NZCoffee

NZ Coffee NZ

2009-08-05T21:51:00.001-07:00

A NZ Coffee Resource

Caffeine
We usualy think of caffeine as a pick-me-up to combat drowsiness, but it can also temporarily boost athletic performance, ease congestion due to colds and flu, prevent asthma attacks, and enhance the pain-relieving effects of aspirin. Some analgesics contain aspirin and caffeine. Caffeine has also been reported to help migraine sufferers.

Coffee Types
There are many species of coffee in the world. However, only two of these are of any real importance to coffee drinkers: Coffea Arabica ( Arabica) and Coffea canephora (Robusta)

Coffee Terms
Terms relating to tasting and coffee in general, glossary, a good body, a rich flavor.

Where is Coffee Grown?
What countries and regions of the world is coffee grown?

Fair Trade Coffee
Fair Trade gives back to the farms and communities that grow coffee

Fair Trade Coffee

2009-08-05T21:49:00.002-07:00

Am I paying enough?

I know that I am buying coffee, grown in places like South America, China, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, Africa and Asia. So who gets the 'fair price' for this cash crop?

Chances are, not the people and communities that grow it, and that rely on its income to survive. With Fair Trade coffee you pay a little more for your coffee beans, but more of that goes back to those communities. Fair Trade invests back into those farms and communities.

Fair price
Fair working conditions
Direct trade
Democratic farmer group organisations
Community development
Environmental sustainability
Fair Trade Certification

The Fair Trade Certification program exists to ensure that you can be confident that groups getting the benefits of Fair Trade are in fact certified by a third-party organisation.

TransFair USA is such an organisation. This site gives a wealth of information about the way that Fair Trade operates. "Fair Trade Certified coffee is now the fastest-growing segment of the US specialty coffee market. TransFair USA opened its doors in late 1998 and began certifying Fair Trade coffee in 1999"

Coffee Growing - Where is Coffee Grown?

2009-08-05T21:49:00.001-07:00

Latin American and Caribbean, Africa and Arabia, Asia and Pacific
Mexico; Coatepec, Oaxaca Pluma, Chiapas

Most Mexican coffee comes from the southern part of the country, where the continent narrows and takes a turn to the east. Vera Cruz State, on the gulf side of the central mountain range, produces mostly lowland coffees, but coffees called Altura (High) Coatepec, from a mountainous region near the city of that name, have an excellent reputation. Other Vera Cruz coffees of note are Altura Orizaba and Altura Huatusco. Coffees from the opposite, southern slopes of the central mountain range, in Oaxaca State, are also highly regarded, and marketed under the names Oaxaca or Oaxaca Pluma. Coffees from Chiapas State are grown in the mountains of the southeastern-most corner of Mexico, near the border with Guatemala. The market name traditionally associated with these coffees is Tapachula, from the city of that name. Most Mexican coffees currently in specialty stores appear to come from either Oaxaca or Chiapas. But the fine coffees of Mexico are a different matter. They are not among the world's greatest coffees, because they often lack richness and body, but at their best they are analogous to a good light white wine delicate in body, with a pleasantly dry, acidy snap. If you drink your coffee black and like a light, acidy cup, you will like the best Mexican coffees.

Guatemala; Antigua, Coban, Huehuetenango

The central highlands of Guatemala produce some of the world's best and most distinctively flavored coffees. The most famous regional market names are Antigua, from the countryside west of the old capital of Guatemala; Coban, from Alta Verapaz, a district a hundred or so miles northeast of Antigua; and the less celebrated Huehuetenango, from a district about a hundred miles northwest of the old capital. The Antigua coffees are most famous, but some specialty roasters feel that they have become inconsistent owing to the complacency of many of their producers, and prefer the similar but lesser-known coffees of Huehuetenango. Some shops may advertise their Guatemalan coffees by grade; the highest grades are strictly hard bean, indicating coffees grown at altitudes of 4,500 feet or higher, and hard bean, indicating those grown between 4,000 and 4,500 feet. Well-known Guatemalan estates include San Miguel, Capitillo, San Sebastian, and Los Volcanos. The best Guatemalan coffees have a very distinct, spicy or, better yet, smoky flavor that sets them apart from all other coffees. They are very acidy, and the spiciness or smokiness comes across as a twist to the acidy tones. The finest Guatemalan coffees are medium to full in body and rich in flavor. You will like Guatemalan coffees if you like their smoky, distinctive flavor and fairly rich cup.

El Salvador

Although the recent misfortunes in El Salvador have presented many opportunities for stirring journalism, coffee from this country poses a contrasting problem for writers of coffee brochures: They don't know what to say about it. The general consensus is that El Salvadoran coffee has a flavor somewhere between neutral and mild. One brochure calls it slightly sweet, which is about the most positive comment I've heard about it. I'd say El Salvadoran coffee has decent body but rather ordinary flavor. The best grade is labeled strictly high grown.

Nicaragua

For several years in the 1980s, Nicaraguan coffee was not imported into the United States because of the political differences between the U.S. and Nicaraguan governments. It is now widely available again. Nicaraguan coffee presents still another challenge for coffee describers. One brochure tells us it's like the coffees of Mexico, but different. In general, I find it as middle-of-the-road as El Salvadoran: decent, straightforward flavor, fairly acidy, with medium to light body. Jinotega and Matagalpa produce the best-known Nicaraguan coffees.

Costa Rica; Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Heredia, Alajuela

Costa Rican is a classically complete coffee; it has everything and lacks nothing. The best displays an exceptionally full body and robust richness. Good Mexican coffees are brisk; good Costa Rican coffees are hearty. Costa Rican coffee is grown primarily in the countryside surrounding the capital, San Jose. Four of the most famous coffees by district are San Marcos de Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Heredia, and Alajuela. Altitude may be a more important factor in determining flavor than district; strictly hard bean indicates a Costa Rican coffee grown above 3,900 feet; good hard bean from 3,300 to 3,900. Unlike many coffees of the world, Costa Rican growths generally are identified either by the estate or farm (finca) on which they were grown, or by cooperative or processing facility (beneficio) where they were processed. This piece of information, which is usually available to the roaster or importer, is seldom passed on to the consumer except in the case of well-known estates like Bella Vista or La Minita. But again, it's better not to become too absorbed in names and labels. If the coffee you taste is rich and hearty, analogous to a good burgundy, and you like it, it is a good Costa Rican coffee.

