Coffee

The rise in popularity of organic coffee over the past decade or so is the direct result of consumers becoming more and more aware and conscientious about what products and produce they are buying. Because companies must detail production methods on their product’s packaging, consumers are able to easily make informed decisions about the products they purchase. Even more than that, consumers are generally becoming more educated about the international coffee manufacturing industry and the chemical processing that goes into the coffee they buy. Coffee, if you don’t already know, is one of the most chemically processed products in the world.

What is certified organic coffee?

The term organic refers to the way a coffee is grown, harvested and produced. It refers to the conditions of the coffee plantation or farm and the conditions under which it is processed. Only coffees grown under the strictest of organic farming guidelines may publicly label their product organic and certified organic.

Organic farming methods avoid any chemical or synthetic processing of the coffee. Organic farmers base their methods on the philosophy of processing coffee as naturally as possible, creating a healthier coffee alternative and keeping the environment as healthy as possible, too. Organic coffee farms never use chemicals as fertilizers or pesticides. Moreover, they do not use chemical flavorings or additives.

Organic farms are always built in line with principles of sustainable agricultural practice and always place importance on the health and quality of their soil. It almost goes without saying that healthy soil produces a healthy crop. And by extension then, that healthy coffee crops means healthier coffee.

These days, everyone knows well enough that chemically processed coffee is adverse to their health. Consumers also know that there are excellent organic alternatives.

Organic shade farming

Coffee is traditionally and naturally grown in the shade. This method is called ?shade coffee farming.? To this day, shade farming produced the best coffee. But large manufacturers have taken to producing coffee quickly and in full sun to meet the demands of the market.

But coffee that is grown in full sun suffers a number of adverse effects, such as from bird and insect pests. This pestilence means that large-scale coffee farmers must use pesticides to protect their crop and this, of course, results in negative effects on a coffee bean’s taste and aroma.

Only organic coffee is grown in natural conditions. The gourmet varieties of Mocha, Java and Kona are grown organically.

Coffee wholesalers who sell organic

When it comes to certified organic produce it is often best to try your local coffee retailer or coffee shop. These are small companies who love their coffee and will most likely be purchasing the very best, organically produced coffee. Next, try online stores that specialize in organic coffee. A simple search on the Internet will bring up many coffee wholesalers and retailers committed to certified organic coffee beans and blends.

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Author: Samantha Evans
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee is the seed of a berry-like cherry from a tree. Coffee grows from sea level to approximately 6,000 feet, in a narrow subtropical belt around the world. Coffee trees are evergreen and can grow to heights of 20 feet although many varietals average 8 to 10 feet only. Coffee cherries ripen at different times. They are picked primarily by hand.

Do you know that it takes approximately 2,000 Arabica cherries to produce just one pound of roasted coffee? In terms of beans, the same one pound of roasted coffee is derived from 4,000 coffee beans since each cherry contains two beans. The average coffee tree produces only one to two pounds of roasted coffee per year. It takes about four to five years for a coffee plant to produce its crop.

The coffee plant has a flower with delicate clusters of white blossoms, resembling jasmine in shape and scent. The blossoms have a very short life and are beautiful, particularly when entire coffee plots blossom. The coffee cherries that first appear on the branches are green, they ripen to yellow and finally to a dark red. It takes from six to nine months for this cherry color transition and ripening to take place.

Once the coffee cherries are picked, they go into processing. The fruit is removed from the seed by one of two methods.

• One method is called “natural or dry process” where the cherries are dried in the sun or in dryers.
• The fruit is separated from the bean through a mechanical husker.
• Another method is known as “the wet process” which produces “washed coffees.”
• After processing, the beans are dried, sized, sorted, graded and selected.
• They are then bagged and ready for shipment to roasters around the world.

There are two commercially important species of coffee beans: Coffea Arabica and Coffea Robusta.

