Celebrate National Coffee Day, Local Style

Coffee lovers, warm up your mugs. National Coffee Day is right around the corner. On Friday, Sept. 29, caffeine connoisseurs come together in celebration of the world’s most beloved beverage.

Whether you crave hot, iced, sweet, bitter, whip and toppings, or plain cream and sugar, Hawai‘i has plenty of options. The Aloha State is home to several coffee plantations, mills, farms, and small businesses, several of which have earned the prestigious Seal of Quality distinction. This seal certifies that the coffee has a Hawai‘i point-of-origin and is made of at least 50% Hawai‘i-grown ingredients.

MauiGrown Coffee store in Lāhainā. Courtesy photo.

MauiGrown Coffee roasts. Courtesy photo.

MauiGrown Coffee field, part of a 500-acre estate. Courtesy photo.

Here are some options around the islands…

· Aikane Plantation (Hawai‘i Island)
o Who says coffee is just for drinking? Signature recipes from Aikane Plantation include a spicy coffee and a coffee and cocoa encrusted sirloin

· Island X Hawaii (O‘ahu)
o This North Shore coffee hot spot has must-try brews from beans grown mere feet away

· MauiGrown Coffee (Maui)
o This 500-acre estate in Lāhainā sends its coffee through an intensive 12-month process, resulting in four spectacular flavors: spicy, full-bodied, traditional, or chocolate

· Rusty’s Coffee (Hawai‘i Island)
o If you want a treat for the taste buds and the soul, visit this coffee farm, which began as a tribute to a woman’s dying husband and has since gone on to be called one of “the world’s most celebrated farms” by the New York Times

· Ka‘u Coffee Mill (Hawai‘i Island)
o This coffee mill, known for its history of helping local farmers, features indulgent flavored coffees such as Macadamia Nut, Vanilla Macadamia Nut and Coconut Caramel Crunch

· Moloka‘i Coffee (Moloka‘i)
o Visit this slice of paradise tucked away on one of Hawai‘’s more remote islands for a cuppa that’s out of this world, where one percent of revenue goes to the support of Native Hawaiian culture and ecology

More than making coffee, these businesses are making a difference. From donating a portion of profits to charities, to creating local jobs, to carrying on the history of agriculture in Hawai‘i, these coffee makers are among those who deserve to be celebrated on National Coffee Day.  So drink up!