Kona Coffee FAQs-Roasting, Sourcing, and Shipping
Find answers to common questions about our 100% Kona coffees, roasting schedule, shipping times, and sourcing practices.
Kona Geisha Champagne Natural - 2025 Lot 2
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Roast: Light
Country: United States
Region: Hōlualoa, North Kona
Producer: Noelani Farm
Processing: Champagne Natural
Altitude: 750masl (2400-2500ft)
Tasting Notes
One of our juciest coffees ever! with notes of strawberry, lychee, watermelon, passionfruit, rose, and figs. A sweet cup with a vibrant acidity and creamy mouthfeel that hints of strawberry jam, passionfruit, and orange candy . Milk chocolate in the finish. Excellent as pour-over or cold brew.
Background Info
Geisha has been the world's most sought after coffee variety since it rose to fame in 2004 after Hacienda La Esmeralda won the Best of Panama cupping competition with it. Since then it has slowly been planted at farms around the world.
In March, 2015 Doug McKenna imported Geisha seeds to Hawaii from Finca La Milagrosa in Boquete, Panama. in February, 2018 he planted 2000 trees of Geisha in a field over-looking Kealakekua bay in Kona.
2020 was the first commercial sized harvest. Beginning in July we began working with farm owner Doug Mckenna doing yeast fermentation trials on the cherries with a dozen different wine yeast strains and several processing methods. We found a couple that paired very nicely with the geisha variety, helping to accentuate its inherent tropical fruit aromas when paired with our Champagne natural processing method. In 2021 this coffee began racking up awards in cupping competitions. In July 2024 his geisha once again took 1st place in the Hawaii Coffee Association cupping contest out of 100+ entries from across the state.
Now after a few more years we finally get to see the potential of the Geisha variety at high elevation farms in Kona and can offer a champagne natural version of this coffee that can still astound in the company of the best natural process geishas from around the world.
Noelani Farm
Located in the Holualoa area, Noelani Coffee Farm is one of the Kona District’s highest-elevation farms at 2500ft. The first plantings from 2018-2020 were of the K7 variety . 1.5 acres of the Geisha Variety propagated from plants at Doug McKenna’s Kona Geisha Farm were added in 2021.
We were excited when in November of 2023 the first harvests of Geisha started coming in. Tiny amounts of cherry every few weeks. After several months of harvest we blended these smalls batches of coffee into our first release of Kona geisha washed last summer.
The cool, cloud-shrouded, perpetually misty climate at these altitudes is more akin to the environment of Boquete, Panama than it is most other farms in the Kona district.
That first roast of Noelani Geisha washed coffee scored 96 on Coffee Review
"High-toned, tropical, exquisitely balanced. Orange blossom, cocoa nib, guava, young ginger, cedar in aroma and cup. Juicy-bright yet delicate acidity; silky-smooth mouthfeel. Long, resonant finish that fulfills the promise of the cup."
Noelani Champagne Natural 2025 Lot 2. March 28th Harvest.
Our first batch of Geisha Champagne natural of the season utilized 1 wine yeast strain and low temperature dehumidified drying which resulted a very citrusy and passionfruit forward, delicate cup. This coffee was used by Barista Circle Chan of The Coffee Movement in the 2025 US barista Championship where she took 5th place.
For our second lot of the season we sought to produce a lot that would be more intensely fruited and floral by utilizing a combination of inoculants (two yeast strains, and one Lactic Acid Bacteria strain) to hopefully result in a synergistic effect the would boost ester production. The results are very fruity indeed with a very different spectrum of flavors from lot one. Strawberry jam, Lychee, watermelon, Some passionfruit notes still appear, but in a more supporting role rather than a primary one. The mouthfeel is also noticeably fuller and creamier than Lot 1.
Frequently Asked Question
What is yeast fermented natural coffee?
Yeast fermented natural coffee is a technique in which yeast is introduced to the coffee during the fermentation process. This controlled fermentation can lead to greater consistency and distinct flavor profiles, often enhancing the coffee's complexity and depth. The process is akin to making wine or beer, hence the "Champagne" in our Kona Geisha Champagne Natural.
What is light roast coffee?
Light roast coffee refers to coffee beans that have been roasted for a shorter time, resulting in a lighter color and no oil on the surface of the beans. Light roasts are known for their vibrant, fruity, and acidic flavors, which allow the unique taste profiles of the coffee's origin to shine through. They offer a more nuanced, delicate flavor compared to darker roasts.
