Categorized | Agriculture

Ka‘u boasts three of top 10 coffees

Top Coffees in the USA were from Ka‘u farmers Bull Kailiawa in 2011 and Willie Tabios (right) in 2012. Both will head for Portland in April to represent Ka‘u coffee at the SCAA convention. (Photo courtesy of Julia Neal)

MEDIA RELEASE

In an annual competition hosted by the Roasters’ Guild of the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), three coffees from the Ka‘u coffee growing region were among the top 10 judged, earning them the coveted title Coffee of the Year for 2012.

Winners from Hawaii are:
* Will and Grace Tabios of The Rising Sun
* Lorie Obra of Rusty’s Hawaiian
* Francis and Trinidad Marques of Alii Hawaiian Hula Hands Coffee

More than 250 coffee samples representing 26 countries vied in the prestigious competition to be recognized as the best specialty coffee from around the globe for the 2011/12 season.

A panel of experienced coffee cupping judges blindly evaluated the sensory attributes of each coffee to determine objective scores for fragrance and aroma, taste, flavor, acidity, aftertaste and body. A composite of those scores was tabulated to determine the ranking.

Ka‘u coffees earned Coffee of the Year honors in 2011 and 2010, and were ranked in the top 10 five out of the last six years.

This is the third time Tabios has scored in the top 10, placing seventh in 2007 and earning a Coffee of the Year award in 2010.

“I’m so glad that Ka‘u won again,” Tabios said. “It’s the farm and the processing that makes good quality coffee. All Ka‘u coffee is good coffee. I’m just trying to do my best.”

“This is a special day at Rusty’s Hawaiian Coffee,” Lorie Obra said. “It was my late husband Rusty’s vision that Ka‘u would become one of the world’s top coffee-producing origins. Seeing three Ka‘u coffees among the Coffees of the Year winners continues to keep his legacy and vision alive. This victory is for Rusty, for Ka‘u for Hawaii and the USA.”

Trinidad Marques sees it another way: “It’s the spiritual connection to the aina (land). As Hawaiians, the aina and nature speak to us. I knew one day we would make it. It feels great to see the results of our perseverance.”

The coffees and the impassioned growers will be celebrated at the SCAA’s annual Expo April 18-22 in Portland, Oregon April 18-22 and again May 5-6 and May 12-143 at the fourth annual Ka‘u Coffee Festival in Pahala.

“I’m again so pleased and proud of all the Ka‘u growers,” says festival organizer Chris Manfredi of Ka‘u Farm and Ranch Co. “Their dedication, combined passion and willingness to work together make Ka‘u a very special place and Ka‘u coffee exceptional. I’m honored to be working with them.”

The Ka‘u Coffee Festival is designed to raise awareness of Ka‘u and its growers as a world-class coffee growing origin. For vendor and sponsorship opportunities, call .

The Festival is supported in part by the county Department of Research and Development and Hawaii Tourism Authority.

– Find out more:
www.scaa.org
www.kaucoffeefest.com

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