For some people—and we know who we are—nothing is more satisfying than the perfect cup of coffee at just the right time. The wizard who can make that wish come true is David Gridley, president of Maui Oma Coffee Roasting Co. He knows the chemistry, which at this level really should be called "alchemy," of coffee. He knows how to achieve the subtle balances of desirable acidity, aroma, flavor and body to produce a coffee for every palate. Just ask the chefs at Kimo’s, Roy’s, Tommy Bahama’s, or Pacific‘o. Or check with your favorite coffee stop, like Café Marc Aurel, Java Jazz, or Duncan’s. Gridley works with them all to deliver consistently excellent coffee that matches the mood and the food to a T. . . proceed to full article

Anyone who loves a good cup of joe made from Hawaii-grown coffee will want to attend a fun and informative event next month. The Hawaii Coffee Association's 14th annual Conference and Trade Show will be brewing July 9 through 12 at Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapu. "This will appeal to any coffee enthusiast, who is interested in coffee on any level," says Education Chair David Gridley, owner of Maui Oma Coffee Roasting in Kahului.. . . "We're really excited because this year we'll have the first-ever statewide cupping competition," says Gridley. "In the past, everything was all centered around Kona. But now that there are eight coffee districts recognized by the State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture, we are on a push to certify all Hawaii coffee." The eight districts include Kona, Ka'u, Hamakua and Puna on the Big Island along with Maui, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai, all as distinct coffee areas. "Maui has lots of emerging coffee farmers. We have representation from many small growers. The Maui Coffee Association has now been formed." Prominent guest speakers will include Skip Bittenbender, Ph.D., and Virginia Easton Smith from University of Hawaii's College of Tropical Agriculture; Chifumi Nagai, Ph.D., from the State of Hawaii's Hawaii Agricultural Research Center; and Howard Dicus from KGMB-9, the keynote speaker at the dinner reception. "Maui restaurateurs and even potential farmers will really benefit from attending. Our primary objective is to increase the awareness and the consumption of Hawaiian coffees," Gridley says. . . proceed to full article

Hawaii's coffee is reaching beyond the boundaries of Kona. Though still relatively small in comparison, coffee is becoming a crop of choice on the isles of Maui, Kauai, Molokai and Oahu, offering a diverse array of flavors representing Hawaii. The farms are as small as between 3 to 5 acres to as large as 100 acres or more. At the 14th annual Hawaii Coffee Association convention held on Maui in July, there were 69 entries from Kona and Kau on the Big Island, as well as Maui, Oahu, Molokai and Kauai. Kau coffee producers are serious contenders, with three scoring among the top 15 in the last HCA competition. Two coffees from Maui and one from Kauai rounded out the top finishers. . . proceed to full article

The Hawaii Coffee Association crowned a statewide Grand Champion of Hawaiian Coffee Saturday evening at its 14th annual conference at Maui Tropical Plantation. Sandra Lee Kunimoto, Chairperson of the Hawaii State Board of Agriculture, presented the coveted award. Onouli Farm of Kona received top honors along with coffees selected from each growing origin from the pool of 69 Hawaiian coffees entered in the first annual competition. Tom Greenwell, owner of Greenwell Farms in Kealakekua on the Kona Coast of the Big Island accepted the award for Onouli Farm. “This farm has been in my family for about 100 years.” said Greenwell. “It had been abandoned for a long time. A member of my family asked us to restore the farm to its former glory about four years ago. Our initial visit to the farm revealed that it had been overgrown by the macadamia orchard. We could hardly find the coffee trees but when we did, they were literally rotting away. I really want to thank our farm crew for all of their hard work.” Coffee cupping is a combination of art and science where coffees are evaluated and scored based on subtle characteristics including, flavor, aroma, ‘mouth-feel’, acidity, sweetness and aftertaste. . . proceed to full article