There are two international airports on the Big Island of Hawaii: one in Hilo on the east, where the county seat is located, and the other in Kona on the west, the gateway to tourism. As everyone knows, Kona is famous for its coffee, and the rare Kona coffee produced there is a popular brand in Japan.
The person at JALPAK Hawaii who took care of us on this trip said, “There is a place nearby where you can have a typical Hawaiian Island experience. Why don’t you go there? The famous manager is also very interesting. (75-5568 Mamalahoa Hwy, Holualoa, HI), which is directly operated by UCC, a Japanese company.
The western slope of Hualalai Mountain (300 to 800 meters above sea level), which can be seen from downtown Kona at 2,521 meters above sea level, is dotted with many coffee plantations because of its moderate rainfall, temperature differences, and soil suitable for coffee cultivation. The UCC Hawaii Kona Coffee Estate, established in 1989, has nearly 20,000 coffee trees planted on a 16-hectare slope. When I visited the estate, the coffee harvest season starts in August and lasts until the beginning of the new year, so I was even more curious to see the coffee trees. I was even more intrigued.
It is a 15-minute drive from the city center. The plantation offers free tours in Japanese (reservations required), and a kiosk at the plantation where you can purchase coffee beans and taste freshly ground coffee. From the wooden deck on the slope, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the coffee fields, the town of Kona, and the majestic Pacific Ocean, making it a great place to make memories of your visit to the Big Island of Hawaii. It is the perfect spot to make memories of your “visit to the Big Island of Hawaii!
This time, I took a tour of the farm and also participated in a hands-on roasting tour (from $50). Mr. Hideki Miki, Store Sales Manager, guided us through the tour. He gave us an entertaining and detailed explanation of the characteristics of Kona coffee, its cultivation method, and why Kona coffee is relatively expensive.
First, he told me about the coffee trees planted on the slope. What was surprising to see was that every five years or so, the trees are cut down to about 30 cm from the ground. This method, known as “cutback,” is said to be very effective in bringing back vigor to trees that have lost productivity, and is done systematically. Indeed, new shoots were growing vigorously around the cutbacks.
Kona coffee is expensive because it is harvested by hand and because of the high cost of labor in this industrialized country. Coffee grown on slopes has a very good flavor due to the difference in temperature, but it is difficult to use machines and the maturity of the coffee varies, so it is inevitably picked by hand.
About 150 years ago, this work was done by Japanese immigrants, but these days many Mexican immigrants from the U.S. West Coast are involved in this work. They are highly skilled professionals who also harvest vast orchards on the West Coast as seasonal labor, and it is amazing that a skilled person can harvest 200 kg of coffee beans per day.
The coffee roasting experience takes place in the roasting room located in the kiosk. Using one of the nine roasting machines lined up in a row, visitors experienced the entire process of “putting in green beans,” “roasting to their liking,” “transferring roasted beans to trays,” “cooling coffee beans,” and “packing coffee beans into packages. Before roasting, the participants took pictures of the coffee plantation in the background and printed out labels, which were then attached to the package to create a one-of-a-kind original product.
The degree of roasting, such as medium roast, city roast, and French roast, directly affects the taste of the coffee, and Kona Coffee recommends city roast or full city roast. Kona Coffee recommends city roast or full city roast. The characteristic of Kona Coffee is its high aroma and crisp acidity, and this roasting method can bring out these characteristics in a well-balanced manner.
If you have your own particular taste, you can choose a shallow roast to bring the acidity to the forefront. Coffee beans are roasted in a rotating roasting machine. Jap! The coffee beans rise in the rotating roasting machine, and after 10 minutes, the color of the coffee beans begins to change from a state of almost no aroma. I was impressed by the aroma of the coffee.
Applications for this tour can be made online, but you will need to arrange your own transportation to the site, such as a rental car. JALPAK Hawaii also offers tours that include transportation, so please contact them for more information.
On this day, the terrace on the wooden deck was also crowded with tourists, many of whom were enjoying their coffee while taking in the spectacular view. Touring the plantation is a good way to deepen your knowledge of coffee, or just have a good time with Mr. Miki’s hilarious talk. A tour that offers a valuable roasting experience is also recommended as a memorable souvenir. When you visit the Big Island of Hawaii, we hope you will add it to your list of places to visit.
© Source travel watch
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