Introduction
We are in a time where the coffee industry is at an all time high and with coffee shops popping up at every corner we now have more options than ever. You will often hear the terms “single origin” and “coffee blends” surprisingly most people don’t know what these terms mean and how it can effect your coffee. In this article we will be going over how these different categories effect taste, the coffee belt and how each origin taste different, what a blend is, and how to find your perfect type of coffee.
Single origin coffee: where does it come from?
What is single origin coffee?
To fully understand coffee blends you need to understand what single origin coffee is and where it comes from. There are 3 (three) main regions where single origin coffee is located. Latin America, Africa, and Asia/pacific. This is referred to as the coffee belt
So to put it simply the term single origin refers to one main region or area where the coffee comes from. It comes from one region in one country. This gives the coffee a very distinctive taste and usually has very specific tasting notes depending on where the coffee is coming from. This means that if you got a single origin coffee in Ethiopia its going to taste very different from a single origin from Sumatra. Everything from elevation, the soil used, and processing method can effect the characteristics of the bean and ultimately give each single origin bean a distinctive flavor profile.
What is a coffee blend?
Now that we have single origin out of the way what exactly id a coffee blend? I am sure you have seen the words “coffee blend” from coffee shops to bagged coffee on grocery store shelves. Essentially A coffee blend is made up from different origins and countries. So going back to the example of have a single origin Ethiopia and single origin Sumatra you would take those two beans, put them together and you have a coffee blend. Now a coffee blend can be from two different places all the way 5 different places.
Some coffee producers, roasters, and shops take blend coffee very seriously. Mixing and matching different types of beans, with different types of processing methods can create a symphony of amazing flavor profiles with usually a medium body. Flavor notes you could never achieve with single origin. Everyone has their preference on flavor and taste, getting your coffee as a blend is often cheaper than single origin.
The price difference between single origin and coffee blends.
So why might single origin be more expensive than a coffee blend? Well, unfortunately most big brand coffee companies use blends from the cheapest farms and regions. While most of these companies are not ethically sourced or fair trade they are able to get coffee from different regions/countries cheaper. If you want to know more about coffee ethics check out my article on The dark side of coffee.
Now single origin is usually bought less or by higher end coffee companies which is why it cost more due to supply and demand. While you can get singe origin coffee that is not fair-trade or ethically sourced, it’s less common. Another reason for its price increase, It is a lot harder to buy coffee from one region and one farm than it is to buy a bunch of beans all over the world. This is why single origin coffee is less common, especially with big companies like the green mermaid and the yellow Arches.
Flavor profiles for single origin coffee
Different growing regions provide different flavor profiles. So lets sort off with the big 3 region flavor profiles of coffee, then we will dive into a few of the specific areas within each region and go over some flavor profiles.
- Latin America – Caramel, chocolatey, and nutty
- Africa – sweet, fruity, and floral
- Asia – Dark chocolate, Herbal, and earthy
Latin America
- Brazil – Brazil is one of the largest coffee producers and often you will find notes of citrus, nutty, and sweet flavor notes. Brazil is one of the more popular choices for espresso making Brazil the #1 coffee producing regions out there.
- Columbia – Columbia coffee has wonderful notes of caramel, nutty flavor notes, and undertones of caramel. Columbian coffee is often medium bodied which pairs well with its subtle sweetness.
- Guatemala – Guatemala coffee has rich volcanic soil and personally my favorite region of coffee. you will find flavor notes of smokiness, slight sweetness and higher acidity make it a very distinct coffee flavor making this region unique in its coffee flavor.
Africa
- Ethiopia – Ethiopia practically being the birthplace of coffee and home to a wide variety of it, you will find flavor notes of fruity almost wine like coffee, usually with a heavy body and hints of blueberry, strawberry, and floral toned depending on the processing method.
- Kenya – Kenya coffee is very distinctive with bold characteristics. You will often find a wide variety of flavor noted depending on where in Kenya it is coming from and how it is processed. These flavor notes consist of A slight undertone of tomatoes, sweetness with a tartness, and usually well balanced with a medium to heavy body.
Asia
- Indonesia – Indonesia coffee is filled with many earthy tones and well balanced taste with a medium to heavy body and smoky undertone. This coffee is very distinct and has a unique way of interacting with your pallet.
- Malaysia – Malaysia coffee is known for being a bit more strong tasting but has a very clean after taste. you will find fruity and nutty flavor profiles with a light-medium body. Coffee from this region are very distinctive.
Summary
In total, Coffee comes in many different flavor profiles, processing methods, and how the coffee handled can change the flavor and quality of coffee that you are drinking. I hope this article helped you learn something new and if you want to dive into some related content to learn more about your coffee check out some of the articles below
- Washed, regular, and honey processed coffee explained
- Coffee tasting: the real way to taste coffee
- Brewing method: best caffeine best taste.