• Arabica beans grow best at altitudes over 3,000 feet. Arabica beans produce superior quality coffees than Robusta beans.
• Robusta coffee usually grows at lower elevations. Robusta trees are easier to grow, produce higher yields, and are more disease resistant than the Arabica species.
• Robusta beans produce a woody, astringent flavored coffee and command lower prices than Arabica beans.
• There are many other factors that contribute to the overall quality of coffee beans. For example, soil conditions, altitude, weather condition, fertilization, cultivation, harvesting, water availability, and processing methods are just a few.

Two very important steps in the production of gourmet specialty coffee for the consumer market are the roasting and the blending.

• A good roaster is essentially a scientist and an artist who has to maintain quality and consistency during the roasting process.
• Roasting is a very important phase in the coffee trade: it is during the roasting process that the sugars and other carbohydrates within the bean become caramelized creating what is known as “coffee oil.”
• Technically speaking, this is not “oil” in the traditional way. Instead, it is a fragile chemical that gives coffee its aroma and flavor.
• However, the amount of oil drawn to the surface of the bean is proportionately related to the length of roasting time.
• Once roasted, the roaster cannot change the results. Timing and experience in knowing the right roasting duration is a very valuable skill to have in the coffee trade.
• Drum-type roasting machines roast the coffee beans as they tumble inside a rotating drum that is typically heated by gas or wood. Some beans will be under-roasted, others will be over-roasted or scorched. Also, some broken roasted beans are normal with this method.
• When the desired roast level is achieved, the beans are then poured into a cooling hopper to keep them from overcooking.
• The convection roasting process roasts the coffee beans as they “tumble” on a current of hot air for the appropriate amount of time to attain the desired level for the specific varietal or blend. This method uniformly roasts beans for each batch without a scorched or burnt taste.
• Lightly roasted beans range in color from cinnamon to a light chocolate tan. Generally speaking, lighter roasts are not used for espresso because the lighter roasted coffee produces a sharper, more acidic taste than do darker roasts.
• In contrast, darker roasts have a fuller flavor. Some coffee lovers refer to this as a bittersweet tang flavor. Caffeine and acidity decrease proportionately as the roast darkens.
• You will taste the char of the bean rather than the flavor of the bean the darker the roast turns out to be. Extreme dark roasts have a smoky flavor and are very suitable for espresso coffees.

Some terms commonly heard concerning the degree of roast include: cinnamon, medium high, city, full city, French, Espresso, Italian roast and others. The terms are used to describe the degree of roast not the place where the coffee is grown or roasted.

One of the best ways to enjoy freshly roasted coffee to order and to experience the many flavors and tastes of coffee from around the world is through a coffee club membership. Why? Because membership in a specialty gourmet coffee club delivers coffee selections roasted to order and delivered to your home fresh every month or more frequently as desired.

What about tasting a delicious cup of Sumatra Mandheling Grade # 1?

Timothy (“Tim”) S. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him “The Gourmet Coffee Guy.”
He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest.

Come visit the author’s website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com
Also visit: http://www.squidoo.com/coffee-lensography-TheGourmetCoffeeGuy

Copyright – Timothy S. Collins. All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Author: Timothy S. Collins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Coffee came to the Dutch East Indies archipelago in the late 17th century. The legend of coffee itself makes fascinating reading (Kaldi and his dancing goats!), but for Indonesian purposes coffee arrived here in an organized and less mythical fashion on VOC (the Dutch East Indies company) trading galleons, via Yemen and the Dutch enclave of Malabar. These first coffees introduced were Arabica, direct descendents of 6 coffee trees the Dutch managed to smuggle out from Yemen and plant in the Botanical gardens in Amsterdam. The trees were well suited to the tropical conditions found on Java and quickly thrived and produced cherries. The first plantations were located close to Batavia (modern day Jakarta). Later plantations were established in Sulawesi, Maluku and Sumatra. Independently Colonial rivals Portugal planted Arabica in East and West Timor as well as in Flores. Coffee, along with nutmeg, cloves and other spices, became the backbone of the VOC economic machine. Infrastructure to get crops out of plantation areas led to development of port and later rail and road systems that still exist today. After the demise of the VOC the Dutch colonial government took over many of the business activities in Indonesia. At one stage sale of these commodities made up almost 30% of the entire Dutch GDP.

