Coffee comes from plants, and plants have to grow somewhere -- that may seem obvious, but those somewhere affect our experience of drinking coffee in ways which can be hidden, obscure, or even counterintuitive.  Newly revised, The Hawai‘i Coffee Book: A Gourmet's Guide from Kona to Kaua‘i introduces the agriculturally rich story of Hawaiian coffee as a way of thinking about coffee anywhere in the world. Hawai‘i blurs the traditional distinction between a growing economy and a consuming economy, and as such is a rare model how coffee can be a responsive system through the work of many hands: farmers, roasters, baristi, and consumers.  The implications for coffee quality, environmental stewardship, and economic justice mean that Hawai‘i can be a model for direct trade relationships with farmers and other industry best practices, whether mediated by green bean brokers, roasters, cafes, or consumers.  The privilege of establishing close relationships with the folks who grow, roast, and brew their coffee means consumers can influence the increasingly dynamic local coffee culture in ways that contribute to Hawai‘i’s adaptive cultural niche.

Accessible discussions of coffee quality, specialty coffee, and coffee growing frame a refreshing dive into Hawai‘i’s coffee history and its modern coffee industry.  Local farmer, roaster, and cafe profiles capture the complexity of the state’s 10 growing regions across five islands.

Brew something hot and settle in for this insistently diverse Hawaiian story.  Novice grokkers will acquire a solid footing in coffee production and culture, while industry insiders will learn about how Hawaiian coffee has evolved within the specialty market and the organoleptic possibilities it affords.

Resources from the Book

• Roasters and Cafés in Hawaii
• Supplemental Information & Sources