In this review, I check out Hula Daddy’s “Kona Sweet” 100% Kona Coffee!
So, who or what is Hula Daddy?
Hula Daddy has a reputation of being one of making the world’s best coffee from the Kona region.
Established by Lee and Karen Paterson in 2002, the couple invested in an 11 acre cow pasture in the Kona region of Hawai’i (the Big Island) to create one of the test best coffees in the world.
But to make sure it was done right, the couple hired a local agronomist who had a positive reputation for planning Kona Coffee plantations. Which would lead to the couple planting 7,000 coffee trees.
Three years later, the Paterson’s harvested their first crop but as years passed by, they noticed their coffee beans getting better and better and eventually earning Hula Daddy multiple awards and positive reviews.
But the couple didn’t stop there. They then hired a coffee expert from Minnesota, retained a soil consultant from the Napa Valley wine industry and changed every operation on the farm from planting to roasting.
An expensive endeavor, it paid off as Hula Daddy tripled their cost of production and the quality of their coffee became known worldwide.
So, where is Kona?
Kona is the orange portions of the map.
But to show even a more detailed map… As you can see, there are two major volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.
Manua Loa is considered the largest volcano on Earth (Note: Research announced in 2013 that Tamu Massif, an extinct submarine shield volcano in the northwest Pacific Ocean, may now be the largest, but more research is being done) and is a sub aerial volcano and also an active shield volcano. Also, it’s non explosive. Mauna Loa’s most recent eruption was back in 1984
And the soil of Mauna Loa is rich volcanic oil and has a rain forest climate so, on the Hilo side, that is where the popular Macadamia nuts are grown.
Now that’s two of the volcanos I have discussed, but for this, I will discuss a third for coffee cultivating in the Big Island of Hawai’i.
Hualalai is an active volcano on the the Big Island and is the third most active of the five volcanoes after Mauna Loa and Kilauea. The volcano hasn’t erupted since 1801 and has been inactive for the last 2,000 years and the area had been inhabited by Hawaiian natives and is the home to many rare species and natural reserves.
While for Kona coffee, its cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa. Many coffee crops are grown on Hualalai’s western slope near the town of Holualoa. Hula Daddy is located in Holualoa.
Six years later, the company bought a 20-acre pasture at 2,500 feet on the slope of the Hualalai Volcano and by 2014, Hula Daddy was the top coffee in the Kona Cultural Festival Cupping Competition and in 2015, they were the top Kona Coffee and the Top Hawaiian Coffee in the Hawaiian Coffee Cupping Competition.
You are getting 100% Kona Coffee direct from the plantation and once again, I have to say, if you are or want to be a coffee connoisseur, when it comes to coffee from Kona District of Hawai’i, I’m talking Grade A 100% Kona Coffee, not prime “Kona Coffee” (the not so good coffee beans purchased by companies) which you see sold at a department store for cheap.
Also, Hawai’i is one of the most expensive places to live and there is no such thing as cheap labor. For quality coffee, beans that have to be picked and separated by hand, it all comes with a price.
Expect to pay a premium for quality coffee, similar to those who are used to spending a lot more money for fine wine. Also, to know you are getting authentic coffee from a region, you purchase direct from the farmers.
For this review, I check out Hula Daddy’s “Kona Sweet”.
According to Hula Daddy:
A dried in the fruit natural coffee. Soft but powerful acidity with an apple cider nuance. Delicate, silky mouthfeel, very sweet, which suggests at moments subtle milk chocolate. Smooth, clean, lightly flavor-saturated finish.
To be truthful, I wasn’t sure what to expect from “Kona Sweet”. When I think of Hawai’i and sweet coffee, I think of Maui Mokka but this is a coffee that is interesting because you taste acidity and the apple cider. You taste like a dark cherry note and then a dark milky chocolate finish.
The coffee is dry-processed (natural) and the beans were dried inside the fruit, which probably lends to its apple-cider/dark cherry notes. But it was no doubt a taste that I was expecting, because I was thinking something similar to a Maui Mokka, but possibly peaberry trees cultivated in the Kona District.
But this one has an interesting taste which is good but never expected the apple cider/dark cherry notes, the amount of acidity and then it’s milky dark chocolate finish. It’s sweet but not Maui Mokka sweet, but nevertheless I feel it’s a coffee which coffee lovers will love for its complexity but also because of how unique this coffee is overall.
Hula Daddy’s Kona Sweet goes for $49.95 for a half pound bag. Definitely worth checking out!
