Types of Coffee

by Rob Stewart

My love affair with eating chillies is something that has developed over a number of years; I simply can’t resist the sensation of a good hot chilli! I love exploring the various levels of heat and the subtle unique flavours that individual chillies have such as the ‘Guajillo’, which has a red berry flavour and the’ Ancho’ with its smokey dried fruit notes. This fascination for chillies has evolved into a deep appreciation for Mexican cuisine. I have also come to value that there is more to the country than tequila and tacos, Mexico also grows some pretty good coffee too. (more…)

Part 1 of the Coffee Discovery Series

By Paul Golding

The first visit to a favourite origin is always something of a personal epiphany. Kenya was one such visit for me, when I went with a small industry group to Nairobi in February this year to catch the end of the harvest season. Getting out into the countryside to see the crop and meet the people who produce it can really help shed some light on a coffee’s unique flavour and character. (more…)

By Rob Stewart

By now I guess you have heard the term ‘third wave’ in coffee. It refers to a worldwide movement whereby specialty coffee roasters and boutique cafes are devoting their efforts to exploring the pure flavour of the single origin coffee and it’s something that the coffee industry and its consumers in Australia have embraced. The movement is also about innovation and patience which is seeing brewing systems like the Clover, Siphon and temperature controlled espresso machines such as the Synesso and Slayer becoming commonplace in our cafe strips. We are also seeing the green bean standard raised with access to Cup of Excellence, micro-lots, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade and roasters creating direct routes to the farms. One such country I believe has always been able to deliver coffee to the standard we are demanding today is Papua New Guinea. (more…)

by Rob Stewart

I have often wondered what would happen to the world if Brazil stopped producing coffee – perhaps a catastrophic melt down! The price for coffee per kilo would go up, making a cup of coffee cost more than a cocktail at a night club, sounding the death knell of the majority of cafes and coffee companies.  Shift workers, parents, students, productivity, and Italy would all come to a grinding halt. It would affect our economy and our way of life, leaving everyone with one giant headache.

(more…)

The other day I was preparing to go through the process of designing a new blend and I called my broker to request some samples. He said “I’ve got just the coffee for you! El Salvador Bourbon, she’s my new girlfriend!”  After introducing me to his new love I found myself to be a little confused as to why he had fallen so head over heels; I certainly didn’t share the same attraction. However, keen to find out why my broker had fallen so hard I decided to give her a second chance to leave an impression.
(more…)

We asked Russell Beard, from The Source Espresso Bar in Sydney, which coffee he’s excited about right now and to tell us a bit about it – here is what he had to say…. 

Q. Favourite bean right now and why?

Guatemalan COE Lot# 22 Finca La Perla (only 16 bags produced).
It was a Cup of Excellence (COE) finalist coffee from Guatemala – we were in Tokyo at the SCAJ and this coffee was on the table. When we brewed it (pour over) it had a cloudy apple juice appearance. We tasted it & all just looked at each other and….Wow! A special moment. I was hooked! So much so that we will be getting more coffee from this farm in the coming weeks/months.

La Perla means “Sleeping Woman” in Xamac, a Mayan language used in the Ixil Triangle, where the farm is located, some 38 kilometers northeast of Chajul, in the province of El Quiché. The farm produces Catuaí and Bourbon between 3000 and 6500 feet. Soil is loose, clayey and sandy over a limestone base. Producing quality coffee is very important to the owners of La Perla. They pay attention to detail – from harvesting at the exact moment to wet milling and drying the beans. This is evident in the fact that they have been finalists in the Cup of Excellence program in 2001, 2002, 2006 & 2008.

The lovely thing about the COE program is that the farmer is celebrated and receives the accolade & thus benefits financially; which in turn lays the platform for more interesting and exquisite coffee’s for the future….watch this space!

Q. How is it best appreciated?

I experienced this coffee as pour over /filter & drip. I wouldn’t roast this coffee too dark, as this would take away some of the delicate nuances inherent in this lovely bean.

Q. Flavour/cup profile?

The coffee was clean (as expected of a COE winning coffee) with beautiful apple acidity, nice heavy viscosity in the mouth, just beautifully sweet like honey. Once brewed it’s appearance was almost tea-like or like a cloudy apple juice.  

