[ricardo diaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 909 My wife and I are coffee geeks. We have an expensive burr grinder, French press, and other neat coffee gadgets. Anyway, during our Hawaiian island hopping honeymoon we found this incredible coffee while dining at Daniel Thiebaut's on the Big Island. Since returning home from our honeymoon over two years ago, we’ve been ordering two pounds regilious every month, Here is the website (whole beans): http://www.longearscoffee.com/products.html I suggest the medium roast (strong and smooth, but never bitter).

MMM. KONA COFFEE.
My friend offered to give me a French press he got in Italy, but I refused. But I love the coffee I got.

I second this link, even if it's not the same coffee I have.

 

[Jahn]

It's all about the Kona for my wife. Ever since we went to Maui, she couldn't get off the stuff. I hate coffee, but I admit Kona smells perky.

 

[grawk]

My trip to hawaii last year is where I learned to like coffee...

 

[warubozu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk http://www.konajoe.com http://www.lioncoffee.com If you stick to a medium roast 100% kona, you'll make any coffee snob happy Whole bean only.

Would also highly recommend grawk's above recommended suggestions. Lion Coffee makes about the best 100% Kona Coffee there is, freshly roasted daily. The firm I'm currently working for used to be located in a building directly across the street from a Lion's Coffee cafe where they served freshed brewed and freshly roasted Kona coffee beans daily. Everyday you could smell the sweet Kona coffee smell coming from the Lion's Coffee cafe. Sadly we have since relocated office location and Lion's also moved their coffee cafe farther from my current office location.

More info on Kona Coffee:

http://www.kona-coffee-council.com/

In order for a coffee to bear the name Kona Coffee it must be certified as per Hawaii state law:

http://www.kona-coffee-auction.com/info.htm#cert

 

[acs236]

I roast my own even in the dead of winter. Like tonight.

 

[headchange4u]

Another vote for Kona. The Peaberry Kona from Bad Ass Coffee Company is the best coffe I have ever had.

My second choice would be Jamacian Blue Mountain but it's normally close to $40.00 lb.

 

[warubozu]

Would also like to suggest Honolulu Coffee Company as they along with Lion's serves some of the finest Kona coffee:

http://www.honolulucoffee.com/

 

[clarke68]

If she knows coffee well enough to know that "starbucks and their ilk are posers", then she'll probably know enough to know that Kona and Jamaica Blue Mountain are expensive only because of their rarity (small growing region), not because of their great flavor.

Both Kona and JBM, when they're good, are clean, light, & mild (hence their popularity with the general public). When they're bad, they're awful (yes, there is good Kona and bad Kona). Everyone I know who's really into coffee (myself included) prefers coffees with vastly more intensity and individual character: Yemeni, Ethiopian, Costa Rican, Kenyan...the list goes on. Plus, there is a lot more Kona & JBM sold in the U.S. each year than is actually exported from Jamaica or Hawaii...suggesting that much of what passes for these high-$$$ beans isn't the genuine article.

Coffee Review is a good site to shop for beans. For paraphenalia, Illy is arguably the coolest place around. Certainly not cheap, but their collectible cups should thrill any espresso lover. For general gifts, any coffee lover would adore a copy of Coffee: A Celebration of Diversity (also not cheap), available from Sweet Maria's, one of the best sites for the home roasting crowd.

Hope that helps!

 

[warubozu]

Hence the reason for the required certification that if you're a grower and you sell coffee that is said to contain any amount of Kona in it, that said amount needs to be stated and certified that it is indeed Kona and not some other being passed off as Kona. You're right that the reason why Kona and JBM is so expensive is beacause of it's rarity and not it's flavor, the same can be said with most coffees that price is based on availability not taste.

 

[Calanctus]

None of you guys has yet told him what the best coffee really is.

The thing to do is to get her some of this stuff, let her brew and savour it, then tell her what it really is; the taste will win her over in the long run, even though she might be a little taken aback when she first finds out.

Civet coffee: good to the last dropping

Here's a little more info:
Civet coffee blog entry

 

[909]

Long Ears Coffee is from the Hamakua Coast not Kona.

 

[stevesurf]

I would go for the combination Coffee Shop experience, combined with the great coffee. Take her to Cafe de Troit. Cool name, huh?

 

[rich1122]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calanctus None of you guys has yet told him what the best coffee really is. The thing to do is to get her some of this stuff, let her brew and savour it, then tell her what it really is; the taste will win her over in the long run, even though she might be a little taken aback when she first finds out. Civet coffee: good to the last dropping Here's a little more info: Civet coffee blog entry

OK - this REALLY grossed me out.....

 

[rudyhf]

Recommending coffee is a lot like recommending a fine wine or exceptional chocolates. It is extremely subjective and often bound to be complicated.

Having said that, there are several excellent roasters around the US who do online or mail order business. None of them are inexpensive, they use top quality beans and have high skill and the keen awareness of what it takes to make exceptional roasted coffees. If your friend uses a brewing method that can take advantage of this level of craftsmanship then I would respectfully suggest that you Google for and visit the websites of Paradise Roasters in MN, Cafe Vivace in Seattle and Intelligentsia in Chicago. They try hard to describe what their blends and single origin offerings can yield and are all serious at this craft. If pressed to identify one strong contender, I would go with Paradise Blend from Paradise Roasters, but YMMV.

For more information than you may wish to pursue, you might take a peek at www.coffeegeek.com where fanatics wax poetic about coffee beans, brewing methods, equipment and on and on.

Good luck.

 

[Zanth]

Am I correct in assuming that the US is THE country that consumes coffee? I think Europe is more tea-centric, safe for Italy and their fantangled espresso.