Jamaica; Blue Mountain, High Mountain

Jamaican coffee is a story of extremes: The lowland coffees of Jamaica are so ordinary that they are seldom sold in the United States except as fillers for cheap blends. On the other hand, the highland coffees traditionally rank among the world's most distinguished, and Jamaican Blue Mountain, however one defines that name, is the world's most celebrated, most expensive, and most controversial coffee. Some years ago it was not entirely clear whether any high-quality coffee from the Blue Mountain district of Jamaica was entitled to be marketed as Jamaican Blue Mountain, or whether the name properly applies only to coffees grown on a single plantation, the Wallensford Estate. Today, responsible roasters designate estate-produced coffees grown at over 3,000 feet in the Blue Mountain district of Jamaica as authentic Blue Mountain. Most will be either Wallensford (best) or Silver Hill Estate Mountain. If you want to know where a store's Blue Mountain comes from, you can always ask. Jamaican High Mountain usually describes a somewhat lesser coffee than Blue Mountain, grown at lower altitudes in other parts of the island. The Jamaican situation has been complicated by the many people who, in one way or another, are attempting to profit from the extraordinary prices demanded for Blue Mountain. In particular, other plantation owners in the high mountains of Jamaica are trying to produce a coffee that will ride on the coattails of the original into the pocketbooks and onto the palates of the Americans and Japanese. These entrepreneurs appear honest and well meaning; less admirable, however, are the American roasters who market a "Blue Mountain Style" coffee that has the taste characteristics of Blue Mountain, but may not contain a single bean of actual Blue Mountain. Today it appears that either Wallensford Blue Mountain has greatly fallen off in quality, or we are drinking something else in a Wallensford Blue Mountain barrel. The original Wallensford coffee from fifteen years ago was an understated masterpiece, a quintessentially classic coffee with enough of everything: rich flavor and aroma, full body and moderate acidity in perfect, subtle balance. The Blue Mountain coffees shipped today retain the body and richness, but lack the acidity; they are smooth, well-bodied, moderately rich coffees deserving to be drunk, but not to be carried on about. And even if the real thing appeared in the stores tomorrow, would it be worth the prices currently being asked? I would say probably not. Blue Mountain was a great coffee, and some of it may still be great, but at this point it appears to represent still another minor chapter in the long history of vanity, snobbery, and the sacrifice of substance to pretense.

Dominican Republic; Santo Domingo

Coffee from the Dominican Republic is often called Santo Domingan, after the country's former name. Coffee is grown on both slopes of the mountain range that runs on an east-west axis down the center of the island. The four main market names are Cibao, Bani, Ocoa, and Barahona. All are well prepared, washed coffees. The last three names have the best reputation. Bani makes a soft, mellow cup much like Haiti; Barahona a more acidy and heavier-bodied cup, closer to Jamaican High Mountain in quality and characteristics.

Haiti

Owing to continuing internal political problems, Haitian coffees are difficult to find. The best of many grades is strictly high-grown washed; second best is high-grown washed. Haiti's heavy rainfall and deep volcanic soil combined with low growing altitudes may account for the mellow sweetness that distinguishes the best Haitian coffee. It has fair body and acidity to go with the pleasantly soft, rich flavor.

Colombia

The Colombian coffee industry is the giant of the fine, mild, coffee-producing countries of the world. Although it ranks second to Brazil with about 12 percent of the world's total coffee production compared with Brazil's 30 to 35 percent most of Colombia's 12 percent is excellent coffee, grown at high altitudes on small peasant holdings, carefully picked, and wet-processed. Central Colombia is trisected from north to south by three cordilleras, or mountain ranges. The central and eastern cordilleras produce the best coffees. The principal coffees of the central cordillera are Medellin, Armenia, and Manizales, all named for the towns or cities through which they are marketed. Medellin, the most famous coffee of the three, is known for heavy body, rich flavor, and fine, balanced acidity; Manizales and Armenia are, in general, thinner in body and less acidy. For the purposes of large-scale marketing in the United States, these three coffees are often grouped together as MAM, an acronym for Medellin-Armenia-Manizales. If your coffee seller is not clear about the precise provenance of a Colombian coffee, it was probably sold as MAM, which means it could be any of the three. The two most famous coffees of the eastern cordillera are Bogota, from the region surrounding Colombia's capital city, and Bucaramanga, marketed through the town of the same name. Bogota, considered one of the finest coffees grown in Columbia, is less acidy than Medellin, but equally rich and flavorful. Bucaramanga is a soft-bean coffee, with some of the character of fine Sumatran coffees: heavy body, low acidity, and rich flavor tones. The highest grade of Colombian coffee is supremo. Again, to simplify matters for commercial coffee buyers, the Colombians combine two grades of coffee supremo and the second best, or extra into one more comprehensive grade, excelso. In recent years, Colombia has been replacing the older strains of arabica with newer, faster-growing and heavier-bearing strains. These new trees generally produce a rounder, flatter bean, which many roasters and importers feel is inferior to the classic Colombian coffees from the older trees. Although tasting against memory is tricky, I would tend to agree. Nevertheless, Colombian coffee at its finest is, like Costa Rican or the best Kona, a classic. No quality is extreme. This coffee is generally full-bodied, but not so full-bodied as a Sumatran; acidy, but not nearly so acidy as an Ethiopian or Kenyan; richly flavored, but not quite so rich as a Sumatran or the best high-mountain Jamaican. The best Colombians even have a slight winey tone reminiscent of African coffees, but these winey tones are elusive and never dominate.

