In my previous Rusty’s Hawaiian review, I went into detail about Rusty’s Hawaiian but also reviewing their Kona Maragogype coffee beans and how delicious the coffee is.
This time I will be reviewing the Rusty’s Hawaiian Maui Moka Peaberry.
The coffee received a score of 95 back in 2012 by Coffee Review and before I get to the review of the coffee, let me first discuss what is Peaberry.
Peaberry (aka Caracol in Spanish) is a type of coffee bean and usually, the fruit of a coffee plant contains two seeds (which are the beans) that develop with flattening facing sides. Sometimes only one of the two seeds are fertilized and the single seed develops with no flattening. The oval/pea-shaped bean is known as a peaberry (this happens to about 5% of coffee beans).
So, how do farmers know whether it’s a single or double header inside, well Hawaiian coffee are hand assorted after picking and because it can be laborious work, sometimes peaberry can cost a little bit more than typical coffee beans.
So, here is a size comparison with the maragogype, typica (the usual size of bean) and the far right is the peaberry.
Tiny beans aren’t they?
But did you know Peaberry, despite how much smaller they are, they are absolutely sweeter and delicious.
Rusty’s Hawaiian Maui Mokka Peaberry is 100% Maui Coffee. Many Hawaiian coffee come from the Kona and Ka’u districts and because of the Mauna Loa volcano, the rich volcanic soil. But coffee is also produced in Maui, the second largest island in Hawai’i.
Looking at the map, you can see the big Healeakala volcano near upcountry and East Maui. This is a massive shield volcano which formed more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui, the other from Mauna Kahalawai in the west. The last eruption was in 1790 and there are numerous companies that cultivate coffee from the rich volcanic soul of this huge volcano.
But on the western side of Maui.
The other volcano on the western part of the island is Mauna Kahalawai (West Maui Mountains or “Hale Mahina”). This volcano is an eroded shield volcano which has not erupted since 320,000 years ago.
Many coffee is produced in the west at the Ka’anapali Estate near Lahaina and at the foothills of Mauna Kahalawai and an area known at one time for its wet-taro cultivation.
Now Mohka (or Mokka) coffee beans grown in K’anapali, Maui are grown in this rich volcanic soil and Mokha comes from the fact that the beans are sweet and chocolate tasting.
Miguel Meza who helped select the Mokka beans for Rusty’s Hawaiian (with owner Lorie Obra) wrote the following article “Demystifing Mokka” for Coffeereview.com, “What is grown on Maui isn’t this mutant. It is something called ‘tall Mokka.’ At some point, intentionally or accidentally, the Mokka mutant hybridized with Typica, a tall variety genetically distinct from Bourbon. The resulting plant retains the small cherries, leaves and beans of the Mokka mutation but is a tall tree like Typica, but much bushier. It is this hybrid that is planted on Maui and nowhere else that I know of.”
“Because of the small size of the cherry it seems ideal for the natural process, but unfortunately, except on farms that mechanically harvest like they do in Maui, it is quite unpractical to plant as it is very difficult and time-consuming to pick by hand.”
Rusty’s Hawaiian’s Maui Mokka Peaberry has been award winning since 2009 and has a hint of rose, blackberry, candied citrus and dark chocolate”.
Whether you drink it straight or drink it with cream, this coffee is sweet.
It’s absolutely delicious and I think those who prefer complex, will go more for other beans rather than the Maui Mokka, if they like a more darker taste. This is for those who want a delicious, sweeter coffee that I feel is the Hawaiian coffee to introduce to newbie friends who have never tried Hawaiian coffee and are casual drinkers who aren’t sure if they like medium roasted or dark roasted coffee, but also use sugar and cream. It’s a safe coffee that you can’t go wrong with, may it be with yourself, family or friends.
Especially if you are wanting to spread the aloha of getting people to try Hawaiian coffee but also trying a coffee from the Hawaiian Island of Maui.
Overall, this is another excellent coffee from Rusty’s Hawaiian that I highly recommend!
