John,

My wife, Marcie, and I just did a side-by-side taste test of the Mountain Thunder Private Reserve Vienna Roast and our usual Trader Joe's Smooth and Mellow Blend - a 100% arabica bean American blend. There is absolutely no comparison - the Mountain Thunder is light-years ahead.

In fact, the description on the Trader Joe's sealed nitrogen-flushed can (with no one-way gas valve) more aptly describes Mountain Thunder than the beans it holds:

"... The acidity is light, the flavor is well rounded and fully developed. Never bitter..."

The Trader Joe's coffe tastes completely bitter by comparison to Mountain Thunder and now I know why I never drank it without a lot of flavored half-and-half or milk and sweetener. The Mountain Thunder, on the other hand, is perfect black.

Just so you know, you've forever changed the way we drink coffee. And you can quote me on that. I'd say drinking Mountain Thunder coffee is an indulgence, but it's really just a matter of choosing quality first. Your tour is really an education in what coffee is like at its very best.

Thank you for your passionate pursuit of the perfect cup. Mission accomplished!

Kind regards,
Robert Phares

My wife, mother and father in law had the pleasure of visiting your plantation almost a year and a half ago in January. We enjoyed the pleasant personal tour and kindness of your family.

To make a long story short, my father in law became ill while visiting and Graysen took it upon himself to get an ambulance. The Lord was indeed working through this kind young man.

After surgery at an island hospital, my Father in law returned home and remains well at the age of 83. Just wanted you to know how much we appreciated your concern. Loved the coffee we bought while we were there, and ordered (finally) some more today.


With our very best wishes and prayers,

C. Allan Keener

Aloha, Mr. Bateman!

Last week, my new wife and I (honeymooned) on the Big Island and during our planning phase discovered that the Kona Coffee Festival would be going on while we were there. As we are both "coffee friends", we were delighted by this discovery and after watching the Dirty Jobs episode several times, we knew your plantation was a place we needed to visit! We arrived at the driveway on Monday, a day after the heavy rains, worried that you might not be allowing tours that day, but to our delight, we walked up to the coffee hut and were greeted by Melonie, two hot cups of your medium roast (which is delicious and we purchased with others) and the Dirty Jobs episode (which we crack up at every time we see it). She (Melonie) gave a wonderful tour explaining the entire process from tree to bagging. She was very informative and fielded our questions very well. We also got a nice sup rise as we walked into the roasting room to find Brooke roasting beans for the cupping competition.

After our tour, we'd meet your son who allowed us to walk down and see your pig dosing in its pen. We then hit the gift shop with a fever! In a nutshell, our visit was most excellent. I understand that Melonie is a new addition to your staff and you have chosen well. She is the best guide/ hostess we would have had and hope to see her next year when we return! In the interim, we look forward to the weekend so we can brew and have the time to truly savior the coffee you have grown and milled sip by sip.

We have told our friends that when they visit Kona, to definitely stop by your facility for a tour and learn where and how the best coffee is grown, milled and roasted! Don't change a thing :) Mahalo!

Larry and Adrienne Spring

Hello from North Carolina- :o)

I received my first order of Kona peaberry beans from you all. I tried it over the weekend and all I have to say is YUMMMM!!!!! Gosh- was that some of the best coffee I've ever tasted.

Sure do wish I lived closer....... I'd be a regular visitor.

Thanks for such a great coffee. I look forward to future cupfuls!

Donna Barlow

Before any more time passes, I wanted to take a minute and thank you for the hospitality your family gave us when my husband, son and I visited your coffee plantation at the beginning of April this year... I think it was the 7th. We came later in the afternoon, unannounced and had a wonderful time drinking coffee while watching the DVD of the "Dirtiest Jobs" show that featured Mountain Thunder. Graysen primarily was the tour guide for us while one of the girls explained the roasting process to us. I can still smell the coffee! You can be assured that the next time we get to the Kona area we will make a special effort to come back and make an appointment so we can get a full scale tour of the plantation. I don't think it will be too hard to convince the guys that we should came back!

Thanks again. I have pointed many people to your website. I will be placing an order soon. I am just about out of my supply of 100% Kona. Take care and God bless all of you!

