2024 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Crowns Kona Coffee Cupping Champions
November 13, 2024
Kona, Hawaii – The 2024 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival celebrated the best of Kona’s world-renowned coffee this past week, culminating in the highly anticipated Kona Coffee Cupping Competition. After a rigorous evaluation of the finest coffee, four Kona coffee farms emerged victorious, including a tie, earning the award of title of Kona Coffee Cupping Champion.
This year’s competition brought together 80 of the region’s top growers, showcasing their exceptional beans to a panel of expert judges from around the world. Over two days, judges assessed the coffees for fragrance, aroma, taste, and overall balance.
Thoughtful decisions in variety or cultivar selection and how the harvested cherry is fermented, pulped, dried, etc, greatly impacts the flavor profile of the coffee. The exciting part of this competitions is tasting how growers capture their careful, innovative attention to produce coffee that shines in the cup - producing some of the highest scores and most complex coffees this competition has seen to date.
This year’s competition brought together 80 of the region’s top growers, showcasing their exceptional beans to a panel of expert judges from around the world. Over two days, judges assessed the coffees for fragrance, aroma, taste, and overall balance.
Thoughtful decisions in variety or cultivar selection and how the harvested cherry is fermented, pulped, dried, etc, greatly impacts the flavor profile of the coffee. The exciting part of this competitions is tasting how growers capture their careful, innovative attention to produce coffee that shines in the cup - producing some of the highest scores and most complex coffees this competition has seen to date.
Divisions for this year’s competition were treated a little bit differently.
The Kona Heritage Division coffee entries were cupped separately from the Creative Division entries. The decision to separate these divisions on the cupping table honored the Heritage Kona Profile with a little more attention to the delicate and fine distinctions of the un-inoculated, washed Typica entries.
Creative Division is reserved for entrants submitting a coffee that is grown in the Kona district but otherwise does not meet the criteria of the Heritage Division. The Kona Creative Division is open to any variety, processing technique, cultivation method, co-ferment, inoculation, etc. This Division had one Award Category: 100% Kona Creative Award awarded to the top three scoring coffees in this division.
This year’s record-breaking score was an 87.55, a tie in the Creative Division, and a very close runner up from the Kona Heritage Division scoring an 86.69, the highest this competition has seen for the Heritage Award since 2018.
“I applaud all Kona coffee producers, including the 80 entries into this year’s competition,” said Brittany Horn, founder and co-owner Pacific Coffee Research and KCCF Cupping Competition Chair. “Whether producing Heritage style coffees or getting wild and funky with the coffees these brilliant farmers are bringing to market, all of you are leveling up with every passing year that I have had the great honor to serve the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Kona Coffee Cupping Competition. Well done!”
The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, now in its 53rd year, celebrates the vibrant heritage and enduring cultural significance of the Kona coffee industry.
Festival President Val Corcoran noted, “The Kona Coffee Cupping Competition is the heart of the Festival, shining a spotlight on the craftsmanship of our local Kona coffee farmers. Congratulations to this year’s winners and all the participants who continue to elevate the Kona coffee experience.”
For more information, please visit www.konacoffeefest.com. Be sure to follow the Festival on social media @konacoffeefest
The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is made possible through the support of Hawaii Tourism Authority and the generous sponsorship of UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd., Kamehameha Schools, Alaska Airlines, KTA Super Stores, Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union, and numerous other corporate and community donors.
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Festival Accolades
Lonely Planet's Global Coffee Tour book listed the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival as a “world's best coffee experience.” National Geographic recently wrote that the “Festival is a Best Fall Festival in the United States” with the National Geographic Traveler listing the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival as a “Best Food Festival in Every U.S. State.” Country Living Magazine included this year’s Festival as one of the “Best Fall Festivals and Fairs Across the United States” and earlier as a “Best Fall Festival to Celebrate the Season” Expedia Viewfinder’s “Essential Fall Experiences across America” and the International Festivals & Events Association awarded the Festival with IFEA Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards recognized the Festival for outstanding accomplishments and top quality creative, promotional materials.
About Kona Coffee Cultural Festival
The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is an annual event that celebrates the heritage, culture, and history of Kona coffee. With a legacy spanning over fifty years, the festival has become a cornerstone of the Kona community, drawing visitors from across the globe to experience the unique flavors and traditions of Kona coffee.
The Kona Heritage Division coffee entries were cupped separately from the Creative Division entries. The decision to separate these divisions on the cupping table honored the Heritage Kona Profile with a little more attention to the delicate and fine distinctions of the un-inoculated, washed Typica entries.
Creative Division is reserved for entrants submitting a coffee that is grown in the Kona district but otherwise does not meet the criteria of the Heritage Division. The Kona Creative Division is open to any variety, processing technique, cultivation method, co-ferment, inoculation, etc. This Division had one Award Category: 100% Kona Creative Award awarded to the top three scoring coffees in this division.
This year’s record-breaking score was an 87.55, a tie in the Creative Division, and a very close runner up from the Kona Heritage Division scoring an 86.69, the highest this competition has seen for the Heritage Award since 2018.
2024 Kona Coffee Cupping Competition Awards
100% Kona Heritage Award First Place
‘Ohana Martin Farm
100% Kona Certified Award First Place
Darnall Estate Kona Crown Coffee
100% Kona Creative Award First Place
Hula Daddy Kona Coffee
Uluwehi Coffee
100% Kona Certified Award First Place
Darnall Estate Kona Crown Coffee
100% Kona Creative Award First Place
Hula Daddy Kona Coffee
Uluwehi Coffee
“I applaud all Kona coffee producers, including the 80 entries into this year’s competition,” said Brittany Horn, founder and co-owner Pacific Coffee Research and KCCF Cupping Competition Chair. “Whether producing Heritage style coffees or getting wild and funky with the coffees these brilliant farmers are bringing to market, all of you are leveling up with every passing year that I have had the great honor to serve the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival Kona Coffee Cupping Competition. Well done!”
The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, now in its 53rd year, celebrates the vibrant heritage and enduring cultural significance of the Kona coffee industry.
Festival President Val Corcoran noted, “The Kona Coffee Cupping Competition is the heart of the Festival, shining a spotlight on the craftsmanship of our local Kona coffee farmers. Congratulations to this year’s winners and all the participants who continue to elevate the Kona coffee experience.”
For more information, please visit www.konacoffeefest.com. Be sure to follow the Festival on social media @konacoffeefest
The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is made possible through the support of Hawaii Tourism Authority and the generous sponsorship of UCC Ueshima Coffee Co., Ltd., Kamehameha Schools, Alaska Airlines, KTA Super Stores, Hawaii Community Federal Credit Union, and numerous other corporate and community donors.
###
Festival Accolades
Lonely Planet's Global Coffee Tour book listed the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival as a “world's best coffee experience.” National Geographic recently wrote that the “Festival is a Best Fall Festival in the United States” with the National Geographic Traveler listing the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival as a “Best Food Festival in Every U.S. State.” Country Living Magazine included this year’s Festival as one of the “Best Fall Festivals and Fairs Across the United States” and earlier as a “Best Fall Festival to Celebrate the Season” Expedia Viewfinder’s “Essential Fall Experiences across America” and the International Festivals & Events Association awarded the Festival with IFEA Haas & Wilkerson Pinnacle Awards recognized the Festival for outstanding accomplishments and top quality creative, promotional materials.
About Kona Coffee Cultural Festival
The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival is an annual event that celebrates the heritage, culture, and history of Kona coffee. With a legacy spanning over fifty years, the festival has become a cornerstone of the Kona community, drawing visitors from across the globe to experience the unique flavors and traditions of Kona coffee.