In the late 1800′s rust disease hit the coffee crops of Indonesia. The disease was debilitating, wiping out most of the Arabica trees in Java, as well as in the outer islands. The Dutch colonial government responded by replanting- firstly in a subspecies called Liberica (which proved to be almost undrinkable) and then mostly in the more resistant Robusta variety. Robusta still makes up around 90% of the coffee crop grown in Indonesia today.

There are four main sub types of Arabica found in Indonesia. These sub-varietals are locally called- USDA, Kartiki, Lini-S and ABG-III. Of these the most widely grown are Lini-S and Kartiki. The differences are mostly in the yields on the tree and sometimes in the size of the cherry.

Robusta is a hardier tree. The beans from the Robusta plant have a higher level of caffeine than that found in those from Arabica plants. Robusta is often used in instant coffee and has half the chromosomes found in Arabica. Robusta makes up the bulk of the coffee exported from Indonesia, but it is the regional Arabica’s that make the archipelago famous.

Processing

The coffee beans you see after the roasting process have come a long way from where they started, as “cherries” on Arabica plants. Coffee trees flower twice a year, the flowers being fragrant, white bunches that hang from the trees. Only 25% of these flowers will go on to be fertilized and produce small buds that later grow into coffee beans. The beans take several months to ripen. Once they have reached a level of ripeness where the outer skin turns red, the picking begins. The majority of our partners hand pick, so the selection process is far better than the bigger estates that often strip pick using machinery.

Arabica trees can grow up to 30 foot tall, if not pruned. Most farmers try and keep their trees to around 8 foot or shorter, so the cherries can easily be reached during picking. The seasons for picking vary across the archipelago. In Sumatra the season runs from November to January, in Java from early June through to September.

Generally Government run Estates and small-hold farmers use one of two different methods to process the picked cherries into what’s called “green coffee”. The “dry” method is predominately used in Sumatra and by small hold farmers in Java, Bali and Flores. This method involves drying the beans outside under the sun. The beans are laid out either on a concrete pad, or on sacking laid out on the side of the road. The process can take several weeks if done properly. Over this time the beans are raked and turned as often as needed to ensure a universal drying effect is achieved. Once the outer area of the bean begins to fall off, the coffee is ready to have the pulp removed. Normally this is done by machinery- although some of these mulching machines are still hand driven! The final product is a green bean, about 1/3 rd of the size of the original cherry.

The second method of drying coffee is the “wet” processing system. Wet processing means the bean can begin the final preparation stage immediately after being picked. Instead of drying under the sun the cherries are processed through a water system. This leads to the outer skin softening making it easy to remove. The system works well although there are often times when the sugar in the beans can ferment, causing the flavor of the beans to be affected. Most large estates in Java use this system as it speeds up processing and generally makes selection of the final green bean much easier. The quality of green bean from wet processing is generally higher.

Dynamics

It is estimated that almost 97% of all coffee in Indonesia is grown by small-holders. The definition of a small holder is a farmer who grows coffee on a plot that is around 1.2ha in size or smaller. This is in sharp contrast to coffee being grow in Central and South America, where most coffee grown is on Fincas (Estates). The number of farmers growing coffee as a main or a subsidiary crop is conservatively estimated at being around 8 million. The sheer number of growers and the geographical isolation of where coffee is growing in Indonesia, makes this country one of the most unique collection of origins in the coffee world.

Indonesian Coffee has always had a special place in the specialty coffee niche. Consumers have been able to enjoy Kayu Mas Estate Java, Mandehling, Gayo Mountain Arabica and Highlands Toraja Arabica for many years. The new wave of Indonesian Specialty Coffee goes a lot further- bringing coffees from many new, exotic and exciting growing regions- Bali, North Sulawesi and West Java to name just a few. The future for Indonesian producers is to move away from the historical dependence on Robusta and to bring to the coffee drinking world these new and exciting origins.

© Alun Evans, Merdeka Coffee- all rights reserved. May reproduce or republish with permission and accreditation to original author.

Alun Evans is a coffee roaster based in West Java, Indonesia. His company Merdeka Coffee, is pioneering relationship coffee with farming communities throughout the country.