Venezuela; Maracaibo

At one time, Venezuela ranked close to Colombia in coffee production, but in the 1960s and 70s, as petroleum turned Venezuela into the richest country in South America, coffee was relegated to the economic back burner. Today Venezuela produces less than one percent of the world's coffee, and most of it is drunk by the Venezuelans themselves. Now that petroleum has failed to bring lasting prosperity, the Venezuelan government is attempting to promote coffee growing and exporting again as a means of diversifying and stabilizing its economy. The best Venezuelan coffee comes from the far western corner of the country, the part that borders Colombia. Coffees from this area are called Maracaibos, after the port through which they are shipped, and include one coffee, Cucuta, that is actually grown in Colombia, but is shipped through Maracaibo. Coffees from the coastal mountains farther east are generally marked Caracas, after the capital city, and are shipped through La Guaira, the port of Caracas. The best-known Maracaibo coffees, in addition to Cucuta, are Merida, Trujillo, and Tachira. Merida is the most distinctively Venezuelan and most likely to be found in specialty stores in the United States. Trujillo is rather lifeless, only a step above the cheap Brazilian coffees. Tachira and Cucuta are a group in themselves, since their rich acidity makes them resemble Colombian coffees. Regardless of market name, the best grade is Lavado Fino. The most characteristic Venezuelan coffees, in surprising contrast to the neighbor coffees from Colombia, are strikingly low in acidity. At worst they are spiritless, at best sweet and delicate. The finest, such as the Meridas, have fair to good body and an unemphatic but pleasant flavor with hints of richness. Venezuelan, if you can find it, is a good coffee to balance sharply acid coffees in blends and a comfortable coffee drunk straight.

Ecuador

Ecuador produces substantial amounts of coffee, but little seems to appear in specialty stores in the United States. This is another pleasant but unremarkable coffee in the Latin American style, with thin to medium body and occasional sharp acidity.

Peru; Chanchamayo

Generally a mildly acid coffee, light-bodied but flavorful and aromatic, Peruvian generally resembles the coffees of Mexico. Like Mexican, it is considered a "good blender" owing to its pleasant but understated character. Peruvian also is often used in dark roasts and as a base for flavored coffees. Wet-processed coffee from the Chanchamayo Valley, about 200 miles east of Lima in the high Andes, has the best reputation of the Peruvian coffees. The Cuzco region, particularly the Urubamba Valley, also produces a respected washed coffee, and some good certified organic coffees from Northern Peru are now appearing in specialty-coffee stores.

Brazil; Bourbon Santos

When not suffering catastrophic frosts, Brazil produces 30 to 35 percent of the world's coffee. Vast plantations of millions of trees cover the hills of south-central Brazil. For the commercial coffee industry, Brazil is of supreme importance, a giant in every respect, but for the specialty-coffee trade, it shrinks to something smaller than El Salvador. Despite all the coffee produced in Brazil, none ranks close to the world's best. The Brazilian coffee industry has concentrated from the beginning on producing "price" coffees: cheap, fairly palatable, but hardly distinguished. Of the many market names for Brazilian coffee, only one, Santos, is of importance for the specialty-coffee trade. Another, Rio, is significant mainly because it lends its name to a peculiar medicinal flavor that coffee people call Rioy. Santos coffees are grown mainly in the state of Sao Paulo. In the nineteenth century, the harsh flavor of Rio coffee competed for popularity with the mild Santos. Much of the famous New Orleans coffee was Rio coffee, with chicory added, and some coffees dark-roasted in the United States today for the Latin taste may still include Rio coffee. This is because Latins, who drank the cheap, Rioy-tasting natural coffees at home while the more expensive, washed milds were being sold to the United States, may still crave a bit of the old home-country harshness in their dark-roast blends. Santos coffee, named for one of the principal ports through which it is shipped, comes mainly from the original Bourbon strain of Coffea arabica brought to Brazil in the eighteenth century from the island of Bourbon, now Reunion. For the first three or four years these trees produce a small, curly bean that coffee people call Bourbon Santos. This is the highest-grade coffee Brazil produces, and it will more than likely be the coffee a store sells as Brazilian. After three or four years, the beans begin to grow larger and flat; this coffee is called Flat Bean Santos and is cheaper and less desirable than Bourbon Santos. Bandeirante is a particularly good and consistent Brazilian estate-grown coffee that appears frequently on specialty coffee lists. Bourbon Santos is smooth in flavor, medium in body, with moderate acidity in short, another decent but hardly extraordinary coffee. Since it generally sells for about the same as more distinguished, unusual coffees, I see little reason to buy it except gourmet curiosity. The cheaper Brazilian coffees are occasionally for sale in specialty stores, presumably to be used by consumers to save money in their private blends.

Yemen; Arabian Peninsula; Yemen Mocha

Mocha is one of the more confusing terms in the coffee lexicon. The coffee we call Mocha today is grown as it has been for hundreds of years in the mountains of Yemen, at the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula. It was originally shipped through the ancient port of Mocha, which has since seen its harbor blocked by a sandbar. The name Mocha has become so permanently a part of the world's coffee vocabulary that it stubbornly sticks to a coffee that today would be described more accurately as Yemen or even Arabian. The other ambiguity derives from the famed chocolate aftertaste of Arabian Mocha, which caused an enthusiast to use the same name for the traditional mixture of hot chocolate and coffee. So the term Mocha is an old-fashioned nickname for coffee, a common name for coffee from Yemen, and the name of a drink made up of coffee and hot chocolate in equal parts. Aside from the wild coffees of Ethiopia, Arabian Mocha is the most ancient and traditional of coffees and still one of the best. It is the bean that literally sold the world on coffee. The true Arabian Mocha, from North Yemen, is still grown as it probably was over a thousand years ago, on irrigated terraces clinging to the sides of semiarid mountains; water is directed through little rock-lined channels to the roots of the plants, which are shaded from the desert sun by rows of poplars. The beans are also processed as they have been for centuries; even the best grades (Mocha Extra) are natural coffees, dried with the fruit still attached to the beans. The dried husk is later removed by millstone or other primitive methods, which accounts for the rough, irregular look of the beans. The names in Yemen coffee are also irregular; no two authorities agree as to whether they properly indicate grade, district, or variety of bean. Of the market names that most often appear on the lists of American specialty stores, Mattari usually represents a more acidy, winey version of the Mocha style than the lower-toned, more balanced Sanani. The best coffees of Arabia and Ethiopia, and some from Kenya and Tanzania, are the most distinctively flavored coffees in the world. The acidity leaves an unmistakable dry, winelike aftertaste on the palate. If the coffees of Mexico can be compared with dry white wines, Mochas and Ethiopians are the Bordeaux of the coffee world. In addition to its rich winey quality, Mocha has its own particular flavor note, which some people, with more imagination than accuracy, I believe, associate with chocolate. Don't be disappointed if it doesn't taste like hot fudge. Rather, it is a peculiar rich edge to the aftertaste that lurks very clearly but subtly behind the winey acidity. The stronger you make the coffee, the more clearly you will taste the "chocolate" flavor. Since Mocha is such a distinctive coffee, everyone has something interesting to say about it: unique, sharp flavor; mellow body; creamy, rich, distinctive winey flavor.

