When shopping, therefore, it’s worth remembering as well: behind every terrific cup of coffee is the intensity of the equator.

“This is where the world’s premium Arabica beans are cultivated,” says Nick Mattiace, spokesperson for Tchibo, the top selling brand of Europe. “Grown mainly in the high altitude regions that run along the equator, the rosy round fruit of the Arabica tree look more like cherries than the beginning of great coffee. Premium yields are cultivated at altitudes up to 2,800 metres in the mountains of South America—and once roasted, the ultra smooth flavour and aroma combine to set the bar for the best coffee, very high.”

Coffee is also graded by the characteristics of its body, acidity, and taste. To help you select the best, here are some terms with tasting notes, courtesy of the Exclusive line at tchibo.com:

Terms:

Body: Describes the fullness of the flavour, with the spectrum extending from full-bodied to light.

Mildness: Denotes the smoothness and harmony of a coffee.

Acidity: Reflects the liveliness of the coffee from delicate to lively to spicy.

Tasting Notes:

Exclusive: The intensity of the equatorial sun combines with the fertile South American soil to produce a full-bodied, aromatic coffee. If you like it bold, this Arabica grind is the one for you.

Exclusive Mild: In the high altitude temperate climate, coffee beans are noted for their exceptionally smooth and mood-enhancing flavour. Direct sun, plus the fertile, mineral-rich soil give this line a wonderfully rich character.

Decaffeinated: Clean air, gentle climate and fertile land combine to produce coffee of elegant character and mild aroma. Infinite care is applied to produce the decaffeinated line and a full-bodied blend. If you want the assurance of serving a refined, natural taste when decaf is ordered by your party crowd, this one is for you.

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Coffee beans are not true beans; they are in fact the seeds of the coffee plant. The berry of the coffee plant is where the bean is found and it is usually found in pairs. If there is only one coffee bean it is called a peaberry. The coffee bean is what makes the wonderful, hot beverage enjoyed around the world every morning. It is also where the caffeine is found that makes people want coffee. 

Although there are over 90 species of coffee bush, there are two beans that make up the majority of the coffee in the world. Coffea Arabica and Coffea Robusta are the two most popular coffee beans and comprise nearly all of the coffee that is grown and roasted. Coffee Robusta supplies approximately twenty percent of all coffee while Coffee Arabica supplies seventy-five to eighty percent.

Coffee Beans on the Branch in Kauai, Hawaii

The Robusta bush is easier to grow and cultivate than the Arabica bush and typically costs less than the Arabica bean. It also has more caffeine than the Arabica bean. The Arabica bean is preferred by many people for its taste and aroma. Many coffees on the market are a blend of the two beans.

Although the Arabica and the Robusta bean are the two major players in the whole coffee bean world, there are other species that are being used for coffee production. These include Coffea congensism, Coffea excels, Coffea mogenti, Coffea stenophylla and others. These are specialty coffee beans that are not as readily available as the Arabic and the Robusta but for can be found with some research on the Internet. Each one has its own unique flavor. If these beans become sought out by consumers they will become more widely available.

Gourmet coffee beans are simply Arabica or Robusta beans that have been cultivated and grown in ideal circumstances that create a unique tasting bean that is superior to others in its class. Examples of these include Jamaica blue mountain beans, Kona beans, and volcanica beans. Volcanica beans, for example, are only grown at altitudes of 3,000 to 7,000 feet volcanic mountain slopes. The volcanic soil, cool climate and moisture create the perfect conditions for growing and the resulting bean is a delicacy.

Whole coffee beans are one of the best ways to insure freshness when brewing coffee. Consumers can purchase beans and grind them as needed rather than buying ground coffee that quickly loses its flavor. There are many varieties of coffee beans to choose from starting with Robusta beans and going up to the exclusive Kona bean. Consumers can research whole coffee beans and find the one that suits their budget and their taste.

