Something that really bothers us about the Kona coffee scene are the businesses that are preying on unknowledgeable tourists and giving them a less than satisfactory experience while charging way too much for it. Kona Joe is a perfect example. Located very visibly just north of Kainaliu on the Belt Road, this place draws lots of coffee tourists and delivers a less than satisfactory experience. As you can see, a lot of the beans are broken up chips and chunks. Just not a quality experience.

Both the Medium and Dark are roasted well, and at $33.95 per pound the price point is okay but the quality is lacking.

The real issue we have with Kona Joe is their Trellis Grown Coffee at $75.00 per pound. This is a sucker bet for anyone that falls for it. Coffee is not meant to be grown on trellises and the sun exposure with this method produces a sadly inferior crop. You won’t find this available in their tasting room as it doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. It’s very disappointing to know that this is the Kona Coffee experience some people receive and they never know how good it really can be.

We highly recommend skipping a visit here and spending your time at one of the other farms recommended in this guide.