Ethiopia; Harrar, Ghimbi, Sidamo, Yirgacheffe

Coffee was first cultivated in Yemen, but the arabica tree originated across the Red Sea in Ethiopia, on the mountain plateaus where tribespeople still harvest the wild berries. Ethiopian coffees are now among the world's most varied and distinctive, and at least one, Yirgacheffe, ranks among the best. All display the winey or fruity acidity characteristic of African and Arabian coffees, but they play a rich range of variations on this theme. The Harrar coffees are the most widely available of fancy Ethiopian coffees. They are grown on small peasant plots and farms in the Eastern part of the country near the old capital of Harrar, at about 5,000 to 6,000 feet. You may see these coffees called longberry Harrar (large bean), shortberry Harrar (smaller bean), or Mocha Harrar (peaberry, or single bean). The Harrar may become Harari, Harer, or Harar. In Great Britain, Harrar is sold as Mocha, adding to the confusion surrounding that abused term. Some retailers cover both bases by calling this coffee Mocha Harrar. Like Yemen Mocha, Harrar is a "handmade" coffee, processed carefully by the traditional dry method. It is grown on such a small scale and by such simple methods that it is almost certainly free of chemicals, and like Yemen Mocha a good choice for those who wish a traditional organically grown coffee. Ethiopian Harrar can range from an extremely rough, winey coffee, gamey and light-bodied, to a coffee in which the wine quality becomes rich, fragrant, and fruit-like, and the body heavier, much like the best Yemen Mochas. Differences in quality of preparation probably have much to do with these variations. Washed coffees from the western part of Ethiopia, usually sold as Ghimbi or Gimbi, share the pronounced winey tones of the Harrar coffees, but at best envelop them in a richer, more balanced profile and somewhat heavier, longer- finishing body. The washed coffees of southern Ethiopia exhibit related but different flavor tendencies. These coffees may show little sign of the characteristic gamey and winey qualities of their compatriot coffees. Instead they tend to be gentle, and the wine tones turn distinctly fruit-like and flowery. They may appear in specialty stores described either by the district in which they're produced (Sidamo, Washed Sidamo), or by terms like Ethiopian Fancies or Ethiopian Estate Grown. The most celebrated of these coffees is called Yirgacheffe or Yrgacheffe. This coffee virtually has a cult following in the United States, and for good reason. Like the best Sumatran and Yemen coffees it is rich, teasing, and mysterious on the palate, with a very long, resonant finish. Like Sumatran, its acidity vibrates inside the richness of the body, but Yirgacheffe adds a soft, fragrant, flowery note so distinctive that it may make this the most unique among the world's coffees.

Kenya

Although Kenya is only a few hundred miles south of Ethiopia and Yemen, coffee growing came late here. The native Kenyans have taken up what the British started, and made their coffee industry even more modern and efficient than the Colombian. The coffee is raised both on small peasant plots and on larger plantations. The main growing area stretches south from the slopes of 17,000-foot Mt. Kenya almost to the capital, Nairobi. There is a smaller coffee-growing region on the slopes of Mt. Elgon, on the border between Uganda and Kenya. Most Kenyan coffee sold in specialty stores appears to come from the central region around Mt. Kenya and is sometimes qualified with the name of the capital city, Nairobi. Grade designates the size of the bean; AA is largest, followed by A and B. Kenyan, like the Arabian Mocha and the Ethiopian Harrar to the north, has a distinctive dry, winey aftertaste. At its best, however, it has a full-bodied richness that Ethiopian and even Mocha lack. Furthermore, it is improving, as growers respond to government incentives encouraging quality. This is a fine coffee for those who like the striking and unusual, not so winey as Ethiopian Harrar, fuller-bodied but more intense than Yemen Mocha.

Tanzania

The coffee industry of Tanzania initially was closely tied to that of Kenya, since early in their national histories they shared exploiters: first the Germans, then the British. Over the last decade the Tanzanian coffee industry has languished, however, while the Kenyan continues to improve and prosper. Most Tanzanian arabicas are grown on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru, near the Kenyan border. These coffees are called Kilimanjaro or sometimes Moshi or Arusha after the main towns and shipping points. Smaller amounts of arabica are grown much farther south, between Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa, and are usually called Mbeya, after one of the principal towns, or Pare, a market name. In all cases, the highest grade is AA, followed by A and B. Most Tanzanian coffees share the characteristically sharp, winey acidity typical of African and Arabian coffees. They tend to be medium- to full-bodied and fairly rich in flavor.

Uganda; Bugishu

The main part of the Uganda coffee production is robusta, used in instant coffees and inexpensive commercial blends. Uganda does produce one excellent arabica, however: Bugishu or Bugisu, from the western slopes of Mt. Elgon, on the Kenya border. It is another typically winey African coffee, close to Kenyan coffees in flavor but usually lighter in body.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has been exporting an excellent coffee in recent years. It is a washed coffee grown on medium-sized farms, and still another variant on the acidy, winey-toned coffees of East Africa. Some importers rank Zimbabwe with the best Kenyan coffees.

