The Labels On Coffee Bags
Buying coffee beans is a science, especially with so much information on the bean bag. You hold "Nicaragua - Medium Roasted Washed Processed - Maragogype" in one hand and "Brazil-Medium - Dark Roasted Honey Processed Beans - Caduai" in the other hand. And you wonder what the difference between these two packets of coffee is? Which one is my favorite flavor?
Don't worry. This article will explain the coffee bean bag for you, from the variety, processing, recipe to roast level. All the information will tell you. Use this information to find your favorite coffee!
Blend Beans vs Single Origin
Single-origin coffee is from a specific production area or estate, and the recipe beans are blended from different coffees. Sometimes there are "micro-production areas, micro-batch" coffees, which are small coffees from specific estates.
But why subdivide into micro-batches? Because coffee will reflect the environment in which it is grown and how it is grown, the country, production area, estate, processing method, coffee variety, etc., will affect the flavor and aroma of coffee.
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In addition, roasters will think that the combination of these types of coffee that make up the recipe will taste better than tasting them individually. Maybe it's an Ethiopian bean with bright acidity and fruity flavors, but it's vaguely lacking in the body to support its taste. (Usually, Italian coffee, such as American and latte, will use formula beans to support the taste of coffee)
People who like specialty coffee usually prefer single-origin coffee, and the single-product price is also higher. Still, whether it is the formula or single-origin beans, the flavor performance can be quite brilliant. Try a recipe if you can, and don't reject it just because it has a certain country in it, because a recipe may be made up of beans from three countries and may create flavors you didn't expect.
Single-origin coffee can start with the same variety from different producing areas. Guatemala is known for its coffee's acidity, balance, and spice-like flavor, and compare it to Luanda coffee, which is generally sweet and full-bodied. Try two more Colombian coffees from different regions and try to understand the flavor profile of your favorite coffee country.
But remember, even if the coffee of a certain country has a certain flavor characteristic, it does not mean that the coffee of that country will have that flavor characteristic.
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Roast Levels
There are many names for the degree of roast: light roast, medium roast, dark roast, Viennese roast, city roast, etc.
Just remember that roasting is all about bringing out the original flavor and aroma of the coffee beans. However, if the roaster roasts the beans for a long time, they may also create roasted flavors that overwrite these original flavor characteristics. Unroasted coffee beans will have a grassy and sour taste, while over-roasted coffee beans will have unsurpassable flavors such as bitterness and smokiness.
Although people who like specialty coffee will prefer lighter roasts, the truth is that every bean has its own roast level, brewing method, and of course, its fans. Why do you say that? Let's look down.
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Light Roast
This type of roast coffee has obvious fruit flavor, acidity, and aroma, and a light roast is suitable for coffee beans that have such flavor and aroma. Some people will say that light roast coffee is not as sweet, but this is not true. Since high-quality specialty coffee has rich flavor characteristics, it means that many roasters choose medium or light roasting to emphasize the flavor characteristics of this part.
Medium Roast
Why are light roasts and dark roasts listed above and medium roasts only listed here? Because a medium roast does not have many properties, it is neither a light nor a dark roast. Instead, think of a smooth, roasted flavor that doesn't overwrite the original flavor of the coffee beans. This is called a medium roast.
Dark Roast
When you taste dark roasted coffee, you get the flavors of roasting, like toasty, bitter, very full, and so on. Specialty coffee drinkers often dislike dark roast coffee, and some even say that roasting to dark roast is to cover up the blemishes caused by poor quality.
Roast Levels For Espresso and Pour-Over
Why should pour-over and Espresso roasting be discussed separately? Because espresso shows a strong flavor, it is suitable for roasting with high sweetness and full taste. In general, pour-over should show the rich flavor of coffee beans.
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Processing Methods
Coffee beans are actually the seeds of coffee berries. When the fruit is ripe, it will turn bright red, but it is difficult to remove every layer of substances outside the seeds at the same time. The coffee processing method and the coffee processing method also affects the flavor of the coffee, which is why the bean bag label will also indicate the processing method.
The best way to understand the difference in flavor is to compare and try, taste sun-dried and washed beans from the same production area or even the same estate, and experience the flavor differences for yourself.