Author: Alun Evans
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Kona coffee comes from the famous Kona Coffee region, located on the Big Island of Hawaii. Many of them are small family farms. From August till December the farmers focus on picking and processing the ripe red coffee cherries. The steep, rocky terrain of most plantations does not lend itself well to mechanical cultivation or harvesting, so most of the work must be done by hand. The remainder of the year is spent pruning trees, planting new ones, spreading compost, maintaining the processing mill and home. Family owned plantations produce the finest coffees, because folks watch and maintain the whole cycle from the soil to the bean. Of course, processors, coffee brokers, shippers, handlers, dock- and storage managers, roasters, stores e.g. are in between you and the farms. By going through so many hands most coffees are running chances to be mishandled and results in being simply less fresh! So when ordering Kona coffee from a website, make sure you find a farm, can communicate with the owners and cut out the middlemen: The result will most likely be cheaper, fresher, tastier.

Kona coffee maintains individual subtleties; much better tasting than pooled, generically sold cheaper alternatives. The Kona region is comparable to the Champagne region in France, which produces the only legitimately named ‘Champagne’ product. And like Champagne, 100% Kona coffee is distinguished from other coffees not only by region and the ideal growing conditions, but also by the enormous amount of care taken throughout each step of the farming, harvesting and roasting processes. Whether it’s from the individual pruning of the trees, handpicking, carefully sun-drying on large open decks and roasting prior to packaging the coffee to ensure freshness–you can be assured that small estate Kona coffee is comparable to no other.

What’s in your cup? Most likely machine picked coffee, chockfull of pesticides and herbicides from South America, which is todays norm. Millions of tons circulate as ‘commodity’ on the Future markets at all times. During harvest combines with huge bristles sweep the trees of old cherries, green cherries, and some ripe red cherries. Twigs, insects, dirt all end up in the pulper. This generic coffee is stored and shipped for many months before it ends up in your cup. As every coffee company wants to have a high profit margin, the cheaper the green coffee is being bought, and the higher they can sell the roasted beans, the better they do for their shareholders. That’s where so called ‘Fair Trade’ coffees come in, because the first thing which is lowered is the money the actual farmers and pickers earn. Other tricks of the trade during processing and packaging: Flavor it with hazelnut or vanilla! Roast it very dark! Flavor it with, yes, COFFEE aroma extracts itself! Pump coffee aroma in the bag so that when the bag is opened the first time, the cheapo stuff will actually smell like coffee! Produce a sugary & milky coffee drink!

Back in Kona century-old coffee trees are still being handpicked to obtain the best flavor, assuring that only the reddest, ripest and finest cherries make it into your cup. This naturally shade grown coffee grows in nutrient rich soil, which reduces acidity and produces dense and more flavorful beans. During the course of any given Kona day the land is gently heated by the sun, which draws moist breezes up the slopes to create what’s called vector clouds. These clouds not only make shade trees obsolete, but they prompt drizzly convection rains throughout the afternoon. Therefore only in Hawaii coffee is grown at lower altitudes and naturally irrigated. In the rainy season around 20,000 gallons of rain are poured onto each acre of farm land. But moments after these periodic rains disappear, one may witness the sun once again pushing its way through at the coast below, creating magnificent rainbows and the most breathtaking Hawaiian sunsets. In the pulping process, the harvested red cherries are to ferment overnight in the freshest and purest Pacific rainwater. This labor-intense ‘wet method’ is the preferred way of processing high grown arabicas. Their skins and pulp are soaked, and then removed from the beans, which are later washed and spread out to dry on a wooden deck. The moist beans are hand distributed upon the drying floor and are raked many times throughout the day so that the drying happens uniformly. Kona’s warm sun and gentle breezes dry the beans to the perfect moisture level. Generic coffees utilize a mechanical drying method, which forces hot air over the beans to speed up the drying process. This method proves less labor intensive, therefore lowering the price. However, one can actually taste the difference between sun and kiln-dried beans. Sun-dried coffee maintains more of a delicate, mellow flavor–whereas kiln-dried coffee will oftentimes lose some of the aromas Kona coffee is famous for. Many farms package and ship their Kona coffee immediately after roasting to preserve its freshness. The essential flavored oils of coffee are delicate and fade quickly when coming in contact with oxygen.