-Sharon Chapman

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Organic coffee is coffee grown without the use of chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers. It also includes coffee that does not have any chemicals involved in the processing of the coffee beans.

Coffee is one of the most chemically processed products on the market. There are chemical solvents used during the processing in addition to the pesticides and fertilizers that are used during the growing stage.

In order to be labeled as an organic coffee, the coffee plantation must not use any artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. They must instead rely upon natural remedies for pests and to enhance growth.

Coffee Berries on the Tree

In addition to this, in order to be certified and sold as organic coffee in the United States it must meet three making requirements:

1. The coffee beans must be grown in land that has not had artificial pesticides or herbicides used on it for at least three years. This gives the soil time to recover and guarantees the beans have no chemicals in them.

2. If there are other crops being grown nearby, the plantation must have a sufficient buffer space between the organic grown coffee and the traditional crop. This is to prevent cross contamination from water run-off or the air.

3. The plantation that is trying to become certified organic must also have a plan in place for sustainability, including crop rotation to aid in the prevention of erosion and the depletion of soil nutrients along with a plan for controlling pests organically.

Consumers can rest assured that the coffee is truly organic when the plantation goes through the process of becoming certified. The roasters should also be certified if they want to keep the organic certification listing. This means using water processes for decaffeinating coffee beans rather than chemical solvents. It also includes the use of only natural flavorings if the coffee is going to be flavored.

All of these practices help to keep the coffee that reaches the consumers cup free from chemicals that can harm their body. While on one hand it may increase the cost of the coffee, the overall cost savings to their health is worth the added cost to the coffee.

Organic coffee has become a large share of the coffee market. As this market share continues to grow other coffee plantations will have to adapt to the change and become certified to keep up with the changing tides.

-Sharon Chapman

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Acidity: The acidity level of coffee varies by growing regions and growing methods. Coffee grown in higher elevations and in mineral rich soils tends to be more acidic than other coffees. The acid levels in coffee are what give coffee a dry, crisp, sweet-like finish. Too much acidity can cause the coffee to be tart with a sour aftertaste. The perfect level of acidity will give the coffee a subtle, floral taste that is somewhat sweet.

Coffee roasters often refer to the acidity in a variety of ways. They may say the coffee is lively, crisp, dry, sharp or vibrant. They don’t usually use the word acidic simply because it sounds like a bad thing.

Aroma: Simply put the aroma of coffee is how it smells. Coffee is enjoyed as much by the olfactory senses as it is by the taste. A person’s opinion of coffee is as much affected by the aroma as it is by the taste. Some people will want to taste coffee simply because of the way it smells.

Body: Body refers to how coffee feels in the mouth. This is dependent on the amount of oils in the coffee, which depends on where it was grown, processed, and roasted. Lighter bodied coffees have very little feeling in the mouth while medium-bodied coffee has a consistency similar to that of water. Full-bodied coffees leave a lingering coat on the tongue. Describing the body of coffee is often done using terms like full-flavored, thick, rich or heavy.

Finish: The finish is a term used to describe how coffee tastes after it is drunk. The finish, like the body, depends on the growing area and methods and varies from region to region. Like wine, a pleasant finish is desired in a good coffee. The finish is what lingers after the coffee is swallowed. It should be pleasant and smooth, not harsh and bitter.

Flavor: Flavor can’t be summed up in one or two words and is a highly opinionated term. It is a combination of body, finish and aroma and varies from person to person. Flavor is the general overall experience that embodies the coffee.

Knowing these coffee roasters terms makes it easier to discuss coffee with the pros when trying to order coffee from them. This knowledge can also be handy for those morning runs to the local coffee shop while waiting for the coffee to be made.

-Sharon Chapman

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Filter coffee is a coffee drink that is sweet and milky. The coffee itself is brewed from a combination of dark roasted coffee beans and chicory, a root plant that has been used as a coffee substitute in poor economic areas for hundreds of years. The typical coffee beans used in Indian coffee are a combination of Arabica and Robusta coffees that are grown in the Indian hills areas like Kerala and Karataka.

