International Jury Cupping Score
87.33
Region
Kona District,
Hawaii Island
Altitude
1,700 - 2,000 feet
above sea level
Estimated Lot Size
190 pounds (3 bags of 50 lbs, 1 bag of 40 lbs)
Winning Bidder
Orsir Coffee Co., Ltd.
In 2006, Robert and Dawn Barnes took over Kona RainForest Farms — a South Kona operation whose original plantings date to 1999. Today, 36 acres are planted with 24,000 trees of Kona Typica, Red Bourbon, SL34 and K7. As a certified-organic operation, Kona RainForest makes its own mulch and fertilizer, and it uses a variety of natural methods for pest and weed control. Its sustainable practices extend to the coffee mill, which is run on solar power.
Kona RainForest has won a number of awards over the years. Two notable ones: In 2019, its Natural Kona Typica took second place overall (and second place in the Kona District) in the Hawaii Coffee Association’s statewide cupping competition. In 2012, its washed Kona Typica took first place in the Kona Classic Division of the Kona Coffee Cupping Competition. Its coffee, roasted by Cafe Virtuoso, scored 93 points in Coffee Review. Kona RainForest has two coffees in this auction.
Certified-Organic, Anaerobic Yeast-Fermented, Washed Typica
This lot was hand harvested on November 24, 2020, then placed in a Bendig tank and inoculated with a wine yeast selected by Isla Custom Coffees’ Miguel Meza to bring forth red-fruit and berry flavors. After fermenting in an anaerobic environment, this coffee’s initial drying was done on a patio. It was finished in a mechanical dryer. After about two-and-a-half weeks of resting, the coffee was milled and screened to 16+ screen size.