Blends & Origins
Millions of people around the world relax every day in a cafeteria, enjoying a cup of delicious coffee. Specialty blends enhance this experience even more - a trained barista can make you excellent quality coffee just the way you prefer it.
Blends & Species
Like grapes and hops, coffee beans come from a tree that includes many species and varieties. Even though only a few of them thrive around the world, new varieties continue to grow. Today, scientists are developing a modern way of classifying coffee and are constantly discovering new species. No one knows exactly how many species there are, but until today, about 124 types of coffee have been identified. Only C. Arabica and C. Canephora (commonly known as Arabica and Robusta) which are cultivated for commercial purposes, accounting for about 99% of world production. There are many cultivated varieties of Arabica. These trees are referred to as Typica, a common name for “ordinary” coffee.
The Typica variety was the genetic starting point of the trees that spread to the rest of the world. Bourbon was one of the first known varieties to be a natural mutation of Typica. Today most varieties are either natural or cultivated mutations of these two. The species C. Canephora originates from West Africa. It has spread all over the world, in almost all Arabica producing countries. There are many varieties in each species but they are all known as Robusta. The appearance and taste of coffee are affected by many factors, such as soil, sun exposure, millimeters of rainfall, wind, insects and diseases. Many varieties are genetically similar, but have different names due to region. This facilitates accurate mapping of Arabica and Robusta growth.
Cultivation and harvesting
The coffee tree is evergreen. It is planted in about 70 countries with suitable climate and altitude. The trees need care and grow for 3 to 5 years before they bear flowers and fruits. Coffee fruits are collected from the tree during harvest. Growing conditions affect the quality of coffee Flowers and fruits are sensitive to wind, sunlight and frost.
Storing
Buying coffee beans and a grinder is the best way to enjoy fresh coffee at home. Store the bad guys in an airtight container, in a dry dark place, away from strong odors. Do not put coffee beans in the refrigerator.
Processing
To make beans, the coffee beans must be processed. The treatment methods are dry and wet. Processing can improve or damage the coffee. If not done carefully it can damage the fruits. The two initial processes are different but have the same goal, preparing the coffee bean for the dry grinding stage. The dry natural coffee beans and the washed beans rest for up to 2 months and then go through the process of dry grinding. Producers divide coffee beans into different categories, indicative of quality. Low or medium quality coffee is placed in a container for transport. The high quality granules are transported all over the world in bags lined with plastic or in small aluminum airtight bags.
Evaluate the flavors
Coffee offers a very wide range of complex aromas and flavors. The more you try, the easier it will be to distinguish the different types of blends. These four flavor wheels act as indicators. Refer to them to identify and compare aromas, flavors, textures, acidity levels and aftertaste.
North America
Mexico, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti
Central America
Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama
Asia & Oceania
India, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Java, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Yemen
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Malawi
Caribbean & North America
Here we will find sweet, soft, mild and balanced flavors.
One of the smallest producing countries, Puerto Rico, cultivates sweet, low-acid coffees with a soft, "rounded" texture and notes of cedar, herbs and almond.
Hawaiian blends are balanced, clean, delicate and mild, with hints of chocolate, mild fruity acidity and a moderate body. They are fragrant and sweet.
Some of the most marketable and expensive blends in the world are grown here. The beans are sweet, soft and ripe, with hints of nuts.
Here they produce coffee that ranges from chocolaty, spicy and heavy, to floral, lively and delicate.
Cuban blends have a mixed reputation and are expensive. They generally have a rich body, low acidity, balanced sweetness and contain earthy notes of smoke.
Most Haitian blends are naturally processed, with hints of nuts and fruits. There are also the washed ones, with sweet citrus notes.
Africa
The complex mix of species and varieties produced in Ethiopia gives these blends unique flavors. They are famous for their unusually distinctive and elegant notes of flowers, herbs and citrus fruits.
Kenya produces some of the most aromatic and spicy blends in the world. They contain unique composite notes of fruit and berries, the acidity of citrus and a juicy, rich texture.
The flavors of Tanzanian coffee are divided into the naturally processed Robusta and Arabica with body and sweetness in Lake Victoria and the washed Arabica with strong notes of berries and citrus in the rest of the country.
Rwandan blends are usually the softest, sweetest and most floral in East Africa - well-balanced, they win the hearts of more and more coffee lovers.
Burundi, which produces soft, floral blends with sweet citrus notes, but also with a chocolate and nutty flavor, attracts interest.
Robusta is a domestic product of Uganda and grows in various parts of the country. It comes second in world Robusta exports.
Malawi, one of the smallest producing countries, is attracting interest thanks to the delicate, flowery blends of East Africa.
South & Central America
Brazil is the largest coffee producer in the world. The differences of each region are difficult to identify, but it is widely accepted that Brazil produces excellent quality Arabica.
Bolivian blends can be sweet and balanced, with a floral flavor, or they can be creamy and chocolaty. It is a small producer country with the possibility of growing excellent blends.
Peru produces a small number of well-balanced balanced blends with an earthy taste and herbal notes.
The diverse ecosystem results in blends that differ in taste.
Guatemalan blends come in a variety of flavors, depending on the region of origin - from cocoa and butter caramel to coffee with herbs, citrus fruits, flowers and intense acidity.
Salvador Coffee, which produces some of the most delicious blends in the world, is creamy, with hints of dried fruit, citrus and chocolate.
Costa Rican blends are delicious and pleasant to drink. They have a complex sweetness and mild acidity, mixed texture and notes of citrus and fruit.
The best blends in Nicaragua have a variety of flavors - sweet, like cake and milk chocolate, to more floral, delicate and sour, with herbs and honey - which vary from region to region.
Andorra produces some of the most delicious flavors - from mild low acidity, with hints of nuts and butter caramel, to high acidity blends.
Panama’s blends are sweet and balanced, often with hints of flowers or fruit. Unusual varieties, such as Geisha, are very expensive.
Indonesia, Asia & Oceania
Indian Arabica and Robusta are especially popular for making espresso because they have a body and low acidity. Each region produces its own flavors and exporters are interested in new ones.
Its blends have woody notes, heavy texture, low acidity and earthy flavors, cedar, spices, fermented fruits, cocoa, herbs and tobacco.
Well-processed blends taste like grapefruit, berries, nuts and spices. They are delicious and have low acidity and viscous texture.
The coffee has low acidity, earthy taste, with aroma of nuts and rich body.
Coffee produced in New Guinea has a dense texture, low to moderate acidity and woody flavors or flavors of herbs and tobacco.
The flavors of Australian Arabica vary, some contain notes of nuts, chocolate and minimal acidity.
Robusta dominates in Thailand but the best Arabica have a soft texture, low acidity and pleasant floral notes.
Here there are varieties that are soft, sweet and with nutty flavors.
Chinese blends are usually soft and sweet. They have low acidity and nutty taste.
Some of the most interesting Arabica in the world are grown here, with "wild" earthy flavors of spices, fruits and tobacco.