But be aware: 100% KONA coffee is hard to come by on the mainland, which is why many coffee consumers are easily duped. But once you’ve tasted 100% pure Kona coffee, you’ll know the difference! Many roasters and companies mislead customers by using only 10% Kona beans and mixing them with 90% lower-quality and heavily fumigated Central or South American beans. This combination produces an atypical, cheaper taste, but is commonly referred to as “KONA BLEND”. The name, however, leads consumers to believe that the bag of coffee they’ve purchased contains ‘blends’ of various Kona coffee farms, whereas it actually means that the entire bag contains as little as three to four actual Kona beans! The law of Hawai’i stipulates that a bag of pure Kona coffee must have printed on its label the words 100% KONA to guarantee its contents. That’s why most small estate, shade grown and handpicked coffee can compete successfully against the ultra-productive, low-waged labor, machine-picked, and often artificially ‘coffee’-flavor enhanced, coffees.

http://www.bluehorsekona.com/
http://www.athenaofhawaii.com

Author: Keoni Lassiter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Ever wondered how the morning cup of coffee washes off all the lethargy of sleep and kick starts your brain to face a brand new day? Does credit for coffee’s legendary refreshing effect go to the diminutive but obvious presence of caffeine? Can we reduce the virtues of such a great beverage to a mere work of a chemical? Clearly, the flavor, smell and arrogant upshot of caffeine all contribute towards making coffee a complete experience, rather than just a beverage.

Coffee is basically prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. The coffee beans – as the seeds are referred to – are roasted and powdered. The processing of coffee beans is a very labor intensive process. The roasting phase of processing considerably influences the final taste and odor of coffee and is thus the most significant part of the whole process. Roasting causes extremely complex chemical action that metamorphoses the insipid taste of the coffee seed to the great taste we all know and love. In some cases the coffee beans are even aged for a considerable period of time before they are roasted.

The range and variety of the experience we call coffee is considerably huge. For the stringent coffee buff that prefers an experience devoid of caffeine, decaffeinated coffee hits the mark. There are the darker roast styles that justify the word ‘black coffee’. There are even special flavored coffees in the market for people who need a twist in the tale. There is no end to the ways you can get your cup of coffee.

But, coffee is more than just a hot liquid in a cup. Its significance and influence extend in all aspects of society and culture. The coffee houses of the 16th century started off a trend of using coffee as an excuse and means of getting people to socialize. Coffee is the greatest social lubricant ever invented, capable of bringing people together to mingle, talk, debate and decide. The coffee houses of India became the axis and base camp of the workers struggle where people and propaganda celebrated the birth of a new political age. In Sweden and the Nordic countries, coffee is an important cornerstone of their culture.

In the past, coffee had a religious and spiritual significance. This appears quite natural given the experience of coffee is nothing short of divine. The early Arabs created wine from the coffee fruit which was used during religious ceremonies. In many cultures coffee naturally substituted wine when wine was prohibited.

The experienced connoisseurs of coffee indulge in coffee cupping. Coffee cupping is simply a great excuse to turn your love for coffee into a professional pursuit with all the semblances of any grave enterprise. Some professional coffee tasters are so proficient in drinking coffee they can identify the geographical origin of coffee from its taste.

Coffee is a great accompaniment for any informal meal, typically as an integral component of breakfast. In relatively more formal settings, like for instance, in a restaurant, coffee fits in perfectly during the dessert course. It’s obvious that coffee is a great accompaniment to anything from pastries, cookies, shortbread to muffins. But, if the coffee lovers of the world are to be taken seriously, coffee goes with any occasion or time no matter what.

The next time you wake up dazed and crave for that cup of energy, be content in the knowledge that you are accompanied by millions of people who believe that their day would be deficient without the great experience we all call coffee.

Saman Rashid is an experienced writer.She has been writing articles and web copies since 3 years. To contact her, kindly visit http://www.mscopywriters.com

Author: Saman Rashid
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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