Two important influences on coffee’s taste are geography and price.
The wine industry has used the term terroir to describe the effects of soil, sun, rain, and elevation on grapes and the resulting wine. While the attempts to link aspects of coffee and wine often go too far, this similarity has merit. In large part terroir is what makes the bright notes of a Costa Rican differ from earthy Indonesian coffees, half a world away.
Continue Reading »The Freshness of Coffee
Once a red ripe coffee cherry is picked, the freshness clock begins ticking. Processing results in green coffee beans. These are sorted and shipped to buyers around the world. Two to four months in a burlap sack and the roasting company receives the beans.
Continue Reading »Steps To A Great Cup of Coffee
Folks stopping by our retail shops over the years have heard me explain what variables influence a cup of coffee. To summarize, let’s start with the green beans. The growing and processing of green coffee beans is such a complex industry in itself. Weather, soil, harvesting and many other factors determine the coffees complex make-up and taste.
Continue Reading »Planning A Coffee Tasting Event
Maybe you’ve heard of a coffee shop or retail store putting together a coffee tasting, and have thought about the possibility of doing one. What is a coffee tasting, and what’s involved?
Continue Reading »Medium vs Dark Coffee
In a recent newsletter, we discussed degrees of roasting and the 1990’s trend toward dark roast coffees. In explaining the trend to dark roasts, we mentioned American travel to Europe, the growing popularity of coffee houses, and other culinary phenomena, which gave rise, among some drinkers, to a preference for darker roasts.
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