The Coffee

Farm: La Perla Y Anexos  Farmer: Finca La Perla Y Anexos
City: Chaju  Region: El Quiche  Country: Guatemala
Variety: Caturra  Type of shade trees: Inga  Harvest: October to May
Processing System: Sun and Wet Mill
Climatic Conditions: Average temperature: 18°C, Annual rainfall: 5000mm, Relative humidity: 75%
Type of soil: Loamy (balance of clay, sand and limestone)

Note: The Cup of Excellence is the most esteemed award given out for top coffees. These awards come from a strict competition that selects the very best coffee produced in that country for that particular year. These winning coffees are chosen by a select group of national and international cuppers and are cupped at least five different times during the competition process. Only coffees that continuously score high enough are allowed to move forward in the competition. The final winners are awarded the prestigious Cup of Excellence® and sold to the highest bidder during an internet auction.

Espresso (short black)

The espresso is the starting point for all espresso coffee - approx. 25 ml of espresso extracted in 25-30 seconds. A well-made espresso is characterised by a dark, golden crema. A further sign of a good espresso is that the surface tension of the crema should maintain one teaspoon of white sugar on its surface for 3-4 seconds before falling through.
A Ristretto, meaning ‘restricted’ in Italian, is normally only the first 15mls of extraction – it is therefore ‘restricted’ in the amount of coffee extracted and captures the sweetest, most intense characters of the coffee. The term ‘Double Ristretto’ is capturing 30 ml of espresso, made up from 2x 15 ml shots.

Long Black

There are various ways to make a long black, but you should definitely not simply extract a normal espresso for double the length of time! I like to start with 10ml cold water, followed by boiling water (or approx. 95 degrees) to make up to around 2/3 of a cup – then pour a double ristretto on top!  Not everyone uses a double espresso, but it gives the sweetest result (normally only the first 15ml of extraction).

Macchiato

Some enthusiasts find an espresso coffee too strong and concentrated; in the macchiato, milk is used to soften the edge of the espresso. Using a 90 ml glass, pour your espresso shot, and add a dash of textured milk. The term Macchiato means to mark, which in this case is what we’re doing to the coffee with the textured milk.

Cappuccino

Named after the Cappuchin monks who apparently drank coffee to help them through their prayer vigils.  The monks were recognisable because of their unique brown hood, which is brought to mind by the distinctive colour and texture on the top of a cappuccino coffee. One shot of espresso and 2 cm of textured milk. For a marbled effect, dust espresso with chocolate before pouring milk.

Latte

One of the most popular espresso-based drinks in Australia, the name literally comes from the meaning of the two words ‘café latte’. Caffe in Italian means ‘coffee’ and Latte means ‘milk’. Simply pour a shot of espresso into a 200-220 ml glass and add textured milk.

Flat White

Developed as an Australian icon. For those who enjoy the strength of the cappuccino but not the foam that goes with it. Using a cup of around 160-180 mls capacity, pour in one shot of espresso and add steamed milk, including 1/2 cm of textured milk on top.

By Rob Stewart

I am often asked how I became a coffee roaster and I tell them that it was pure opportunity; but, if I really think about it, my passion blossomed the day I wrapped my lips around a cup of Sumatran Mandheling.

I had started a new barista gig with a boutique coffee roaster, but I was really just working to pay the rent while I went to uni. I didn’t care much about coffee until the day I had to acquaint myself with the single origins the roaster sold. So, my boss and I racked up some espressos and BANG! My palate went into overdrive! (more…)

By Emily Oak

The coffee we know and love as a golden or dark brown aromatic bean, starts off very differently. For coffee, from crop to cup, there is quite a complex journey and every step will affect its final flavour.

The coffee bean as we know it, is actually the seed of a cherry which grows on the tall bushy coffee tree, with the two main species being Arabica and Robusta. Arabica makes up a large percentage of the world consumption – about 70% while the more gutsy Robusta is most commonly used as a booster in some espresso blends or for making instant coffee.To get from the cherry on the tree to the bean ready for grinding, there are a number of steps that need to occur.

The first is ‘processing’ – whereby the outer layers of the cherry are removed to reveal the bean or seed inside. There are four layers that need to be removed – the skin, the flesh, the parchment and the silverskin. The way that these outer layers are removed greatly affects the flavour of the bean as the sugars can be either transferred into or out of the bean. (more…)

By Rob Stewart

When a coffee broker asked me what I thought about Panama coffee I began singing Van Halen’s “Panama”, which sadly has nothing to do with the country and everything to do with a stripper from Arizona.

I did however know that some of the best specialty coffee came from Central America, Costa Rica and Guatemala.

So I took a sample, cupped it, and with out hesitation ordered a ton; it was so good I just had to have it on my books. (more…)