India; Mysore, Monsooned Malabar

About 80 percent of India's coffee is grown in the southern state of Karnataka, and is often sold as Mysore, after the former name of that state. At its best, Indian Mysore is a lesser version of the Indonesian coffees: rich, sweet, and full-bodied. At its worst, it is heavy and lifeless. Monsooned Mysore coffees have been exposed for several weeks to the moist winds of the monsoon, which yellows the bean and reduces the acidity, imparting a heavy, syrupy flatness reminiscent of aged coffees. Monsooned coffees are considered a delicacy by many, perhaps because of the romance of the name and the process. They strike me as mainly useful in blends to mellow and give richness to rougher, more acidy coffees. The best monsooned coffee is called Monsooned Malabar.

Sumatra; Mandheling

Some of the most famous coffees of the world are grown on the gigantic islands of the Malay Archipelago: Sumatra, Sulawesi or Celebes, and Java in Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Whereas Central American coffees are distinguished by their dry, winey aftertaste, the coffees of Indonesia and New Guinea are noted for their richness, full body, long finish, and an acidity that, though pronounced, is deep- toned, gentle, and enveloped in the complexity of the coffee. Many consider the Mandheling and Ankola coffees of Sumatra the world's finest. They are often hard to find, but still moderate in price. Of the two, Mandheling is the more admired, and the Lintong mark of Mandheling probably the most admired of all. Both Ankola and Mandheling are grown near the port of Padang in west-central Sumatra, at altitudes of 2,500 to 5,000 feet. Mandheling is probably the most full-bodied coffee in the world; you can feel the richness settling in the corners behind your tongue. It has a relatively low acidity, but enough to keep the cup vibrant and interesting. The flavor, like the body, is rich, smooth, and full. These are dry-processed coffees, but the dried husk of the fruit is removed by washing in hot water, giving the coffee a more uniform appearance than is the case with many other dry-processed coffees. It may be that the unusual preparation of Sumatran and Sulawesi coffees, which combines prolonged contact of coffee bean with dried fruit characteristic of the dry method, and the meticulous cleaning and sorting usually associated with the wet method, contributes to the unique flavor characteristics of these fine coffees.

Sulawesi or Celebes; Toraja

The island of Sulawesi, formerly Celebes, spreads like a four-fingered hand in the middle of the Malay Archipelago. The Celebes coffee most likely to be found in specialty stores today is Toraja, from the mountainous area near the center of the island, in the palm of that hand. Celebes Toraja is a splendid coffee very similar to the best Sumatran coffees, though perhaps a little less rich and full-bodied, and a bit more acidy and vibrant in the upper tones. Like Sumatran, it is arguably one of the world's finest coffees.

Java

The Dutch planted the first arabica trees in Java early in coffee history, and before the rust disease virtually wiped out the industry, Java led the world in coffee production. Most of this early acreage has been replaced by disease-resistant robusta, but, under the sponsorship of the Indonesian government, arabica has made a modest comeback on several of the old estates originally established by the Dutch. Java, like New Guinea, shares the low-toned richness of the other Indonesian and New Guinea coffees, but tends to be more obviously acidy, a bit lighter in body, and quicker to finish. Lurking in the acidity is a slight smoky or spicy twist. Of the revived "old" estates that provide most of the good Java arabica, Djampit is the most likely source of the Java coffee in your specialty store.

New Guinea

Coffee labeled New Guinea usually comes from Papua New Guinea, which occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea. These coffees are grown in peasant patches and small plantations throughout the rugged mountain highlands. The best New Guinea coffee is estate- or plantation-grown. In general, New Guinea is a low-key version of the great Indonesian coffees: not as full-bodied as the best Sumatra, less acidy and aromatic than the best Celebes, but a comfortably rich cup. Coffee marketed as Arona seems to be the currently preferred New Guinea coffee among specialty roasters.

Hawaii; Kona

Kona, on the southwest coast of Hawaii, the largest island of the Hawaiian chain, produces the most famous and the most traditional of Hawaiian coffees. Coffee has been grown in smaller quantities elsewhere on the islands since the early days of European settlement, but encouraged by the impending closure of sugar and pineapple plantations and the tourism-induced popularity of Hawaiian coffee, large commercial concerns now have established plantations on the islands of Kauai and Molokai. Similar efforts soon may follow on other islands. The original Kona coffee was, and still is, grown on small farms above the Pacific on the lower slopes of Mauna Loa. The coffee trees are shaded by a cloud cover that appears regularly most afternoons (the famous "automatic shade"), just in time to protect them from the full devastation of the tropical sun. In years past, the original Kona coffee appeared to be on the way to becoming a luxurious memory. A tourist-inflated economy, low coffee prices, and an aging population of grower-landowners appeared to be conspiring to doom the Kona coffee industry. In addition, local schools no longer timed their vacations to coincide with coffee-picking season. But that was before the coffee price hikes of 1977, before a flood of tourists began carrying the romance of Kona coffee back to their kitchens, and before a new generation of small, quality-oriented coffee producers appeared to consolidate and capitalize on the revival. That revival is now in full swing. Whether it has produced a better Kona coffee or simply more of it is still subject to debate, but the tourists are happy and the little coffee towns are humming again. In the process Kona has become a bit pricey, perhaps too pricey when compared with some of the world's great and undervalued coffees, such as the best Sumatran, Guatemalan, and Kenyan. Furthermore, its cost has created an equivalent to the Jamaican Blue Mountain syndrome: We now have commercial roasters producing Kona style coffee, Kona blend coffee, and coffee vaguely labeled Kona that probably consists in large part of Central American beans. In 1991 most "Kona Blend" coffees sold in Hawaii contained at most 5 percent actual Kona. Proposed regulations up the minimum percentage required by law to 51 percent.

