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BULLETIN 77, HAWAII EXPERIMENT STATION 



Supply: In the Kona section of Hawaii, the largest part of the 

 crop of coffee berries ripens between the middle of October and the mid- 

 dle of December. However, ripe beans may be found during the entire 

 year on trees growing at different levels. The total green coffee produc- 

 tion for the crop year 1933-34 amounted to 10,387,629 pounds, of which 

 54.4 percent, or 5,650,325 pounds, was shipped to the mainland; 22.1 

 percent, or 2,293,064 pounds, was exported to foreign countries, leaving 

 a balance of 23.5 percent, or 2,444,240 pounds, roasted in the Territory 

 and marketed mostly as "Kona" coffee. 



Use: Kona coffee is used extensively as a beverage in the Hawaiian 

 Islands and is shipped to the mainland where it is used in blended 

 coffees. The addition of a strong coffee infusion as a flavoring material 

 to ice cream, whipped cream or gelatin desserts makes a pleasing varia- 

 tion for the diet. 



Preparation of Hawaiian coffee 



A comparison of the boiling, percolating and steeping methods of making 

 a beverage from Hawaiian coffee showed that steeping the very finely ground 

 or pulverized coffee for two minutes proved superior to the other methods. 

 A five year old Hawaiian coffee, freshly roasted, gave better results than 

 coffee not so well aged before roasting. For the steeping method*, an 

 earthenware or glass pot is more desirable than a metal one. Two level 

 tablespoons of finely ground coffee are used to each half-pint measuring cup 

 of boiling water. The water is poured over the ground coffee and allowed 

 to steep 2 minutes and immediately filtered off. This gives a clear infusion 

 with a good flavor. 



In preparing boiled and percolated coffee, 1% tablespoons of finely ground 

 coffee and 1 measuring cup of cold water, boiled or percolated for 5 minutes 

 give a product equivalent in strength to the steeped coffee but not as clear. 



Beverages made from five year old Hawaiian coffee were compared with 

 products prepared from two well-known blended coffees made by the different 

 methods. The Hawaiian coffee seemed as strong as the two samples of 

 blended coffee although there was a difference in flavor. There seems to be 

 no reason for using a larger quantity of Hawaiian coffee than other coffees 

 when there is a short steeping, boiling or percolating period. 



* Johnson, Helen L. — Scientific Coffee Brewing — Results of Research Done in Dept. of Biology and 

 Public Health, Mass. Institute of Technology, 6+ Water Street, New York City. 



