For today’s coffee review, I am checking out Rusty’s Hawaiian “Honey Typica”.
But first…for those who are not familiar with the award winning coffee company in the Ka’u region, here is quick introduction!
Who and what is Rusty’s Hawaiian?
For those not familiar with Rusty’s Hawaiian, the original founders are Rusty and Lorie Obra. Both were living in New Jersey before moving to Ka’u with a dream to create a coffee farm from old sugarcane land.
Rusty was a retired chemist and also the founder president of the Ka’u Coffee Growers Cooperative and unfortunately he passed away in 2006.
While Lorie who also had a scientific background, continue on with her and her husband’s dream of running the coffee farm with the goal of making “some of the best coffee in the world” and conducting many experiments of coffee, from fermentation to roasting.
In 2007, Rusty’ Hawaiian ranked in the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA)’s top 10 in the Hawai’i/Asia/Indonesia regional competition.
In 2012, Rusty’s Hawaiian was one of the 10 winners of the 2012 Roaster’s Guild Coffees of the Year Competition.
Rusty and Lorie’s daughter Joan and her husband Ralph Gaston would move from California to Hawaii to join Lorie in running the family business.
Not many people know this but there is a connection to the valley. Joan used to work for the Fresno Bee and her husband Ralph worked as a sportscaster.
For me, I personally root for Rusty’s Hawaiian to become successful.
For one, Rusty (Restituto Soriano Obra) is Filipino and in my family, we have Soriano’s in our bloodline (Granted, there are many Soriano’s all over the Philippines and throughout the world, but to see a Filipino man who went on to become a chemist and a coffee farmer, for me that is so cool!).
Second, I like the fact to see two people from the media now working in coffee. Personally, it’s cool to see the two now involved in a successful coffee business in Hawai’i, but also a family business built with aloha.
And with two from media, Joan and also Ralph (who is African-American) working in the coffee industry is really awesome! Check out this cool interview Honolulu Magazine did with Ralph.
Ralph, Lorie and Joan also offer specialty green coffees from Hawaii, Thailand and more through their other company, Isla Coffees, joining forces with R. Miguel Meza co-founder/co-owner of Paradise Roasters in Ramsey, MN and Mountain View, HI. Isla Coffee exports coffee worldwide.
When it comes to coffee, there are two types of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is known for its flavor, aroma and low caffeine.
Robusta is known for its more stronger, bitter flavor and high caffeine content.
The most popular Arabica varities are Bourbon, Catuai, Mundo, Novo, Typica and Maragotype.
So, many are familiar with Kona District but what about Ka’u District?
Ka’u is the darker green on this map above.
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. While for Kona coffee, its cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa. Rusty’s Hawaiian is located in Pahala, Hawaii on the south of Mauna Loa of the Kau District.
Which leads me to my review of Rusty’s Hawaiian “Honey Typica”. This coffee scored a 92 by Coffee Review.
According to Rusty’s Hawaiian:
‘Honey’ is another word for a pulped natural processing method, where we strip the skins off of the coffee cherry but allow some of the sticky fruit residue to remain. We then dry the beans in thin layers, resulting in a sweet brew.
This is pretty cool as many coffee companies avoid the natural sugar residue to stay on the coffee bean/cherry but this one, they strip the skin but allow some of the residue to remain.
In my experience, Hawaiian coffees utilizing this method, the coffee has been sweet but quite satisfying.
For Rusty’s Hawaiian Honey Typica, the notes are sweet almost cocoa with spice. Slight acidity but its sweet and smooth.
The finish is a hint of wood, not exactly earthy but sweet and wood-like but in a good way. Hint of tart as well.
No doubt different when compared to Rusty Hawaiian’s Natural Typica, but still…this is a delicious coffee (while those who want sweet, I am much more biased to Rusty Hawaiian’s wonderful Maui Mokka Peaberry).
But I do recommend Rusty Hawaiian’s Honey Typica.