Coffee Types from around the world

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There are many species of coffee in the world. However, only two of these are of any real importance to coffee drinkers: Coffea Arabica ( Arabica) and Coffea canephora (Robusta)

Growing conditions

Altitude: Arabica- 900-2000 meters (2950-6560 ft.)
Robusta- 200-300 meters (650-980 ft.)
Temperature: Arabica- 20-25 ?C (68-77 ?F)
Robusta- 24-26 ?C (75-79 ?F)
Rainfall: 1500-2000 mm/yr (59-79 in/yr)
Humidity: Moderate
Sunlight: Moderate- Too much sun causes too much water loss.
Wind: Little- Young coffee plants are not strong
Soil: pH- 5-6
Minerals- Phosphorous, potassium, calcium, and magnesium
It wont be surprising to find that the locations that the coffee is grown, has a distinct bearing on the taste of the coffee.

Locations

There are many resources to this information as there are tastes - here is a brief summary, with more detailed information links below.

Brazil sweet yet neutral
Colombia sweet with heavy body and slight acidity yet rich in flavour
Costa Rica full bodied, hearty, with a mild flavour
Dominican Republic strong and heavy bodied with a mild acidity factor
Ecuador medium body with occasional sharp acidity
El Salvador medium acidity, full body and slightly sweet
Ethiopia winey, and fruity taste with a mild acidity
Guatemala rich spicy or smoky flavour
Haiti sweet, mellow, fair-bodied and has a rich flavour
Hawaii flat acidity and light body
Jamaica rich, full-bodied, smooth and well balanced
Java spicy, full-bodied, with a strong flavour and little acidity
Kenya spicy, full-bodied, with a strong flavour and little acidity
Mexico fine acidity, delicate body, and pleasantly mellow flavour
New Guinea full-bodied with a delicate acidity and aroma which produces a smooth mild flavour
Nicaragua full-bodied with a delicate acidity and aroma which produces a smooth mild flavour
Peru medium bodied, mild acidity, but flavourful
Sumatra rich and full bodied with a pronounced acidity
Tanzania sharp, winey, and rich flavor Yemen- full bodied, acidic and chocolaty
More Detail

Kenneth Davids site - VERY GOOD!
Kenneth Davids has put some wonderful coffee resources on the Web at http://www.lucidcafe.com

