[post_thumbnail]During a recent trip to Kauai, Hawaii I paid a visit to the Kauai Coffee Company and it was worth every minute. A short scenic drive from our hotel in Wailua on the east side of the island got us there in no time. The roads in Hawaii are fairly simple to navigate. Especially on the smaller islands.
The trouble with being a coffee lover is that I’m always searching to find the best cup of coffee and the Kauai Coffee Company gave me way too many to choose from. The great thing about this unique coffee company is that there is no entry fee and they provide samples of all of their coffee for free. I was buzzing from caffeine fairly quickly and only made it half way through all of the samples. Big Braddah’s was my personal favourite.
In operation since 1987 the Kauai Coffee Company is definitely a tourist destination complete with a small museum showcasing very old traditional coffee grinders and roasters. They also have a bakery with the most delicious Malasadas (sugar coated donut balls) and daily coffee specials. You are able to order full cups of coffee from them.
In addition to the museum there is a self guided tour of the coffee plantation. You’re able to roam through the rows of coffee plants and see all of the different types of coffee beans. Along the way there are signs with information about each of the areas. It is a beautiful place but those coffee beans can sometimes smell horrible.
After a walk through the plantation it was time to purchase some souvenirs. I made off with several bags of coffee along with a flyer to join their membership to have coffee shipped overseas. Well worth joining as the cost is very similar to buying a bag at home.
The Kauai Coffee Company has flourished since it started with only a brief setback of 8.5 million in damages to its crop caused by Hurricane Iniki in 1992. A few years later the company was back in business and is now the top coffee producer in the Kona region. For more information on the Kauai Coffee Company visit http://www.kauaicoffee.com/ complete with an online coffee shop.
