Intelligentsia Coffee vs Koa Coffee
The verdict
Intelligentsia Coffee and Koa Coffee, compared on every specification their makers publish.
Who each one suits
Intelligentsia Coffee
Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word
Koa Coffee
Anybody buying Kona who wants to know it is actually Kona rather than a ten percent blend
What each one costs
| Price | Not publicly stated | Not publicly stated |
Where they differ
Every specification the two makers publish differently. Everything they match on is in the full table below.
| Intelligentsia Coffee | Koa Coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Captain Cook, Hawaii, United States |
| Best for | Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word | Anybody buying Kona who wants to know it is actually Kona rather than a ten percent blend |
| What sets it apart | One of the American roasters that invented direct trade, with the paperwork to show for it | A single-estate Kona grower selling its own crop, which is rarer than the word Kona on a bag suggests |
| Coffees Reviewed | 19 | 8 |
| Gift Sets Reviewed | 2 | 0 |
| Origin | Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia | Hawaii |
| Price per Kg Range | 42.55 to 126.26 | 170.86 to 248.02 |
| Price per kg | 42.55 USD | 170.86 USD |
| Roast Date Printed | ✕ | ✓ |
| Roast Levels | Medium-light, Medium, Medium-dark | Medium, Medium-dark, Dark |
| Roaster City | Chicago, Illinois | Captain Cook, Hawaii |
| Ships to Note | Ships internationally as well as within the US. The roaster does not publish a country list, and import duties fall to the buyer. | Ships to many countries, though the roaster states that some products cannot be sent internationally without saying which. |
| Tasting Notes | Caramel & toffee, Chocolate, Stone fruit | Chocolate, Caramel & toffee, Creamy, Citrus, Berry |
Pros and cons
From each full review, written from the same published facts as the scores above.
Intelligentsia Coffee
- +Nineteen coffees reviewed, the deepest range on this site, plus two gift sets
- +Twelve origins named including Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Costa Rica and Guatemala
- +Three roast levels from medium-light to medium-dark, in ground and whole bean, with a subscription
- +A published price per kilo from $42.55, so the range can be compared
- −No roast date is printed, which is unusual for a specialty roaster at this level
- −$42.55 to $126.26 a kilo is a wide spread with little to explain it on the listings
- −Six of its instant and single-origin coffees publish no tasting notes at all
Koa Coffee
- +A roast date printed, which almost no roaster on this site does
- +Eight coffees from a single named origin, Hawaii, across three roast levels
- +Ground and whole bean with a subscription available
- −$170.86 to $248.02 a kilo, four times the next most expensive roaster here
- −One origin only, so there is no range to move across
- −No certifications are published for the range
Every specification, side by side
| Intelligentsia Coffee | Koa Coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| The maker | ||
| Based in | Chicago, Illinois, United States | Captain Cook, Hawaii, United States |
| Who it suits | ||
| Best for | Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word | Anybody buying Kona who wants to know it is actually Kona rather than a ten percent blend |
| What sets it apart | One of the American roasters that invented direct trade, with the paperwork to show for it | A single-estate Kona grower selling its own crop, which is rarer than the word Kona on a bag suggests |
| Specifications | ||
| Coffees Reviewed | 19 | 8 |
| Flavoured Line | None | None |
| Format | Ground, Whole bean | Ground, Whole bean |
| Gift Sets Reviewed | 2 | 0 |
| Origin | Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Honduras, Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Colombia | Hawaii |
| Price per Kg Range | 42.55 to 126.26 | 170.86 to 248.02 |
| Price per kg | 42.55 USD | 170.86 USD |
| Roast Date Printed | ✕ | ✓ |
| Roast Levels | Medium-light, Medium, Medium-dark | Medium, Medium-dark, Dark |
| Roaster City | Chicago, Illinois | Captain Cook, Hawaii |
| Roaster Country | United States | United States |
| Roaster Country Code | US | US |
| Ships to | US, worldwide | US, worldwide |
| Ships to Note | Ships internationally as well as within the US. The roaster does not publish a country list, and import duties fall to the buyer. | Ships to many countries, though the roaster states that some products cannot be sent internationally without saying which. |
| Subscription Available | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tasting Notes | Caramel & toffee, Chocolate, Stone fruit | Chocolate, Caramel & toffee, Creamy, Citrus, Berry |
Intelligentsia Coffee vs Koa Coffee: common questions
Is Intelligentsia Coffee or Koa Coffee cheaper?
Intelligentsia Coffee starts at Not publicly stated, and Koa Coffee at Not publicly stated.
Who is Intelligentsia Coffee for?
Drinkers who want a named farm, a published process and a roaster that has been doing direct trade since before it was a marketing word
Who is Koa Coffee for?
Anybody buying Kona who wants to know it is actually Kona rather than a ten percent blend
Keep comparing
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