffeinated
• Best Premium: Lion Coffee French Roast
• Best Whole Bean Coffee: Royal Kona Estate Kona Coffee

1. Hawaiian Lion 24K Gold Roast

Hawaiian Lion 24K Gold Roast is unquestionably a favorite among coffee enthusiasts. Our experts claim its taste is nothing less than phenomenal. This gourmet coffee comes in a convenient drip grind, is packed with flavor, and is difficult to resist.

This medium-roast Kona coffee has a smooth, hearty flavor, making sipping it a pleasure. Consider it a vacation in a cup—fresh, robust, and highly exotic. However, such a rare variety of coffee comes with a high price tag, but the bold taste and intense aroma make the experience worthwhile.

The company claims that the coffee evolves from 100% Hawaiian Kona and magically transforms into a flavorful cup of coffee when brewed perfectly.

Pros

• Exotic gourmet flavor
• Packed with a great flavor
• A strong and smooth blend
• Available in drip grind size

Cons

• Not the cheapest but you get what you pay for.

2. Royal Kona Decaffeinated

If you are craving a superior cup of decaf Kona-style coffee, this Royal Kona 100 percent mix might be for you. This tasty coffee is sun-roasted and produced in small amounts on a single Hawaiian estate. Since the roasting procedure is limited, only the best beans make it into each bag.

The attention to detail and effort in preparing this Hawaiian coffee results in a smooth taste and a robust flavor that lower-end coffees cannot match. Unfortunately, the coffee has a harsh, bitter aftertaste, which may be a downside for some. With this coffee, you will have a taste of Hawaii in each brewed cup.

Pros

• Sun-roasting significantly enhances the bean’s flavor
• Smooth blend and rich flavor profile
• Always fresh and packed with flavor

Cons

• Slightly bitter aftertaste but also depends on brewing technique

3. Lion Coffee – French Roast

Lion French Roast coffee has the signature flavor of dark roasted whole beans. This Hawaiian coffee, available in 1.5-pound bags of ground or whole beans, is strong and dark, with undertones of fruits and spices.

The drawback? The slightly charred flavor might not be preferred by many, and the beans are oily, which may be an issue depending on how you want to brew your coffee. Lion’s French Roast coffee isn’t as flavorful as our top recommendation, but it’s an excellent option with low bitterness.

Pros

• Intense roasted flavor
• Reasonable price
• Offers a choice between ground and whole beans

Cons

• Beans are slightly oily
• Less complex flavor profile

4. Royal Kona Estate Kona Coffee

The Royal Kona brand acquires its coffee beans from hand-grown plantations to ensure top-notch quality. These beans are milled at their Captain Cook facility in the Kona region on Hawaii’s big island. This is the heart of the growing region.

Royal Kona Estate coffee is an excellent choice because although it is a medium roast blend,  it is lighter than typical Kona roasts. In addition, they offer a clean, bright and intense flavor profile.

The Royal Kona brand stands out from the rest mainly due to its delicious and clean flavor. If you like light roasts, then this is the Hawaiian coffee for you. In addition, many people like to call it the perfect pour-over coffee.

This coffee is available from the Hawaiian Coffee Company as whole bean or as an all-purpose grind. The beans are only medium-roasted after being ordered, so they remain fresh and taste delightful.

Pros

• Deep and complex flavor profile
• Offers two options: whole bean or ground
• Medium roasted to preserve freshness

Cons

• Consistency is not as smooth as others

Buyer’s Guide

When looking for the best Hawaiian coffee, several variables will help you to determine the best type of coffee beans for you. These are:

Coffee Quality

Like everything else, there are coffee beans of different qualities. Most Hawaiian coffee has been grown at higher elevations, which allows each coffee bean to be packed with immense flavor. Hawaiian coffee is also not just a single origin; it is considered a single estate! It is rare and delicious and has a unique island microclimate.

Types of Roasts

What is your favorite coffee roast? There are three primary roast types: light, medium, and dark. Let’s find out about them:

• Light Roast

A light roast coffee bean has a dry surface and light brown color. It often yields coffee that is mild, well-balanced, and rich in acidity. However, a brief roasting time prevents oil from reaching the bean’s outer layer, so this coffee isn’t as strong as the rest of the coffees. Light roast coffee is also known as Light City, Cinnamon, New England, and Half City.

• Medium Roast

Medium roast coffee results in a brown bean, but the longer roasting time lets some oil escape and reach the bean’s outer layer. It is the most popular roast level among American consumers and restaurant owners. The bean offers more substantial amounts of acidity. Other common names for this type are American, City, and Breakfast.

• Medium-Dark Roast

The coffee beans produced by this roasting technique have a deep, dark brown color, and many oils seep into the outer layer; the oils are clearly visible on the beans. However, it has a little higher acidity. True coffee enthusiasts who prefer a strong and full-bodied cup favor it because of its rich flavor and aroma. Espresso is typically made with this roast. You can also call it Full City or Light French roast.

• Dark Roast

Dark bean oils can rise to the surface, making them glossy. The taste can occasionally be a bit bitter because of the reduced acidity level, but despite this, it has a lot of flavors, and many consumers adore this roast. It is also referred to as European, High, New Orleans, Espresso, French, Italian, and other names.

How Do You Drink Your Hawaiian Coffee?

One of the essential points to consider before drinking your Hawaiian coffee is if the coffee beans taste best with milk or without milk.

Milk Coffee

Milk has its flavor qualities, and attempting to get a citrus or jasmine taste in a milk-based beverage will not be successful.

Since Hawaiian coffee beans have special flavors, you may want to limit sweeteners so you can taste the unique brew.

Black Coffee

You have a wider variety of flavor options if you drink coffee without milk. Black coffee allows you to focus on the coffee’s flavors. You may choose which coffees are for you by knowing your palate and the flavors you enjoy.

All coffees are excellent if you obtain a cupping score of 80 or higher. If you don’t enjoy a particular coffee, you’re either not brewing it properly, or the flavor doesn’t appeal to you. The cupping score is the system used to assess the different characteristics of coffee to determine its quality.

Conclusion

We hope you found this article helpful in locating the finest Hawaiian coffee types. When you finally get some top-notch Hawaii coffee, brew it as best as possible so you enjoy it to the fullest. The best thing you can do to improve your Hawaiian coffee quality is to grind the beans just before brewing them. This keeps the coffee fresh and flavorful until you’re ready to enjoy it.