Background Information
Captain Cook is one area of many on the Big Island. What sets it apart is its historical importance in place in Hawaiian history.
History in Captain Cook
Captain Cook was named in memorial for the events that took place in the local area and bay. When James Cook came to the Hawaiian islands, three separate times he visited, each with different feelings between the Hawaiians and Cook's crew. Then when he came back his third and last time, his ship was destroyed from a storm he passed through and he decided to dock in Hawaii. The Hawaiians saw him as a fraud because they thought no god could have gotten affected like he did and threw stones to attempt to override his ship. After this Cook had decided to try and attack the chief but was then beaten to death
Coffee History
The coffee industry in Kona and Captain Cook began in the early 1800s but with little to no recognition. In the beginning, people were just discovering that the land in Captain Cook was perfect for coffee. 70 years later the Greenwell family had been awarded for a coffee breakthrough bringing some spotlight on the possibilities of something great. Hermann Widemann was the first known to introduce Guatemalan coffee to the Captain Cook area where it took off and is now known as the Kona Typica. Since then the coffee industry has integrated its way into Hawaii's community for the last few decades.
Importance to Hawaii
Hawaii was known for its sugar cane plantations which were one of the more commercially successful parts of the Hawaiian economy. When the sugar cane industry ceased to exist, coffee began to rise and take place in the economy. Without coffee, the tourism in Hawaii would decrease thus leading to a negative market and economy within Hawaii. Tourism makes up about 21% of Hawaii’s economy, some of that tourism sprouts from the coffee industry in Tourism makes up about 25% of Hawaii's economy, some of the tourism sprouts from the coffee industry in Hawaii. The Ka’u area is known as one of the best regions to grow traditional Hawaiian coffee. Since the island can be split into about 4 regions for coffee production, each has its community and identity based on it. Within each is a recognizable community that value and appreciate the coffee industry.
The process of a coffee farm actually processing the coffee is shown here in this video. You will be able to see exactly what steps are necessary in picking, drying, and sorting the beans; the daily life of a coffee farmer in Kona.
The history from the first cup of coffee to current generations farming in Kona is covered in this video. Brief sections on the how, history, and everything you need to know about Kona coffee and it’s importance is gone over and thoroughly explained.
Making a Cup of Coffee
Picking the Beans
A coffee farmer or coffee picker will wake up at dawn and start their long and strenuous day. Each worker will be given a basket to collect the beans that they collect. The farmers must differentiate what beans are ripe and which aren't. Once they fill the baskets the workers return them and continue on. The farmer will be paid based on the number of baskets filled.
Processing Beans
The beans will either be processed through two methods; dry and wet. The former allows the sun to extract moisture from the beans and the latter takes away the parchment film on the bean so that it separates the skin and pulp.
Drying
To dry the beans they are put in a tumbler that can dry beans in high numbers. In a more ancient fashion, the beans can be dried on tables in the sun.
Hulling and Polishing
To make sure the beans are processed correctly it goes through either hulling or polishing. Hulling just removes the remaining husk on the bean and polishing just removes an extra skin, which is optional.
Grading and Sorting
After taking the skin off, it come time to rate and filter through the remaining beans. There are certain requirements a bean must meet including size and diameter as well as color or damage.
Exporting, Tasting, Grinding
After the beans are ready to go, they are then exported to whoever chooses to purchase those specific beans. Once the beans arrive, the clients will then taste a small sample of the coffee brewed from that bean. A professional called a cupper will do the testing measuring its pros and cons. After that process, the coffee will then be roasted and if the producer chooses so, it can also be ground into the coffee you see at the stores.
In a Coffee Shop
Barista
The duties of a local cafe barista include containing the information of the local coffee and taste. A barista serves customers all services of a restaurant and gives quality customer service. The barista may also assist in brewing the drinks or distributing pastries. The skills a barista must inhabit includes multitasking, sociability, calmness, management, flexibility, and initiative. Overall a barista is a knowledgeable servicer of coffee and or tea and small pastries.
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