Did you know that Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. to produce coffee commercially?
While most people are familiar with Kona coffee, there is much more to discover in its volcanic soils - in fact, almost every island grows coffee.
Here's everything you need to know about a cup of joe in paradise.
Big Island
Kona coffee is the resident king not only on the Big Island but in all of Hawaii. Kona is the name of the region, and, like Champagne and Bourbon, only coffee grown in the Kona District can be called "Kona coffee." Within the Kona district, there are hundreds of growers, ranging from small family farms to larger estates, and many, like Greenwell Farms and Mountain Thunder, offer public tours. Every November, there is a Kona Coffee Cultural Festival in Kailua-Kona.
On the other side of the island, the lesser-known Kau coffee region also has a lot to offer in both quality and experience. Its roots in the coffee industry date back more than 60 years, and its reputation has been growing steadily over the past decade, especially here in Hawaii. You can now find Kau coffee at grocery stores around the islands and its farms, like the Kau Coffee Mill, are open for tours and tastings.
Oahu
Oahu has a large footprint in the coffee industry in Hawaii, not only as a grower but as a distributor as well. Many coffee companies and roasteries, like Lion Coffee, source beans throughout the islands and then roast and serve them in cafes in Honolulu.
But Oahu is not limited to roasting other island's beans. In agriculturally-focused central and northern Oahu, coffee is grown in many of the fields. You can visit, tour, and taste at plantations like Green World and Waialua Coffee.
Maui
Like Oahu, Maui also has several coffee roasters, like the Maui Coffee Company, that aggregate Hawaii-grown coffee and sell their products throughout the State. But they also have growers as well - more than 50 producers that range in size.
On the small end, you can visit and spend the night on the 20-acre Maliko Estate Coffee Farm. To see a large-scale operation, take a tour of MauiGrown Coffee's Kananapali fields near Lahaina.
Kauai
Believe it or not, little-ole Kauai boasts the largest coffee farm in the United States. Kauai Coffee Company has an astounding 4 million coffee trees across 3,100 acres, and produces a wide range of coffee roasts, including flavored coffee.
Free tours happen daily and there are free samples all day long at the visitor center.
Molokai
There is only one plantation that grows and roasts 100% Molokai beans. Called Coffees of Hawaii, it encompasses 500-acres in up-country Kualapuu.
You can visit and take a tour, and you can usually find it on sale in grocery stores throughout the islands. You can also buy it online.
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