2008 Gevalia Kaffe Kona Classic Cupping Competition Official Rules    (1) Only growers of Kona coffee are eligible to submit their coffee for contest entry. Entrants must have directly supervised the preparation of their parchment from cherry, although it is not necessary that they process it themselves. You may enter under either the name of the owner(s) of the farm, farm manager(s) or farm name. The farms must be located in the District of North, Central or South Kona, Hawaii. One entry per farm, farm name or farmer. All entries must be from entrants own crop and farm. Corporate Brands (coffees purchased from other farms and sold under your label) will not be eligible. Due to the addition of the Crown Competition no more than 50 (fifty) entries will be accepted for this competition. It will be first come first entered so get your entry in early. (2) Kona Coffee (parchment) submitted must have been harvested between June 1, 2008, and October  25, 2008. (3) Entry is open from October 23rd, 2008 and ending October 30th, 2008. Coffee (parchment) may be dropped off between the hours of 10:00am-4:00pm at this years Master Miller - Mountain Thunder Kona Coffee Plantation at 79-7467 Hawaii Belt Road, Kainaliu (accross from Mango Court). (4) A minimum of 50 (fifty) pounds and maximum of 70 pounds of Kona coffeee, in parchment form, must be submitted by each entrant. Approximately15 pounds of coffee (1lb parchment, 2lb green and 10lbs roasted) will be used for the Competition. The Judges will select a random pound of parchment and green coffee for display.The remaining green coffee and cleaned out parchment will be combined and returned to entrants. Entrants must pick up their unused, and milled coffee at Mountain Thunder Kona Coffee Plantation Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 4:00pm from November 20th to November 30th 2008. (5) All entries will be given a coded number; numbers will be changed after the preliminary competition (November 12, 2008). The samples will be evaluated by the Judges as to meeting the standards and rules of the Competition. Basic Kona coffee criteria is established by the State of Hawaii Agricultural Grading Standards. They are a minimum moisture content of 9% and maximum moisture of 12%. All entries will be reviewed as to meeting other criteria as established by the Judges. All final decisions will be governed by the 2008 Judges Panel. (6) The preliminary competition will be held on Wednesday November 12th, 2008 at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort, from 9:00am until all entries have been Cupped but no later than 2:00pm. The Judges will select 15 Finalists based on all information available to them. Although Judges do give credit for bean size and shape, moisture content and lack of defects, the cup taste and aroma are the most important aspects of the competition. The Final round of the Competition will be held Thursday, November 13th, 2008 at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort beginning at 8:00am. Winners will be announced at 2:00pm following the announcement of the Crown Cupping,Website and Label Competition and Art Exhibit Winners. (7) The Winner of the Competition will have their name engraved and attached to the new Tom Kerr Perpetual Bowl handcrafted by Skip Cowell plus a Grand Prize and First Place Ribbon from Gevalia. Ribbons and Signature Gevalia gifts will be awarded to the Second and Third place winners and 12 additional Honorable Mentions. All entrants will receive a Gevalia Gift and the opportunity to be this years Winner of the  - Gevalia Kona coffee Cupping Competition. In addition, Gevalia will be giving the First Place Winner a two night stay at the Hilton Waikaloa.  The Second Place Winner will be given a  Weekend stay (Saturday night) for two at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort plus their wonderful Sunday Brunch. The Third Place Winner will receive Sunday Brunch for two at the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort.