Coffee

If you are the owner of a restaurant, coffee house or large business, then it’s time to think about buying coffee in bulk.  You’re probably making large amounts of coffee and buying it in bulk can save you a significant amount of many.  Here are some tips for bulk purchase of coffee.

Looking for Large Volume Purchase Program

A bulk coffee program is a plan that will ship you a predetermined amount of it each month.  The amounts vary, so make sure you find a plan which suits your needs.  Begin by ordering a conservative amount to make sure you aren’t stuck with too much coffee on your hands.  Most of the plans offer a house blend brand of it which may be imported from Sumatra, Kenya, Central America or South America. 

Buying Online

If you buy coffee online in bulk, you should be able to find it at a discount.  This may seem great at first, but don’t forget to factor in the cost of shipping.  The shipping cost may be sizable since coffee ships in bags weighing up to 25 pounds.  One way to cut down on shipping costs is to find a local distributor.  Not only will save you money, but it can also save you delivery time.  The last thing you want to do is to end up paying high overnight shipping costs for 25 pounds of bulk coffee.

Brew it Correctly

If you do own a restaurant, coffee hour or large business and are making a lot of coffee, be sure to use a commercial grade coffee machine for brewing your coffee.  A coffee maker designed for home use cannot make coffee fast enough and it can’t get the water hot enough for optimal brewing.  Really high water temperature is one of the secrets to the great coffee served in your favorite coffee house.

If you’re not making a lot of coffee, then buying it in bulk is really not the answer for you.  A great cup of coffee is brewed from fresh beans, so you only want to buy enough coffee for one month at a time.  You may save money with volume purchase, but if it sits for several months before you use it up, you’ll be disappointed in the quality of your coffee.

Damen Choy, editor of Coffee-Bean-Direct.com Coffee-Bean-Direct.com provides timely information about the coffee market, as well as tips and ideas for coffee lovers and their friends, who can find great java-related gifts for the coffee enthusiasts in their lives. Visit Buy Coffee Direct to learn about the many benefits of buying coffee in bulk for yourself and your loved ones.

Author: Damen Choy
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The coffee regions of the South Pacific include Indonesia and the Pacific Islands; Sumatra; Sulawesi or Celebes; Java, and New Guinea. Each of these regions has unique coffee attributes for flavor, aroma, after-taste and fragrance.

Indonesia and the Pacific Islands: Indonesia is the world’s third largest producer of coffee. Only 15% of the crop is Arabica beans; however, they are some of the best in the world. Indonesian beans are prized for their richness, full body, earthiness and gentle acidity. A limited number of quality beans are available for the gourmet, specialty coffee industry.

Sumatra: Sumatra is the largest of all the Indonesian islands. There are over 13,700 islands comprising the Republic of Indonesia, some with famous and well known coffees. Sumatran coffees are considered some of the heaviest, smoothest and most complex coffees in the world. Sumatran coffees have spicy, herbal notes and earthy aromas sought after by coffee lovers. The finest of the traditional Arabica coffees from Sumatra are marketed as Sumatra Mandheling and Lintong. Mandheling and Lintong are in the Aceh province on the volcanic mountains near Lake Tawar. The average growing altitudes are between 2,500 and 5,000 feet which is ideal for coffee cultivation. This region has shaded coffee farms and the processing method is “semi-washed.” This method depulps the coffee cherry from the coffee seed before they are dry. This cleans the coffee seed from the fruit pulp that naturally surrounds it. Mandheling is known for its herbal aroma, full body, low acidity, rich and smooth flavor.

Sulawesi or Celebes: Sulawesi was formerly known as Celebes. Coffee from this area uses the dry method and possesses a unique combination of sweetness and earthiness. The highest grade Sulawesi coffee comes from the mountainous area near the center of the island in the Toroja region. Sulawesi coffee is low in acidity with a deep body resembling the taste and fragrance of maple syrup. Japan consumes most of the supply available which tends to be small due to the limited yields.

Java: At the beginning of the 18th century, Dutch explorers brought the first Coffee Arabica trees to Java where they were planted and grown successfully. The island of Java became the world’s leading producer of coffee until a rust disease wiped out the entire industry. Farmers replanted the trees but the crops were devastated by military occupation during World War II. Talk about bad luck! Once again, the acreage was replanted with disease-resistant Robusta stock which is predominant although Arabica has made a comeback. Java Estate coffee is a wet processed coffee that is more acidic, lighter in body, and quicker to finish than other coffees in the region. There are traces of spices in this coffee such as nut, vanilla and spice. Old Java is Java Estate coffee that is stored in warehouses for two to three years. This aging process in storage causes the coffee to lose acidity and gain body and sweetness.

New Guinea: Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea. This is the coffee growing region of New Guinea and the coffee is usually labeled Papua New Guinea coffee or PNG. What is very interesting is that the seedlings planted in Papua New Guinea in the late 1930′s that started the island’s coffee cultivation came from the Jamaica Blue Mountain region in Jamaica. Papua New Guinea has ideal weather and soil conditions for growing coffee beans. However, the plantations are very secluded at very high elevations. Very often, these coffee farms are accessible only by foot. Papua New Guinea coffee is grown organically and processed completely by hand. One great benefit for coffee lovers is that the slower processing time makes for a better quality of coffee. Coffee from Papua New Guinea offers a full, syrupy body, balanced snappy acidity and wonderful complexities. Papua New Guinea coffee is reminiscent of Jamaica Blue Mountain flavor and taste.

So, are your ready for a delicious cup of Papua New Guinea AA Estate freshly roasted to order just for you? This is a true gourmet specialty coffee with a pleasingly full body, crisp acidity, a clean taste that finishes sweet, and a luxurious aroma with hints of tropical fruit such as mangoes and papayas!

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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Coffee is grown in many parts of the world. Each of these origin coffees will have the unique characteristics based on climate, soil, agriculture and processing. The Indonesian countries that produce coffee are: Sumatra, Sulawesi, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Java. Indonesia is the third largest coffee producing region in the world. However, these regions only cultivate a small portion of arabica beans and are highly sought after.

Sumatra is probably the best known of the Indonesian coffees. Coffee has been produced in Sumatra since the 1700s. There is little regional distinction between coffees produced in different areas of Sumatra, so coffees sold as Estate coffees (from a particular farm) are rare. These are mostly wet processed coffees, which means the fresh fruit pulp is washed from the outside of the coffee bean, rather than allowed to dry and then be removed. Sumatran coffees can be roasted medium-dark to dark. Medium-dark will reveal the best flavors from the beans, although dark roast is more commonly seen. This coffee has a rich flavor, full body and wonderful aroma with spicy undertones. In medium-dark roasts, a nutty aroma and flavor comes through.

Sulawesi beans, which are sometimes referred to by the Colonial name “Celebes”, are very similar to Sumatra beans. They have very earthy notes and low acidity. Sulawesi coffees are also prized for their syrupy notes. There are some Sulawesi beans which are held as green beans for a very long time and marketed as “aged Sulawesi”. These unusual coffees have a stronger earth note to them, with an underlying muskiness.

East Timor is a small island located between Sulawesi and Australia. Coffee production is the most important economy of East Timor, especially since the country gained independence in 1999. Many of the coffees from this island are organic coffees and most are processed by the wet method. This coffee has the familiar Indonesian earthy, rich flavor. Spicy notes of sweet cinnamon and mild acidity make this a fine coffee.

Papua New Guinea is on the eastern half of Indonesia. Coffees from Papua New Guinea are different than others in Indonesia. They are often called a ‘wild coffee’. They have fewer of the distinctive earthy tones found in many Indonesian coffees. Papua New Guinea coffees are processed by the wet method. There are also many estate coffees from Papua New Guinea and each have their own special characteristics. Common threads in these coffees are: fruity tones, lower acidity and well-rounded body. Many coffees from Papua New Guinea are also organically grown.

Java is located east of Jakarta. The government of Java actually controls about 80% of the coffee grown in East Java and is its own Estate coffee. It is a wet processed coffee. Java is usually blended with another coffee to make Mocha Java, which isn’t chocolate like the name implies, but the region (Mokka) where the other bean comes from. Java beans have a cleaner flavor than either the Sumatra or Sulawesi. They have a lighter body and slightly more acidity than other Indonesians.

If you haven’t tried an Indonesian coffee, find a local roaster who offers any of these origins mentioned here and you won’t be disappointed!

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Coffee [http://coffee-guides.com]

Author: Michael Russell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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In this article we discuss the coffees from India, Indonesia and the Pacific Rim.

Vietnamese Coffees

Vietnam is the second largest coffee producing country in the world today, behind Brazil. It is generally of poor quality with light acidity and mild body almost entirely of the Robusta variety. Consequently the coffee is mainly used in the production of instant and processed coffees. Most of the coffee is grown in the southern half of the country.

Indonesian Coffees

As the fourth largest coffee producer in the world, the islands of the Indonesia produce a wide range of coffees. Although the vast majority is robusta from small plantations, there are some very good arabicas produced too. Amongst the most notable are from the islands of Java, Sumatra, Sulawesi, Flores amd Timor. Sumatra is the name given to all single origin coffee produced on the island.

The most notorious of all Sumatran coffees is the Luwak. Rather uniquely the coffee cherry is collected after it has been eaten and passed thorough the digestive tract of a small island animal. Apparently this produces a lovely mellow coffee. It’s uniqueness earns its reputation as the worlds most expensive coffee.

Java coffees from the island of Java are grown on large farms mostly operated by the government, and are wet-processed using modern methods. These display the rich character of other Indonesia coffees, but are lighter in body.. Old Java, Old Government, or Old Brown are mature coffees from Java, created to mimic the flavour characteristics of the original Java coffee, which was aged in the holds of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century ships during their passage to Europe.

Indian Coffees

Despite being most famous for its teas, India is also the 6th largest producer of coffee on the planet, mainly from the southern regions of the country, where both Arabica and robustas are grown.
The best known are from the Mysore area and are known by that name. The best mysores have good body with sweetness.

Monsooned coffee is a process whereby the coffee is exposed to the monsoon winds in open warehouses. The idea is to recreate the natural ‘ageing’ that occurred during the long sea voyages to Europe. This gives the beans a particular earthy flavour and a smooth and rich taste with a spicy aroma.

Papua New Guinea

The best-known coffees from New Guinea are produced on large, modern estates that produce a clean, fragrant, and acidic coffee. Organically grown New Guinea coffees are produced on small farms and processed by the farmers using simple means. Arabicas and robusta are both grown.

Thai Coffees

Coffee is very important to the economy in Thailand. However it is intensely cultivated in the south of the country using fertilizers and pesticides and is it of low quality. Much of the coffee is used in to produce soluble products, roasted, ground, and canned coffee in their domestic market. A small amount of good quality arabica is produced in the north

Philippines

Disease destroyed most of the coffee plants in the Philippines in the late 1800′s. Today, however it has recovered somewhat and it produces generally low grade robustas for the soluble coffee market. A small amount of good quality Arabica are also produced

Hawaiian Coffee

Although not on the Pacific rim but in the Pacific itself Hawaii is a minor coffee producing island, the most famous of which is Kona coffee. It is a rich nutty and buttery coffee and often considered to one of the best coffees in the world.

Visit http://www.cafebar.co.uk for further information.

Author: Fenton Wayne
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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