What is Hawaiian Lion 24k Gold Roast?
Lion Coffee's pure Kona, from a brand better known for its flavoured coffees.
Lion Coffee started in 1864 in Toledo, Ohio, and moved to Hawaii in 1979. It now belongs to Hawaii Coffee Company in Honolulu, alongside Royal Kona, and it is best known for red bags of flavoured coffee. The 24k Gold Roast is its 100% Kona. Lion says the beans are selected from the best of the Kona harvests and describes a refined cup with gentle brightness, subtle sweetness and a clean, silky finish.
It comes in a 7 oz bag, whole bean or ground, and a 24 oz bag of whole bean. It is listed on the Hawaii Coffee Company roaster page.
Light or medium? The page says both
A small contradiction, and worth knowing before you choose between Hawaii Coffee Company's two pure Konas.
The product description says the beans are roasted to a perfect light roast, to show off Kona's brightness and delicate complexity. The same page's Roast field says Medium. We list it as medium, because that is the field the maker filled in as a specification, but the description and the tasting notes, brightness and a silky finish, point to the lighter end of medium. Either way it is the brighter of the two. Royal Kona Private Reserve is described as full bodied, with chocolate and toasted nuts.
What 100% Kona means, and what a Kona blend means
The number on the bag is the whole story, so read it before the word Kona.
Kona coffee is coffee grown in the Kona districts on the west side of Hawaii's Big Island, on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa. Coffee grown anywhere else in Hawaii is Hawaiian coffee, but it is not Kona. The supply is small, the farms are small, the picking is by hand and American labour costs apply, which is why a bag of pure Kona costs three to five times what a good mainland roaster charges for a single origin.
That price is also why Kona blends exist. Hawaii's labelling law lets a coffee be called a Kona blend if at least ten percent of it is Kona, and the label must say how much. A 10% Kona blend is nine parts other coffee to one part Kona. It can be a perfectly good cup, but it is not the same thing as 100% Kona, and the price difference tells you so. When you shop, look for the percentage first.
Price, and what a cup costs
The same small bag price as Royal Kona, and a middle size.
| Bag | Sold as | Price | Per kilo | Per cup (15 g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 198 g (7 oz) | Whole bean or ground | $34.95 | $176.16 | $2.64 |
| 680 g (24 oz) | Whole bean | $116.95 | $171.88 | $2.58 |
At 15 g a cup the 7 oz bag makes about thirteen cups and the 24 oz about forty-five. The 24 oz bag saves only a little per kilo over the small one, and Royal Kona Private Reserve's 2 lb bag is cheaper again at about $165 a kilo. The case for the 24 oz is simply that it is a size a household can finish while the coffee is fresh.
Everything ships from Honolulu by UPS or USPS, with rates worked out from the weight of the box, and most orders leave within one or two business days. Free shipping turns up as an occasional promotion to the lower 48 states, not as a standing threshold, so the price at checkout is the price plus postage from Hawaii.
A subscription cuts the price. Hawaii Coffee Company's code SUB20 takes 20% off the first subscription order, then 15% off the second and 20% off every order after that, with delivery every two, four or eight weeks. On 100% Kona the discount is capped at 15%.
24k Gold vs Royal Kona Private Reserve
Two pure Konas from the same Honolulu company, in two styles.
Both cost $34.95 for 7 oz. The Royal Kona Private Reserve is the fuller medium roast, with chocolate and nut notes, and a 2 lb bag. The 24k Gold is the brighter, lighter style, with a 24 oz bag. If you drink your coffee black and like it delicate, the 24k Gold is the one to try. If you like a rounder cup, or want the lowest price per kilo, take Private Reserve.
Against Koa Coffee, a Kona grower that roasts its own crop, both are a little cheaper per ounce, and both give up the roast date that Koa prints on its bags.
How to brew it
A brighter coffee rewards a clean brewer.
Pour over is the method that shows a lighter Kona best, because a paper filter gives a clean cup with nothing to hide the brightness. Our pour over guide covers the technique. Start at about 1:16 and grind a little finer than you would for a darker coffee, since lighter roasts are harder to extract. If the cup tastes sour or thin, grind finer or pour a little slower; if it tastes flat, go the other way. Drink it black the first time, since milk hides exactly what you paid for.
Is it worth it?
Yes, if you want a brighter pure Kona and do not need the lowest price per kilo.
The 24k Gold is honest 100% Kona at the going rate, in a lighter style than most Kona on sale. The small contradiction about its roast does not change what is in the bag. What you do not get is a roast date or the name of a farm, which matters more on a coffee this expensive than on a cheap one.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Buy it if
- You want 100% Kona in a brighter, lighter style.
- You drink it black, by pour over or drip.
- A 24 oz bag suits how fast you get through coffee.
Skip it if
- You want the cheapest Kona per kilo; Royal Kona's 2 lb bag costs less.
- You want a roast date printed on the bag.
- You want a Kona taste for less; Lion's Vanilla Macadamia Nut Coffee is a flavoured coffee at a fraction of the price, though it contains no Kona.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hawaiian Lion 24k Gold 100% Kona?
Yes. Lion sells it as 100% Kona coffee, grown in the Kona coffee belt.
Is it a light or medium roast?
The product page lists it as Medium but calls it a light roast in the description. Expect the brighter end of medium.
How much does it cost?
$34.95 for 7 oz and $116.95 for 24 oz, about $176 and $172 a kilo.
Who makes Lion Coffee?
Hawaii Coffee Company in Honolulu. Lion was founded in Toledo, Ohio, in 1864 and moved to Hawaii in 1979.
What is the difference between 24k Gold and Royal Kona Private Reserve?
Both are 100% Kona at the same 7 oz price. The 24k Gold is the brighter style; Private Reserve is fuller, with chocolate and nut notes.
