Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Colombian or Kona coffee: Which is the superior drink?

Colombian or Kona coffee: Sweet and spicy, or rich and chocolatey? Which do you prefer?

By

If you’re anything of a coffee connoisseur, you’re well aware that coffee beans come from coffea plants, which is grown all around the world. Depending on your preference of flavor, boldness, and acidity, you may already have a preferred location from where your coffee originates. Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Honduras, and Vietnam all grow a delicious bean. And while all of these types and their rich, complex flavors are worth exploring, the two coffee varieties that people seem to be the most drawn to at the moment are Kona and Colombian.

While there are over 120 varieties of coffea plant, and each makes its own unique bean, coffee beans are usually broken down into four categories of flavor: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica, and Excelsa.

Recommended Videos

Both Kona and Colombia coffee beans are Arabica, but their flavor profiles differ considerably. Generally, Arabica coffee is mild and smooth yet bold in flavor, with less bitterness than other types. And while this holds true for both coffees, the stark differences between Kona and Colombian beans come from their own unique terroir.

Related

Kona coffee

Kona coffee is grown on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the Kona district of Hawaii. In this balmy and rainy tropical climate, the beans develop their unique taste in part from the volcanic soil, rich with minerals and flavor.

True Kona coffee from Hawaii is known for having a light, slightly sweet flavor profile, with hints of spice and earthiness, which are accentuated differently depending on which roasting process is used. A light roast of these beans will release their fruity sweetness and taste smooth and mild. The longer they are roasted, their sweet notes will give way to darker, earthier flavors that are spicy and full-bodied. The longer the roasting time, the darker the roast.

Kona coffee flavor notes: Sweet fruit, syrup, spice, hazelnut

Colombian coffee

Colombia trails behind only Brazil and Vietnam as one of the highest coffee-producing countries in the world. And for good reason. Cultivated from tropical Colombian mountain ranges, these beans are some of the most beloved and popular worldwide.

Interestingly, because their growing range is so vast in Colombia, the flavor profiles of the beans can differ depending on the region in which they’re grown. Northern areas of Colombia grow a nuttier, richer bean; Southern areas produce beans that are brighter and more citrusy; and beans from the Central regions are sweet with slightly herbal notes.

As with Kona and all other coffee beans, Colombian coffee beans darken in flavor as they darken in color through the roasting process. Often, though, Colombian coffee brands roast just to medium, or medium-dark at the most, so that the complex flavor profile and balance have a chance to shine.

Even with its varying types, Colombian coffee overall is known for being slightly citrusy and mellow with a strong, nutty sweetness reminiscent of caramel and chocolate.

Colombian coffee flavor notes: Citrus fruit, sweet cherry, chocolate, caramel

So if you’re looking for the absolute best coffee on the market, we’re sorry to say — it can’t be done. Choosing a superior between these two is as difficult as deciding between a good Pinot Noir and a Beaujolais; a single malt Scotch and a hearty bourbon; a cool, crisp Pilsner and a beefy Stout. Everything comes down to a matter of preference, mood, and situation.

It’s important to start viewing coffee not as a mere drug to activate our brain cells each morning, but instead as a nuanced beverage, with a plethora of varieties to enjoy. While Monday morning may call for a bold Colombian brew, perhaps Thursday afternoon’s refresh should come from a gentle cup of Kona.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay Parrill
Contributor
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
How to dry fresh basil: 5 ways to preserve this essential herb
Whether you grow it at home or buy it fresh from the store, drying basil isn't a difficult task
Fresh and dried basil on a wooden surface

One of the best herb plants to grow indoors is basil. However, basil is a delicate plant and can spoil very quickly once harvested. If you grow an herb or vegetable garden or buy the basil plant at your local grocery store, you will have an overabundance of fresh basil that you need to use or store properly. That's where we come in! We'll tell you how to dry basil that is fresh from the garden or store and the best way to store it.
The best ways to dry basil

Drying herbs is just one of the ways to store your leftover basil. There are several ways to dry your basil so you can have it at your disposal any time. If you like fresh basil, then you will love dried basil. It’s much more powerful than the fresh; all that flavor is just crammed into the crunchy leaves.
How to air-dry basil
Air drying is the easiest way to preserve your basil, but it's a longer process — about two weeks in the summer. This is what you should do:

Read more
The 8 best hot dog topping alternatives you need to try
Forget the mustard and sauerkraut, try these creative toppings instead
Three hot dogs with different topppings

Summer will be here before we know it, so that means grilling season has almost arrived. Whether you have backyard barbecues, like to picnic at the barbecue pit in the park, or just want to harken back to your youth with hot dogs, why not get creative with some alternative hot dog toppings?
Our best alternative toppings for your dogs
You can prepare your hot dogs by steaming, boiling, or grilling, but that doesn’t mean the toppings have to be mustard only -- and no, we don’t put ketchup on hot dogs. We’re going to take a look at some of the most creative hot dog toppings out there that are sure to up your hot dog game.
Classic Chicago dogs

These hot dog toppings always will be a staple. The Vienna Beef hot dog reached Chicago during the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, and the Chicago Dog was invented in 1929 at a stand named Fluky’s. The hot dog was originally called the Depression Sandwich. The Chicago-style dog features a poppy seed bun with an all-beef frank topped with mustard, white onions, dark green sweet pickle relish, sliced tomato, sport peppers, a dill pickle spear, and celery salt. If you don’t have the celery salt, that is passable, but you definitely can’t have a Chicago dog without the remaining ingredients.
New York dogs

Read more
This is how to sharpen a serrated knife the right way
This fearsome blade needs a little extra love
Knife blades closeup

In every good set of kitchen knives, there is one particular blade that most people both love and hate. We love it for its ability to flawlessly slice through foods like crusty baguettes and plump, ripened tomatoes. Its jagged edge gives us smooth cuts through otherwise tricky-to-slice ingredients, all while appearing rather fierce in the process. But this knife can be desperately infuriating in its trickiness to sharpen. This is the serrated knife - a fiercely toothy blade with a saw-like edge.

Serrated knives come in all sizes for a variety of kitchen tasks. Their toothy edge is perfect for many culinary uses, allowing for crisp, clean cuts without tearing or squashing the ingredient's often tender interior.

Read more