Promoting the commonality of coffee production with the production of wine

This is a message about jumping to conclusion embedded in a story about coffee.

[Cindy and Margaret]

Today's excursion was to another coffee farm just a few miles away from Greenwell farm. Kona Joe Coffee takes a different approach. Greenwell Farm is larger and processes not only their own coffee but coffee for smaller producers as well. Kona Joe Coffee is perhaps a better example of agritourism positioning itself as more exclusive. It has a very beautiful location high over the ocean with manicured grounds and attractive buildings. We have been here long enough now that the coffee crop is further along and cherries are clearly present on the plants.

[not coffee]

Coffee Joe compares itself to a fine winery. I know a lot more about coffee than I do wine and my impressions of the wine trade tend towards stereotypes of fine wine snobs smelling and tasting things in their drink that justify very high prices. I am unable to smell and taste these things myself so I tend to attribute these comments to a type of snobbery focused on sharing the price of their favorite wines to impress each other. The cost of the special reserve coffees from Kona Joe fell in line with this stereotype. I did not purchase a large cup for $15.  I had a medium 12 oz. of generic Kona for $4. I also did not pay $17 for a tour. The tour at Greenwell Farms was great and led by an interesting and knowledgeable host and was free.

Eventually, I read enough of the placards (rather than paying for a tour) that made clear that the association with wine was different than I had assumed. Kona Joe Farm raises its coffee using trellises similar to those used at wineries. It is argued that coffee reared on a trellis exposes the individual branches of the coffee plant to air and sun in a way that assures greater consistency. Ok - the coffee plants are supported by wires and pruned in a somewhat different shape. That is a difference from the way coffee is grown at the other coffee farms I have visited. I can see that the exposure would be more consistent if the branches were more separated. What this does to taste is not obvious, but it makes sense that consistency would be increased.

I did learn something new on this visit. I assume you are familiar with the expression "cup of Joe". Why is a cup of coffee called a cup of Joe? Evidently, one time Secretary of the Navy, Josephus Daniels, banned the consumption of alcoholic beverages by the officers on Navy vessels and provided coffee as an alternative. Coffee became described as a cup of Joe. There - your new knowledge for the day.