(BIVN) – Four coffee farms were named Kona Coffee Cupping Champions following this year’s 2024 Kona Coffee Cultural Festival cupping competition.

‘Ohana Martin Farm, Darnall Estate Kona Crown Coffee, Hula Daddy Kona Coffee, and Uluwehi Coffee garnered top-scores in three divisions after a rigorous evaluation.

Organizers say judges assessed the offerings brewed up by 80 of the region’s top growers, assessing the coffees for fragrance, aroma, taste, and overall balance.

From a Kona Coffee Cultural Festival news release:

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.

photo shows cupping judges hard at work (photo courtesy Kona Coffee Cultural Festival)

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

“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 is now in its 53rd year.

“The Kona Coffee Cupping Competition is the heart of the Festival, shining a spotlight on the craftsmanship of our local Kona coffee farmers,” said Festival President Val Corcoran. “Congratulations to this year’s winners and all the participants who continue to elevate the Kona coffee experience.”