Review: Blue Horse 100% Kona Coffee
Posted by Eric on 30 Nov 2011 | Tagged as: Reviews
Blue Horse 100% Kona Coffee Medium Roast
I recently ordered a pound of Blue Horse 100% Kona Coffee Medium Roast
About Blue Horse Kona
One of the first things to note about this coffee is that it is 100% Kona, from Hawaii. Many of the “Kona” coffees available in stores are actually Kona blends, containing some Kona beans and rounded out with other varieties. I was anxious to try the Blue Horse to get a pure, undiluted taste of the Kona flavor.
Blue Horse Kona is a family-owned farm on the Big Island. They grow their coffee organically, with no pesticides or fertilizers, and they pick the beans by hand. They claim that this hand-picking ensures that the cherries are picked only at the right time, while unripe fruit is left on the trees. The beans are wet-processed and sun-dried, and are roasted just before shipping to maximize freshness.
I appreciated the packaging, which is comprised of a zip-lock bag with a one-way air valve on the back. After sealing the bag, you can press it with your hands to push out any excess air. Doing so will increase the shelf-life of the beans.
The Coffee
Blue Horse Kona beans
Upon opening said packaging, I was greeted with a full aroma that hinted at chocolate and hazelnut. I was impressed with how good-looking the beans were – uniform in size and color, with none of the broken or smashed beans I sometimes get with the coffees I normally buy.
I brewed a small batch with my usual French press method. The resulting brew was light in color, and highly aromatic. In the finished drink, much of the chocolate aroma of the beans had faded. The flavor is complex, and lasts for a surprisingly long time. While the last coffee I reviewed, Starbucks Anniversary Blend, came on strong and faded quickly, this was almost the opposite. The flavor lingers for quite a long while, and there were times that I felt I could taste it underneath the tongue as well. My wife made a similar observation, saying she could taste it between her gum and cheek. Sounds silly, but it’s true. A second or two after the initial sip, a sweet, berry-like flavor emerged. Overall, the coffee has a good “round” body.
Conclusions
This is very good coffee. It’s not cheap either, at around $26/pound. But those who appreciate good coffee will not lose interest in the complex aromas and flavors. The packaging, the beans, and the beverage all speak, and taste, of high quality. I can see why this coffee got such good reviews online.
That being said, this particular coffee had a little more bitterness than I like. This doesn’t reflect negatively on the coffee, it’s just that I personally prefer something a little bit different. When I order more Blue Horse Kona (and I will), I will probably go for the dark roast, rather than the medium.
Bottom line, this is a very good coffee worth drinking. It may very well turn out to be your favorite.
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