Coffee Glossary

2009-08-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

Terms relating to tasting and coffee in general

Acidity:
High "acid" coffees have a sharp, pleasing snappy flavor, not biting. Coffees lacking acidity taste dull and flat. Acidity varies widely within coffee types. It is that illusive quality that gives a bit of "bite" to the coffee in your cup, and a freshness, brightness, and clarity of taste. It should complement, not overpower other desirable taste qualities.
Aftertaste (Finish):
The taste and feel of the coffee after it has been left the mouth.
Arabica:
Arabica is the "quality bean" of the coffee-drinking world. It may come from the mountains of Columbia, from Africa or Asia but in any of its types, it is the most praised for flavour and aroma. It is the only coffee variety that can be enjoyed without blending.
Aroma:
Refers to the smell of brewed coffee ranging from lacking aroma, to faint, delicate, moderate, strong or pungent. Aroma can range from weak to strong and does not necessarily predict the taste of the coffee producing it. Professional tasters always "nose" freshly ground beans before tasting. They use a very full range of terms to describe aroma, such as: ashy, burned, smoky, grainy, woody, spicy, tobacco-like, herbal, etc.
Astringent:
A secondary coffee taste sensation characterized by a predominantly searing, salty sensation on the anterior sides of the tongue. Caused by acids increasing the saltiness
Batch:
Batch refers to a quantity of coffee coming to the roaster. Quantities of the same coffee arriving at different times, would be viewed as separate batches. Changes from batch to batch - even of the same variety of bean - must be detected by the roaster if he is to produce coffees that are consistently the same.
Bean:
The bean is actually the seed, or pit, of the coffee fruit. It is removed from the pulpy material surrounding it, dried, and roasted. So, a cup of coffee is actually the brew from a dried and roasted seed.
Bland:
Lacking coffee flavor and characteristics. A primary coffee taste sensation created as the sugars in the coffee combine with the salts to reduce the overall saltiness of the coffee. Bland coffees range from soft to neutral.
Bitter:
A harsh unpleasant taste detected on the back of the tongue. A characteristic of over-extracted brews, over-roasted coffees and those with taste defects.
Body:
The texture and sensation of coffee in the mouth - the "weight" of the coffee on your palate. Coffee may feel thin, light, medium, full, heavy or even syrupy in body. Think of it like this: if you drink whole milk and skim milk, you'll notice a distinct difference in how they play on your mouth. That sensation is the body.
Brackish
A taste fault giving the coffee brew a salty and alkaline sensation. The result of salts and alkaline inorganic material left after evaporation of water from the brew due to excessive heat after brewing.
Bready:
Bready taste manifests in coffees that have not been roasted long enough or at a high enough temperature to bring out the flavor oils.
Briny:
Applies to a coffee that has been over-roasted.
Buttery:
A relatively high level of oily material suspended in the coffee beverage. The result of substantial amounts of fat present in the beans. Most often a characteristic of high coffee-to-water ratio brews.
Caramelly:
An aromatic sensation created by the sugar compounds that produce sensations reminiscent of caramelized sugar
Chicory:
A complex bitter-acid and sweetish taste characteristic of the root of the chicory plant
Cupping:
Cupping is the term used by professional coffee tasters for the process of tasting and defining coffees. The term is probably derived from the many cups set before the tasters when they commence their work.
Coffee House:
An oasis of calm and serenity in a busy world. A place where the aroma of fine coffees - and perhaps equally fine pastries - enrich the air. A place to sip and talk - to sip and think - to sip and read - perhaps just to sip. The first coffee house was in Paris in 1686!
Cultivation:
Cultivation of coffee trees is exacting and the crop, itself, tends toward the fragile. Good amounts of sun are needed, frosts can kill, rainfall must be about 60 inches a year. Coffee trees are often planted in the shade of other trees to prevent damage from the sun. The soil for most Arabicas is volcanic. Obviously, commercial cultivation requires large estates in order to produce sufficiently large yields.
Dark:
Roasting term meaning dark brown beans with a shiny surface; equivalent to espresso or French roast
Decaffeination process:
Coffees are decaffeinated in their green state. Three principal processes are used today: the traditional or European process, the water-only or Swiss-Water Process, and the CO2/water or Sparkling Water Process. All are consistently successful in removing all but a trace (2% to 3%) of the resident caffeine.
Dull:
A coffee is dull if it gives an impression of roundness but at the same time lacks character. Dull comes close to the meaning of flat.
Earthy:
An odor taint in the coffee beans that produces a dirt-like taste sensation. Results when fats in the coffee beans absorb organic materials from the ground in the drying process during harvesting. Also referred to as dirty and groundy. The undesirable odor and taste of freshly turned soil is found in low-graded batches. Due to poor preparation onditions and botanical origins of the green coffee. Reminiscent of potato flavor also found in instant coffees.
Espresso:
Espresso is a fine grind for use in a special machine or maker. Boiling water and steam are pressed through the coffee under high pressure to produce espresso's distinctive taste and aroma. The "espresso culture" varies from country to country. In Italy, it is served in a tiny cup, barely a large spoonful, black and with a creamy head.
Fermentation:
Fermentation is a process that occurs after the coffee beans are washed, by the "wet method," to remove the pulp of the fruit. The beans then undergo fermentation in water for from 12 to 36 hours as enzymes take away the "mucilage" left from the pulp. This longer process avoids damage and maintains the inherent qualities of the bean. It is usually reserved for the more expensive Arabica beans.
Flat:
An odor taint in the coffee bean or brew meaning that limited range of gases and vapors is present in almost imperceptible strength. Due to aromatic compounds leaving the beans as part of the staling process after roasting or the holding process after brewing.
Flavour:
Flavour is a complex quality and professional tasters include words like acid, bitter, salty, sour, sweet, etc. The total impression of "aroma", "acidity" and "body".
French roast:
When applied to roasting coffee, means that the bean is roasted high enough to bring the natural oil of the coffee to the surface. Gives a roasted flavor to the cup.
Grind:
Grinds vary according to the type of coffee you want in your cup and, also, according to the method of brewing. The drip method requires a fine grind and espresso finer still. Coffee for the "plunger" or French Press needs a coarse grind. The grind for Turkish coffee is virtually a powder. Grinding your coffee just before brewing is the surest way to enjoy a superior cup. And, at home, the more expensive "burr" grinders do a better job than the ubiquitous blade grinder.
Harsh:
Unpleasantly sharp, rough or irritating taste.
Heavy roast:
Coffee beans roasted to a very dark brown, with a shiny surface; equivalent to Italian Roast
Insipid:
A taste taint giving the coffee brew a lifeless character, due to a loss of organic material in the coffee bean. Result of oxygen and moisture penetrating the bean fiber after roasting.
Italian roast:
Term applied to coffee that has been roasted darker than French Roast. Much used by Italians, as well as in many of the coffee producing countries.
Light:
Used to qualify "aroma", "acidity" and/or "body". A light coffee may have a fine delicate flavor, or be lacking "aroma", "acidity" and/or "body".
Malty:
An aromatic sensation that produces a taste or smell reminiscent of toasted grains.
Mellow:
Full, well-balanced coffee; implying low or medium "acidity".
Musty:
An odor taint giving the coffee beans a moldy odor. Result of fats in coffee beans absorbing organic material from moulds on or in contact with the coffee beans during the drying process. Often the result of insufficient or proper drying and aging.
Neutral:
A secondary coffee taste characterized by the absence of a predominant taste sensation on any part of the tongue but causing a distinct parching sensation on the sides of the tongue. Caused by a concentration of salts high enough to neutralize both acids and sugars but not enough to provoke a salty sensation.
Nutty:
An aromatic sensation reminiscent of roasted nuts
Oily:
A term sometimes used to denote a coffee that has a roasted oily taste due to a high degree of roasting or an oily coffee having a greasy but not rancid taste.
Plantation:
To be commercially viable as a crop, coffee must be grown on estates, or plantations, large enough to produce huge harvests. Plantations exist in all the coffee growing areas of the world, primarily in Central and South America, Africa, and Asia.
Processing:
Processing is the overall handling of the bean from harvest to packaging. It includes the harvest, itself, where the grower either picks the crop bean by bean or, as with the cheaper coffees, has it mechanically strip-harvested. Next comes the "wet" or "dry" method of removing the bean from the pulp, the fermentation (wet method), and the roasting.
Pulping:
First step after picking in preparing coffee by the wet method. It consists of removing the outer skin. Machines rub away the pulp without crushing the beans.
Pungent:
Applies essentially to a full-bodied and slightly aggressive coffee.
Rancid:
A taste fault giving the coffee brew a highly displeasing taste. The rancid flavor of a roasted coffee is caused by the oxidation of the fats.
Rich:
Indicative of coffees with depth and complexity of flavor and body.
Roasting:
It is at the point of roasting that the months of growing, harvesting, and other processing will be almost magically enhanced - or ruined. The roaster must adjust temperature and time not only to produce a dark or light bean, but also to respond to the changes that can occur between batches of the same type of bean. It is - truly - an art.
Robusta:
Of the two main coffee plants, Robusta is, as its name implies, the sturdier. It has more body than the Arabica but less flavour. It also has more caffeine and is a big part of most supermarket coffees.
Sharp:
A primary coffee taste sensation created as acids in the coffee combine with salts to increase the overall saltiness. Characteristic found most often in unwashed robusta coffee. Sharp coffee ranges from rough to astringent.
Smoky:
As if it is giving smoke and it can be tasted.
Smooth:
A moderately low level of oily material suspended in the coffee beverage. Result of fats in the beans present in perceptible amounts.
Soft:
A secondary coffee taste sensation characterized by an absence of any predominant taste sensation on any part of the tongue, except for subtle dryness. Caused by a concentration of salts high enough to neutralize the acids but not high enough to neutralize the sugars.
Sour:
Unpleasant flavor having a sharp, acid taste. Different from acidity.
Spicy:
Underlying "spicy" accent. Aroma or flavor suggestive of spices.
Stale:
A sweet but unpleasant flavor. The aroma of roasted coffee which has gone beyond its prime and has oxidized.
Strong:
Indicating intensity of virtues or defects.
Sweet:
Smooth, palatable coffee, free from bitter or harsh flavor. A pleasant, clean taste perceived primarily at the tip of the tongue.
Sweetener:
Over the centuries many different sweeteners and flavourings have been added to coffee.
Tart:
A secondary coffee taste sensation characterized by a predominantly puckering, sour sensation along the sides of the tongue. Caused by higher-than-normal percentage of sour acids, almost giving the taste a puckering sensation.
Tasting:
Professional tasting is a complicated and wetly noisy process that allows one to ascertain the specific qualities of an origin or blend. It involves preparing several grinds, "nosing" the grinds, preparing them for tasting, tasting (the wetly noisy part), spitting out the coffee, then resting the palate before the next taste. Most of us can decide our favourite blend or origin more simply.
Turkish Coffee:
The bean for Turkish coffee is ground into a powder almost the consistency of flour. Two level teaspoons are added to the special pot (ibriq) and , for each spoonful of coffee, a spoonful of sugar. The water is added and the mixture is boiled then removed from the heat source. This is repeated twice more. Pour carefully to avoid including the grounds. The taste is distinctive.
Winey:
A primary coffee taste sensation created as the sugars in the coffee combine with the acids. A term used to describe snappy "acidic" flavor. Reminiscent of the flavor and body of wine. Winey coffees range from tangy to tart.

