GUIDE TO HELP YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPE OF SINGLE ORIGIN COFFEE

Key Definitions

*  Single Origin Coffee - a coffee from a specific country, specific coffee growing region, or specific coffee estate.  A single-origin coffee is not blended with any other coffee beans.

*  Coffee Blend - more than one single origin coffee blended together.  A coffee blend can be different regional coffees or coffees from different countries blended together to formulate a unique taste.

*  Arabica Coffee Beans - make up about 70% of the world's coffee beans.  This coffee bean is a higher quality bean, grown at higher altitudes and typically picked by hand.

*  Robusta Coffee Beans - make up about 30% of the world's coffee beans.  This coffee bean is a lower quality bean, grown at low altitudes and typically machine harvested.  This coffee is used in mass produced coffee, typically grocery store coffee.

*  Gourmet Coffee Beans - a very general definition of the higher end of Arabica coffee beans.

*  Specialty Coffee Beans - the highest grade of coffee available.  Specialty coffee is the top 7% of the world's coffee beans.  It is the top 10% of all Arabica coffee beans.

World's Coffee

          * (70%) - Arabica Coffee Beans          * (30%) - Robusta Coffee Beans

Arabica Coffee

          * (10%) - Specialty Coffee Beans          * (90%) - Arabica beans graded too low to qualify as Specialty Coffee

*  ALWAYS PURCHASE 100% ARABICA SPECIALTY GRADE COFFEE BEANS

 

RECOMMENDED SINGLE ORIGIN COFFEES

Single Origin Coffees can be classified differently from country to country.  Some countries classify their coffee beans by grading them, some by origins from a specific growing region, and some by estates.  Our recommended coffees include graded coffees, estate coffees and region coffees.

BRAZIL

Best Brazilian Coffee:

     *  Graded Coffee - Santos and Bourbon Santos

     *  Estate Coffee - Blue de Brasil, Fortaleza, Lagoa, Lambari, Vereda, Vista Alegre

Brazilian Coffee to Avoid: 

     *  Brazil produces 70% of the world's coffee.  Much of this coffee is low grade coffee, so avoid any Robusta beans, coffees described only as "Brazil Coffees" with no grade or estate designation.

 

COLOMBIA

Best Colombian Coffee:

     *  Graded Coffee - Supremo (highest grade of Colombian)

     *  Coffee Regions - Cauca, Narino, Popoyan, Southern Huila

Colombian Coffee to Avoid:

     *  Avoid other Colombian coffees that are not "Supremo" grade or those that do not come from one of the above estates.  Colombia is the second largest producer of coffee in the world and along with the better coffee grade, there is a lot of lower graded coffee available.  Avoid coffee simply labeled as "Colombian Coffee" or "100% Colombian Coffee Beans".   All Colombian coffee is arabica bean, but there are very many grades of arabica in this country.  Look for the best, "Supremo".

 

COSTA RICA

Best Costa Rican Coffee:

     *  Graded Coffee - SHB - "Strictly Hard Bean" - grown above 3900 feet

     *  Regions / Districts - San Jose (region), Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Heredia

     *  Estate Coffee - Bella Vista, Cartago, Curridabat, La Minita, Montes do Oca, Naranjo, Sabanilla, San Ramon

Costa Rican Coffee to Avoid:

     *  Coffee from the Dota region, Grade Levels GHB (Good Hard Bean), MHB (Medium Hard Bean)

 

ETHIOPIA

Best Ethiopian Coffee:

     *  Yirgacheffe, Harrar (Harar)

 

KENYA

Best Kenyan Coffee:

     *  Graded Coffee - Kenya AA

Kenyan Coffee to Avoid:

     *  Kenyan Coffee Graded AB and lower.

 

GUATEMALA

Best Guatemalan Coffee:

     *  Coffee Region - Antigua, Coban, Huehuetenango

     *  Coffee Estates - Capitillo, Dos Marias, El Coyegual, El Recreo, Huixoc, La Tacita, Las Nubes, Los Alpes, Los Volcanos, Pastores, San Fafael Urias, San Miguel, San Sebastian, Santa Cecilia, Valley San Sebastian, Yaxbatz

 

INDONESIA

Best Coffee of these Indonesian Islands:

Island of Java

     *  Coffee Estates - Blawan, Jampit, Java Estate (any of the government estates), Kayumas, Pancoer, Tugosari

Island of Sumatra

     *  Coffee Region - Sumatra Mandheling

Island of Sulawesi

     *  Coffee Regions - Celebes, Celebes Kalossi, Celebes Kalossi Toraja, Sulawesi Toraja, Toraja

 

JAMAICA (Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Only)

Best Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee:

     *  JBM Regions - any JBM region as long as it's 100% pure JBM

     *  JBM Estates - Old Tavern Estate, RSW Estates, Wallenford Estate

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee to Avoid: 

     *  Any JBM "Style" coffee or JBM "Blend" coffee.  Look for 100% JBM.

 

HAWAII (Hawaiian Kona Coffee Only)

Best Hawaiin Kona Coffee:

     *  Island of Kona - any true 100% Kona Island coffee - grown only on the Kona Island.  It must contain the description of "Kona".

     *  Kona Estates - Black Mountain Kona, Hawaiian Gold Kona, Kona Blue Sky, Kona Classic, Kona Joe, Mountain Thunder Kona, Royal Kona

Kona Coffee to Avoid: 

     *  Any Kona "Blend" or "Style" and any Hawaiin coffee that is not from the specific Island of Kona.

 

MEXICO

Best Mexican Coffee:

     *  Coffee Region - Altura Coatepec, Altura Superior, Chiapas, Mexican Altura, Oaxaca, Oaxaca Pluma, Tapachula

 

PANAMA

Best Panama Coffee:

      *  Coffee Region - Panama Boquete

      *  Coffee Estate - Berlina, La Toreaza, Lerida

 

VIETNAM

Vietnamese coffee is almost all robusta beans.  This coffee is considered to be sub-standard coffee with a very sharp, strong, and bitter taste.  We recommend avoiding all coffee grown in Vietnam.

 

TANZANIA

Best Tanzanian Coffee:

     *  Coffee Grade - Tanzanian Peaberry, Tanzanian AA

Tanzanian Coffee to Avoid: 

     *  Tanzanian Grade AB or lower.

 

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