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Coffee Variety
There are many varieties of coffee trees, and the coffee produced by each variety is not the same. The coffee variety has a huge impact on the flavor in the final cup, so let's take a quick look at the effect of the variety.
In general, specialty coffee is usually Arabica, which has a better aroma and flavor. Robusta, on the other hand, has a rougher taste and higher caffeine, and you've probably also heard of the less-discussed Liberia species.
Then came the finer variety classification: Caturra, Caduai, Bourbon, Tiberica, Geisha, Pacamara, Elephant Bean, and so on. For example, bourbon has a higher sweetness, and Geisha has a tea-like body, jasmine aroma, and rich flavor.
When you can taste the effect of the treatment on the flavor of the coffee, try the varietal differences. Try El Salvador's Washed Bourbon and Washed Caturra, then try Luanda's Sun-Dry Bourbon. The beauty of specialty coffee is that each coffee is unique, and there are many factors that affect the flavor of a coffee. And we can try to appreciate these different properties.
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Altitude
In some bean bags, we will see the altitude marked, indicating how high the coffee is grown, usually marked in meters.
So why care about altitude? Because the slower the coffee tree grows, the more time it takes for the sugar in the fruit to develop, which makes the coffee sweeter and more aromatic.
When comparing two estates in the same production area, the estate with a higher altitude will have a cooler climate. For this reason, a higher altitude represents a better quality coffee. But be aware that the altitude may mislead you. For example, at 1100 meters above sea level, Brazil will be cooler than Ecuador.
Next, it should be noted that the altitude is also affected by the current, monsoon, and wind direction. Take the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador as an example. Although the altitude is only 200 meters, the island has a cold climate, so delicious food can be grown on the island.
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The elevation is a useful piece of information when evaluating coffee quality, and you can compare two coffees from the same region. Still, even a coffee grown at a lower altitude, it's best not to jump to conclusions before trying it. Maybe this coffee will surprise you.
Fair Trade/ Direct Trade/ Rainforest Certification
Green coffee has many certifications of a sustainable nature, and it is not easy to understand what certifications are all about.
Fair Trade
Let's start with the most well-known "Fair Trade". This certification means that coffee farmers are paid more than the international market price, but it does not mean that this pay is enough to support farmers' livelihoods.
UTZ Certification
Certification provides training for coffee farmers on behalf of the organization, improving planting methods to increase productivity and quality, so UTZ will say farmers have better incomes because of the certification.
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Direct Trade
In fact, it is more inclined to "transaction mode" rather than a certification. However, there are many roasters who use direct-trade beans and claim that this model is sustainable. Roasters buy green coffee directly from farmers in the region where they are produced, and the coffee is usually of good quality, and many roasters are there to give farmers feedback on how to grow better coffee. These roasters pay farmers much higher than international market prices, often more than UTZ or Fairtrade certified farmers. However, some have criticized the model as being unregulated and sometimes just a marketing tool, making it harder to track how much farmers are actually getting paid in direct trade than in fair trade and UTZ.
Rainforest Certification
It is grown in an environmentally friendly way with minimal impact on local forest water sources. Bird-friendly certification also means the same thing. Coffee is grown organically and can help restore local forests, thus driving the development of local ecology.
Cup Of Excellence
In addition to the certification mentioned above, the bean bag will also have some quality award-winning labels.
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The Cup of Excellence competition evaluates beans submitted by farmers, which means that roasting techniques are not included in the evaluation program. Many coffee-producing countries hold their own national cup of excellence competitions, so you may see some estates win both the Colombian Cup of Excellence and the Burundi Cup of Excellence. You may see the country name in the award, like "Coffee of the Year Brazil" and "Best of Panama".
Of course, there are many other coffee quality competitions, but this is the most well-known and indicative competition, some focusing on ripe beans and some on green beans.
There is so much information on a small coffee bean bag that it can be dizzying, but remember this is just to help you find the coffee that is best for you, take the time to taste and compare the differences in processing and origin and ask the barista for more information. For more information, try looking at new coffees so you can find out what's right for you.
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