Caffeine

2009-08-05T21:46:00.001-07:00

Some facts about coffee:

Caffeine is an alkaloid. 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine
C 8 H 10 N 4 O 2; mol wt 194.19. C 49.48%, H 5.19%, N 28.85%, O 16.48%.

How does it act?

Caffeine's look-a-like quality holds the key.

Adenosine is nitrogen-containing compound used widely by the body, and created in the brain. The binding of adenosine causes drowsiness by slowing down nerve cell activity. In the brain, adenosine binding also causes blood vessels to dilate (presumably to let more oxygen in during sleep). To a nerve cell, caffeine looks like adenosine. Caffeine therefore binds to the adenosine receptor. However, it doesn't slow down the cell's activity like adenosine would. So the cell cannot "see" adenosine anymore because caffeine is taking up all the receptors adenosine binds to. So instead of slowing down because of the adenosine level, the cells speed up.

What does that mean to me?

We usualy think of caffeine as a pick-me-up to combat drowsiness, but it can also temporarily boost athletic performance, ease congestion due to colds and flu, prevent asthma attacks, and enhance the pain-relieving effects of aspirin. Some analgesics contain aspirin and caffeine. Caffeine has also been reported to help migraine sufferers.

It gets us going in the morning, revives us in the afternoons, and is the after dinner equivalent of dessert (for those of us off the sweet stuff...) Caffeine has become an integral part of our culture.

But is it good for us?

Caffeine is absorbed rapidly into the body, with the caffeine 'hit' starting around 10 minutes, peaking around 30 minutes to an hour, and can last for some hours. Up to 24 hours in some people. Caffeine is metabolised in the liver and passed out of the body in urine, although it can be secreted in perspiration, semen and breast milk. If you have trouble getting to sleep, have your last cup of the day about 5 hours before you intend to go to sleep.

Caffeine does not stay in the bloodstream or body, but we can learn not to live without it! Regular users develop a tolerance and sensitivity to the stimulating effects of caffeine varies widely. According to the World Health Organization, "There is no evidence whatsoever that caffeine use has even remotely comparable physical and social consequences which are associated with serious drugs of abuse."

However, deprived of caffeine, regular users can develop withdrawal symptoms, like headaches and irritability, which can last several days.

Because caffeine is present in so many soft drinks (see chart) it may have an effect on children who may experience head-aches and loss of concentration based on caffeine withdrawal. It is generally accepted that caffeine intake for children should be limited.

Signs of a caffeine overdose:

restlessness
nervousness
excitement
insomnia
flushed face
diuresis
gastrointestinal disturbance
muscle twitching
rambling flow of thought and speech
tachycardia or cardiac arrhythmia
periods of inexhaustibility
psychomotor agitation
Of course, you don't really know how much caffeine is in the food you consume, do you...and food producers and grocery associations are among those opposed to food labelling disclosure. There are some resources on the Net. Check below.

Caffeine content per beverage in mg of caffeine
US SI Substance mg
6 Oz. 180 ml brewed coffee 100
6 Oz 180 ml instant coffee 70
6 Oz 180 ml decaf coffee 3
2 Oz. 60 ml espresso shot 90
8 Oz. 240 ml tea 40
6 Oz. 180 ml chocolate beverage 5
1 tablet - caffeinated cold remedy 37
1 tablet - caffeinated pain reliever 45
1 tablet - No Doz max 200
1 tablet - No Doz std 100
1 Oz. 28 g Bakers Chocolate 25
12 Oz. 355 ml Mountain Dew 55.5
12 Oz. 355 ml Coke Classic 34.5
12 Oz. 355 ml Diet Coke 46.5
8 Oz. 250 ml V 80.0
8 Oz. 250 ml Red Bull 80.0
Information from http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm
Please Note:
1) These are averages. Actual content can vary enormously.
2) The caffeine content will vary depending on how the drink is made, eg. brewed coffee
You can visit some excellent links regarding caffeine at:
Frequently Asked Questions about Caffeine
HowStuffWorks - Caffeine
International Food Information Council Foundation