When contemplating the very best coffees on earth, I visited the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) for research. They are the business that sets the standard standards for specialty coffee, which the public calls “gourmet” coffee. All specialty coffees use arabica beans. One other group of could be the robusta bean, which can be of inferior taste quality to arabica. Within these categories, there are several varieties of bean. Arabica beans are grown at a higher altitude than robusta.
Coffee is the 2nd most traded commodity on earth and is graded in an identical manner as wine. This event is named a “cupping” and has a couple of strict standards. Winning a cupping is very prestigious and has a direct impact on the values a coffee grower can get for his crop.
History of these “cupping” 1zpresso winners has shown that three regions of the world produce probably the most winners. Interestingly, these regions employ a similar latitude when considering the world map. The three regions are Ethiopia, Sumatra and Panama.
Ethiopian/Kenyan Coffee (Africa)
Ethiopian coffee is aromatic, highly flavorful, and also regarded as some of the best coffees in the world. It is also the origin of coffee. The Ethiopian individuals have a legend that says a goat herder discovered Ethiopian coffee around 850 AD. This legend claims that the goat herder pointed out that his sheep were very excited and nearly dancing after eating red berries from a tree. The legend of the founder continues on to say that the herder sampled the red berries for himself and took a number of the berries home to his wife who insisted that he take them to the monks. The monks supposedly threw the berries right into a fire and noticed the delicious smell that the berries produced. The monks are said to possess removed the berries from the fire and boiled the berries in water to generate the beverage that individuals now know as Ethiopian coffee.
Whether this legend does work, or in fact merely a legend is forever a mystery. Regardless, Ethiopian coffee has been useful for religious ceremonies. These ceremonies are still held today and if a guest is invited to participate in the ceremony, it is well known to be a very beautiful experience.
Locally, Ethiopian coffee is served with either sugar, or in certain elements of Ethiopia, salt. Milk or any kind of creamer is never utilized in traditionally brewing. The method of creating the coffee varies by region. In certain regions it is dry processed and in certain other regions it is washed. The Ethiopian coffee within stores today is dry processed.
The method is often grueling and coupled with with importing adds to the reason of why Ethiopian coffee can be expensive.
When consumers purchase Ethiopian coffee to be brewed at home, it is a good idea to consider fair trade Ethiopian coffee. Well-known reason to consider fair trade is so the producers with this wonderful product can reap the advantages of their hard work. Ethiopian coffee has a rich, bold, and exciting history and a taste that’s been favored by many individuals for an extended time.
Sumatran Coffee (Indonesia)
Sumatran coffee originates from the island in Indonesia called Sumatra. The taste of Sumatran coffee is spicy, herbal, and very distinct. It’s regarded as being one of the best coffees on earth and was introduced by the Dutch around 1699 once the Dutch wanted to keep up with the demand of coffee to Europe. The Dutch traders knew the difference between Sumatran espresso beans and other espresso beans by the appearance, which are irregularly shaped and bright green.
Sumatran coffee is one of the best coffees on earth and has a low acidity rendering it highly favored among other kinds of coffee. The beans are generally grown in full sunlight and without chemicals. A highly popular kind of Sumatran coffee, yet thoroughly disgusting in lots of peoples opinion, could be the kopi luwak Sumatran coffee. The kopi luwak coffee is espresso beans that have been eaten by the small animal known as a luwak. Following the luwak digests and excretes the espresso beans, local villagers collect the excreted beans and roast them. These excreted and roasted beans are believed to cost about $300 a pound. Obviously, not all of Sumatran coffee originates from the excrement of the luwak. There are numerous other varieties of Sumatran coffee as well.
The majority of the Sumatran espresso beans are processed utilizing the wet and dry processing method. This processing method is another reason why Sumatran coffee is so popular. Most other kinds of espresso beans are processed by using either a damp method or a dried method, rarely both.
When purchasing Sumatran coffee for use at home, an individual should try to get fair trade Sumatran coffee. Fair trade beans are available at various trusted online retailers and also at gourmet coffee retailers. This insures that the growers benefit from most of the work that they placed into growing this delicious coffee.
Sumatran coffee has a taste unlike every other and as soon as you test it yourself, you might find that it will quickly replace your present brand or at the very least be considered a coffee that becomes certainly one of your favorites.
Panamanian Coffee (Central America)
Although Panama is the littlest of coffee producing countries, they grow all the best rated coffees every year. The coffee region surrounds town of Boquete in the western province of Chiriqui close to the Costa Rican border. Some say Panama has the perfect micro climate to cultivate coffee receiving winds from the north plus a light mist and cool breeze. The majority of the coffee is grown on farms and is named an Estate coffee which signifies the farm it is from.
The method includes hand picking, washing and sun drying. The farms work closely with the indigenous people enhancing town with social, medical and educational services. Because of this, fair trade is not really a concern. It is a harmonious relationship between farm and worker.
For a long time, coffee from Panama wasn’t popular amongst the public but the standard was apparent to the traders. So much so, that certain trader was caught selling the reduced cost Panamanian espresso beans as Hawaiian Kona beans, a much popular top end arabica bean.
Currently, Panamanian coffee has come of age winning numerous cuppings to the stage in 2003 when your competition was changed. Previously, each entry was individual and Panamanian entrants would win as much as five of ten awards. Now, they’ve groupings and each group can produce as much as two winners that move up to another location level.
It ought to be noted that although Panamanian coffee has been established as the very best in the region, wonderful coffees do come from Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Columbia.
Although all the world favors the western coffees, a genuine coffee lover should really be adventurous and taste the very best coffees of the world. Try Ethiopian and Sumatran coffees along side those that come in close proximity to those regions. You might be surprised at everything you have already been missing.