Get to know your bean 🫘☕️

DEMYSTIFYING THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF COFFEE ☕️

When talking about coffee most people share what brands of commercial coffee they enjoy; whether that coffee is Arabica or Robusta or any subspecies of coffee is completely unknown to them. And I don’t really blame them -- for most people when they drink coffee they are groggy and still 85% asleep, so why should they care what kind of plant grows the coffee they require for functioning?! The world of specialty coffee sounds daunting, but I promise you it really isn’t. Coffee is one of the most complex flavour compounds in existence, but then again so is wine! Think about it like this: if someone says they like red wine that's very normal.  If they say they like Italian wines you’d say that’s still quite normal, but if they liked Nebbiolo from the Barolo region you might say that’s where they lose you. Still words like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay are popularized through media.

  Coffee is, in a sense, the same as wine. Region, varietal, and roast level all play a factor on understanding the coffee you drink. Coffee grows in mountainous, tropical regions throughout Africa, Asia, and Central to South America. Each one of these regions produces different styles of coffee. Africa is where Coffee originated, specifically in Ethiopia, but can be found in Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Madagascar and other countries. Ethiopian Coffees are often floral, sweet, and have a large range of fruity notes.  Kenyan Coffees are much larger than Ethiopian coffees, both in size and character. Big bright fruity sweet bombs if you will. Burundis are similar to Kenyans in my limited experience.

  In South America you have three large coffee producing countries; Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. Brazil produces a ton of rich, chocolatey coffee, often textural and sometimes funky. Colombia has maybe the largest amount of variance in production out of any country, the coffees are sweet, fruity, and generally regarded as a gold standard for quality. Peru produces some very fragrant and floral coffees, often having less texture and more nuanced complex flavours. 

Much like wine each smaller region has its own characteristics. But at the same time they also have the opportunity to grow the same types of coffee trees. This would be similar to France, New Zealand, and Oregon all producing Pinot Noirs. While this isn’t quite commonplace, you will see roasters sharing the varietal of coffee. The goal in this is to gain recognition for quality varieties similar to how people choose their wines. Some of my favourites recently have been SL28 & SL34 often found together in Kenya, Pink Bourbon found throughout the Americas, and Pacas and Pacamara often found in Central America. 

  Armed with this knowledge and a taste for good coffee, a great place to start is by grinding your own beans at home and getting a French press or learning the art of a good pourover. If you're looking for a new setup or perhaps your first setup, I love the combination of this fun dripper with this jug for the optimal brew time and a set that gives you longevity as well as aesthetic value. These filters are made 100% from cotton and are slightly more porous with a crepey texture to yield the perfect speed and clarity in your cup. 

     Knowledge not only power, it's a better cup of coffee! Plus now you can show off to your friends. 

Life's too short for shiddy coffee.