What Is 100% Kona Coffee?
100% Kona coffee refers to coffee grown exclusively in the Kona district of Hawai‘i Island — a small, volcanic region
along the western slopes of Hualālai and Mauna Loa. The combination of mineral-rich soil, afternoon cloud cover, and gentle trade winds produces one of the world’s most distinctive coffee terroirs.
To be labeled “100% Kona Coffee,” every bean must be grown within the Kona district and meet strict Hawai‘i grading quality standards. Kona coffee can be made from different arabica varieties, but Kona Typica — a heirloom lineage — remains the region’s most common and traditional cultivar.
If you’d like to explore more Kona coffees, you can browse the full collection here: Browse the Kona Coffee Collection .
About Kona Coffee
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Kona coffee grows on the volcanic slopes of Hawai‘i Island, where mineral-rich soil, afternoon cloud cover, and slow cherry maturation create a naturally sweet and balanced cup. Our Kona Classic Medium is sourced from high-elevation farms and hand-harvested for clarity, smoothness, and elegant sweetness.
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Yes — this roast is Authentic Kona coffee made exclusively from North Kona district-grown coffees, never blended. Our Kona coffees comes from small farms at the highest altitudes in the region.
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Medium roasts highlight Kona’s signature profile: gentle sweetness, soft citrus, toasted almond, and milk chocolate. The result is a balanced, approachable cup ideal for everyday brewing.
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This coffee shines in pour-over, drip, and French press. Use filtered water just off the boil and a medium grind for maximum clarity and sweetness. If you are looking for a Hawaiian coffee for espresso use we recommend our Hawai‘i Island Blend
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Kona is the highest labor cost coffee region in the world. Wages for farm workers here are 15-20x higher than almost all other coffee producing countries. Limited and expensive land, hand-picking, and high production costs create a naturally small supply each year — especially from high-elevation farms like those we partner with.
Company & Facility
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We roast and fulfill all of our coffee orders in Hilo, Hawai'i.
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We roast in small batches using a Diedrich IR12 roasting machine.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
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We source an array of the top specialty coffees worldwide that appeal to an array of different palates.
If at any point you have difficulty brewing, or just appreciating one of our roasted coffees, no problem. Shoot us an email within 5 days of receiving your coffee and we'll help you find the correct brew settings for your coffee, or give you a credit (minus actual shipping costs) on your next purchase. Yep, we're a Satisfaction Guarantee coffee company!
Please note, our Satisfaction Guarantee only applies to U.S. orders of roasted coffees, and you must contact us within 5 days of receiving the coffees. Credits do not include actual shipping fees, which may be different from posted shipping fees.
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We roast and ship on Monday/Wednesday/Friday.
Coffees
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Our commitment to you is to serve exceptional, fresh-roasted coffees. And part of being exceptional means roasting before the flavors inherent in the green bean begin to fade, which happens over time.
Like apples and pumpkins, coffee is a seasonal agricultural product and each country has a different harvesting cycle in which coffees are at their peak. If we were to insist on serving a single origin all year long, the flavors in that coffee would be noticeably better one half of the year over the other. So the reason you no longer see that coffee you loved is because the optimal season has passed. For more on seasonality in coffees, see this blog post here.
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Hopefully so. If it was a popular product or we receive customer requests, we will make every attempt to bring it back. However, please note that coffees from a certain producer may not taste the same year after year.
If you loved a coffee and no longer see it listed, shoot us an email and ask us what is similar. We’d be happy to provide a personal recommendation.
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We aim for balance and completeness along with differentiation and distinction. You shouldn't need to be a professional coffee taster to tell the coffees a part, so, when we’re selecting coffees, we want them to be distinct from each other.
We avoid ”one-trick pony” type coffees, such as Ethiopians with great aroma but no body or acidity, or coffees with good aroma and acidity but lacking sweetness. These elements, which are often reflections of the growing conditions, are harmonized through good roasting.
And, obviously, defects — even subtle defects — influence our selection. Since we live and work at origin, we’re sensitive to coffee defects like “past crop”, pulpy, and naturals that border on over-ferment. With naturals, we’ll only carry these when great examples are available.
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Our perspective on roasting is similar: we seek balance and distinction. To expect that a coffee is “best” when roasted to some pre-determined degree (i.e. only light roasting or only dark roasting) is analogous to thinking that each person would look best in the same outfit, or each coffee should be grown in the same way. We believe it’s our job to discover the roast degree which best highlights outstanding qualities in each coffee.