Mary

Brooke,

I'm not sure if you remember us, but in early August you took the time to give us a private, extensive tour of your plantation. It was a highlight of our trip! Thank you for such a memorable event, and if you ever happen to be in Louisiana--look us up and we'll go gator huntin'

Kathy & Matt

Dear Bateman Family,

My wife, two teenage children and myself stopped by your business on Tuesday, June 26th for a tour of the facility. I must say I am a coffee lover, but here in Tallahassee, Florida it is awfully hard to get your hands on 100% Kona Coffee. After seeing an episode of one of my families' favorite tv shows, Dirty Jobs, I knew that on our trip to Hawaii we would make it a point to visit you. Your son Graysen welcomed us and quickly supplied us with wonderfully fresh cups of coffee. While we drank our coffee he played both the Dirty Jobs and Unwrapped shows for us. Afterwards, he gave us a great tour of the facility explaining in detail all the steps and processes and showing us the machinery that it takes to make your coffee. Fortunately for us, some coffee beans were in the roaster during that part of the tour. What I really appreciated was Graysen agreeing to take the extra time to walk my son and I down to the area where you grow some of the beans there on your property.

I just wanted to say thank you for a great tour, and to let you know me and many of my co-workers are enjoying the coffee I purchased there at your store. Because I bought so much, your son was kind enough to throw in a free t-shirt. Oh and the mug I bought is great too. I purchased five and half pounds which should last me about a month, at which time I'll have to order more.

Again, please thank your son Graysen for showing my family so much hospitality.

Aloha and Mahalo,
Kelly, Claire, Cory and Katie

Aloha,

I want to tell you that I have placed 2 orders with you in the past 3 months. Both times I have received exactly what I wanted and the orders have arrived promptly.

I was born and raised in Hawaii but I am now retired in Florida. I say this because I know what great Kona is supposed to taste like and you have not let me down. I am very impressed with how you handled my first 2 orders and please give a big Mahalo to your staff for growing, roasting, and delivering such an excellent product and service to me.
I assure you that you will always have my business. I only buy the best and your Company is the best.

Kind Regards,
Robert (Bobby) Hipperson

Dear Trent,

I wanted to write you to say thanks for the time you spent with us during our visit to Mountain Thunder week before last. The walk down into the farm was especially interesting. My niece said it brought back memories for her having grown up on a farm in Sonoma County. I hope you eventually were able to catch the smaller donkey for treatment.

I've seen many plantation and mills over the years but I'd never seen one like yours where everything from tree propagation to growing to milling to roasting for the finished product is done at one location. That was especially good for my niece and nephew who had not seen any coffee related facilities in the past. It was sort of a "one stop shopping" experience! To top it all off, the plantation is also your home and your family is involved in the business. I can see why you're rated number one on the coffee tour circuit!

Please stop by our office for a visit the next time you're in the Bay Area. There's not much of a tour available, but we can look at the sample roaster then go to lunch! Thanks again.

Cordially yours,

John (Tim) Kallok
Vice President
Harold L. King & Co., Inc.

Dear Mountain Thunder,

Hello from the mainland! My name is Reuben; Upon receiving your latest shipment of green (or should I say blue-green) beans, I immediately sliced open a bag to devour its heavy fruit fragrance. I then proceeded to roast several batches of the ever-popular Kona Blend, and a batch of 100%. (Much to the relief of myself and our Kona-loving customers) The freshly brewed aroma is like inhaling an island sunrise. After thorough cupping I am once again impressed by the sweet, clean acidity and uncommonly rich character of your coffee. Yum! I also fully appreciate and support your use of organic and sustainable farming practices. I recently read about your holistic approach using geese and sheep... very cool. Perhaps it is your responsible agriculture, or your state-of-the-art on-site processing capability, or your precedent-setting altitude atop Mt.-Hualalai, whatever the reason(s), I personally find your coffee to be the most flavorful Kona around.

Sincerely,

Reuben Mood
Roastmaster
Signature Coffee Company

Aloha,

We have recently returned from a wonderful 10 day trip to your beautiful island. This time we discovered Mountain Thunder Coffee Plantation. We enjoyed the presentation and the tour of your facility. Most of all we loved drinking fresh brewed coffee in a wonderful mug.

We now sip Mountain Thunder's coffee at home from Mountain Thunder mugs. Our mugs also hold wonderful memories of your island. We look forward to returning to Kona. Until then we will order coffee as we need it.

I hope you were all okay through the recent earthquake.

Take care and Mahalo,

Rose & George