Making a cup of filter coffee is as unique as the coffee itself is. The device that the coffee is brewed in consists of two round nesting cups. The cup that sits on the top has a hole in the bottom that the liquid will drip through as it brews. The coffee and chicory mixture are placed in the top cup where a pressing disk with holes in it is used to compress the coffee mixture.

Filter coffee, South Indian style, served in a traditional tumbler/dabara. Taken at Hotel Saravana Bhavan in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Photo by Ambarish, under CC license.

Boiling water is poured into the upper cylinder where it mingles with the coffee grounds and drips through to the waiting cup below. The chicory’s consistency holds the water longer than the coffee grounds that allows the coffee mixture to steep longer before it drips through. The resulting coffee brew is stronger than most Westerners are accustomed to drinking.

The final step in preparing the filter coffee for drinking is to boil the milk and sugar. The amount of sugar used is entirely taste dependent. Once the milk is boiling, one or two tablespoons of the potent coffee brew are added to it. Before it is served, it is poured back and forth between a dabarah and the tumbler. The dabarah is a wide saucer made of meal with lipped walls that the coffee brew is poured into in order to cool.

The pouring process allows the coffee and milk to be thoroughly mixed together, cooled enough to be allowed to drink, and aerated without the use of mechanical steam, which would weaken the brew. The resulting filter coffee is typically drunk from the metal tumbler that the coffee brew made in.

Filter coffee is a sweet and tasty drink that is customarily offered to all visitors in Indian homes. Depending on economic times, the drink may be made with honey place of sugar with the resulting beverage being only slightly different.

Coffee lovers who travel should make it a point to try this Indian specialty. It is sure to be among their favorites, particularly if they like their coffee drinks sweet and slightly frothy. Filter coffee can be recreated in any coffee shop but it won’t be the same as having it in India.

-Sharon Chapman

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Some coffee houses have been the home to brilliant poets and musician who come in to share their art. Book readings, folk music and many other arts have gained their popularity first in the local coffee house and then later in the masses of the public. Many of these artists would possibly have not become major celebrities had they not had the stage of the coffee house to perform.

The coffee house is somewhere between a restaurant and a bar. It doesn’t typically serve a full menu but does offer lighter fare by way of pastries and sometimes sandwiches. It resembles a bar in that it is a gathering place that many people frequent often to socialize. No matter what classification the coffee house is put in, the fact remains that the popularity has risen immensely in the past few years and shows no signs of going away.

There are coffee house chains with popular names that most everyone knows and they offer some excellent coffees. However, some of the best coffees and socializing are in the local coffee houses that are owned and operated by a local community person.

These are the coffee houses where the latest news and even gossip are shared and where the best baker in the town, often someone’s Grandma, serves up delicious cakes and pies. The owner of the local coffee shop knows the competition of the giant chain is stiff and so goes out of his way to make sure and serve only the best coffee and coffee drinks with the best service around. Not many people would argue the superiority of some small coffee houses. They just can’t be beat by the corporate giant who only wants to offer things one way.

Both large and small coffee houses are conscientious of changes in the economy and have to find ways to work with it rather than be overcome by it.  The competition from fast food restaurants and even the local stop-and-shop becomes fierce when finances get tight and people’s budgets can fit in a six-dollar cappuccino. This is when the shops must make concessions and offer less expensive options while at the same time adding social options to make their coffee shop more inviting than grabbing a cup of coffee and running out.

In order to accomplish this, most coffee shops offer Internet access, newspapers and magazines as well as cozy reading areas to relax while reading. These are excellent marketing tools for keeping the customers coming to the coffee house.

The local coffee shop or coffee house will always be around. There may be more at one time than at another but the promise of a steamy, frothy cappuccino will keep the customers coming and the doors open for as long as the coffee bean grows.

-Sharon Chapman

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