Organic coffee is coffee grown without the use of pesticides, insecticides, or synthetic fertilizers. By growing coffee with the use of these farming techniques, agriculture is sustained promoting quality of soil, ecosystems, and groundwater supplies.
Coffee is grown in subtropical and tropical regions at altitudes ranging form sea level to 6000 feet. There are two types of coffees grown commercially: arabica and robusta.
The coffee tree bears fruit called cherries that ripen from green to red. The cherries contain two seeds (coffee beans). Wet and/or washed processing methods are used primarily for arabicas; whereas, dry and/or unwashed methods are used for robustas. The wet process is labor intensive and involves putting cherries through a pulping machine that breaks down the outer skin and removes the pulp. The beans are cleaned with water and either sundried or machine dried, then sorted according to shape, colour and density.
Roasting transforms the green coffee bean into an aromatic flavourful bean suitable for brewing. As the bean roasts, moisture is given up and sugars in the bean begin to caramelize to develop flavour characteristics. The characteristics of coffee are described as: aroma, flavour, body (depth), acidity (tang), and finish (aftertaste).
Beans are a light reddish-brown colour with a delicate flavour.
Beans are chestnut brown in colour with balanced flavour development. (This is the standard commercial roast.
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Beans are a rich dark brown colour with some slight oil on the surface of the bean. (Coffee is strong in flavour with a touch of bitterness.)
Beans are almost black to the point of carbonization and very shiny from oils. (Coffee is very strong with a bitter flavour; there is a very thin line between this roast and burnt beans.
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Colombia
Mild flavour, full-bodied, medium acidity
Costa Rica
Rich, sweet, aromatic, acidic with smooth finish
Guatemala
Sharp, strong, smoky, heavy-bodied with snappy aftertaste
Mexico
Nutty, rich aromatic, delicate bodied, acidic
Nicaragua
Aromatic, mild flavored, acidic
Papua New Guinea
Rich, lively, medium bodied, well balanced
Peru
Mildly acidic, well bodied, aromatic, mellow
Sumatra
Rich, earthy, highly acidic, full bodied
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