Kona Cloud Coffee Medium Roast Review

This was to be my first experience of 100% Hawaiian Kona so when I was told some was being sent for my review I was excited to receive it. While waiting for my shipment to arrive from FedEx I did a little background research on Kona Cloud Coffee Estates and found that it’s a company born out of a passion and love for both Hawaii and coffee by owner James Ameika.

Kona Cloud started by finding a plot of land in Kona and planting coffee trees in 1997 and had its first harvest in 2000. Their business plan is to grow their Kona beans in Hawaii and then ship those green beans to their roasting facility in Jonesboro Arkansas. This keeps their costs down and provides us with freshly roasted 100% Hawaiian Kona stateside.

Once I received the coffee I first noticed it was packaged in the best zip-loc degassing valve bag for freshness. The beans were beautiful and opening the bag I was enveloped with an amazing aroma.

I decided I wanted to try this Medium Roast as three different brewing methods. First in the Yama Vacuum Brewer, secondly in the Clever Coffee Dripper and finally as a shot of espresso. Each method I was met with success. The medium roast is still a bold cup of coffee and I was pleased with the chocolate notes that came through while maintaining a fruity undertone. The sweet body of this brew was a remarkable experience to say the least. Both the vac pot and full immersion brew techniques delivered a beautiful extraction from these beans. I was also very impressed with the crema I got when I tried it as a shot of espresso.

Although I could tell these beans were fresh from the bloom I got when making my brew, I wish Kona Cloud would roast date their bags so people know just how fresh it is. Kona Cloud Medium Roast is available for $12.50 a half pound. If you’re looking to try some Kona, give this family run business a try. The love they put into these beans is very evident!

Have a Hario V60 Pour Over!

Continuing the exploration of different brewing methods brings me to the pour over drip method. There are several options in the category of pour over but I’ve found the best results using the Hario V60. Hario products come from Japan and are of very high quality. Hario in Japanese means “The king of glass” and they sure are! All the items I’ve handled are made of very durable glass and ceramic.

So how does a Hario V60 with a big hole in the bottom make a good cup of coffee? Well with the Hario V60 it’s all about the pour. Controlled pouring allows for full extraction of the coffee beans. You’re essentially coaxing the goodness out of the beans from the very first pour. I’ll explain in more detail when I give some brewing tips.

Along with the big hole, The Hario V60 also has a pattern of curved ridges that assist in the flow of water during the extraction process. The filter used with the Hario is also a bit different in that it is a full cone shape with a point to direct the flow of coffee leaving the filter.

This is a method of brewing I use every morning with my first cup of coffee. I find the hands on approach exciting and a good way to wake me up. It delivers an amazing cup of java that is sure to please.

Some method tips on using the Hario V60:

1. Start to boil your water. (Filtered water recommended) I boil more then I need to have plenty for rinsing and extraction.
2. As always … Start with fresh roasted beans! I measure out 26 grams of coffee (about 2 of the Hario scoops) and place it in the grinder until my water is ready.
3. As the water approaches boil I place my filter in the Hario V60 and rinse it with the hot water. This gets rid of any paper taste which can really ruin any single cup brewing method quickly!
4. Grind the beans. I grind a little finer then normal drip. Place in your wet filter.
5. You want to end up with about 14oz. of coffee with this amount of coffee so measure it out from your hot water and place it in something you can pour from.
6. Bloom your coffee! Yes bloom! This means wetting your beans with the smallest amount of water to get the extraction process started. You should see bubbling as gas escaping if you have fresh coffee. Let this sit for 30-45 seconds.
7. Water just off the boil around 201 – 205ºF should be used in the following method:
• Pour slowly in the center in a circular motion
• Do not hit the edge of the coffee as this will disturb the extraction of the coffee allowing water to run down the inside of the Hario V60 into your container of extracted coffee
• Do not fill above the line of the coffee with water
• Stream your water in a slow controlled circular stream - The Hario V60 Buono Drip Kettle will make this a breeze!
8. Enjoy the efforts of your work with a great cup of coffee. Total time should only be about 2-3 minutes.

Here are a few pictures from a recent brewing. Cheers!Tom