Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dennis McQuoid on May 7, 2012 at 10:04pm

Never heard the process being defined in SO. But SO is not real defined and has a much wider meaning. It could be a growing region - including several varieties, not just a single variety, single estate coffee. When I describe coffees to my customers, I mention the originating farm, region, process, and variety. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Keith Eckert on May 7, 2012 at 10:41pm

Here is a blog post I just wrote on the topic.  Been asked this question a few times lately, and your post put me over the edge to write it up.  Read it here: Venia -- Defining "Single Origin" Coffee | A Response to Several Questions

Might qualify as "Late night Reading", so throw down a shot or two first. 

Keith

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brady on May 8, 2012 at 3:37am

Dennis and Keith, I agree. By itself, the phrase "Single Origin" means very little... sometimes just "it all came from the same bag". Its the words that come afterward that make it mean something, in theory.

Keith I think you say it well here:

"The heart of the question seems to highlight the underpinning desire to trace each coffee we drink back down to the farm/farmer.  But, I think the response to this idea needs to be grounded on how coffee is grown, processed and sourced around the world (which could easily take volumes of books to give the topic justice).  Geography, politics, culture, environment, war, poverty, corruption, etc, all pose challenges to the traceability of a coffee.

 

... 

 

Each country that produces coffee has different rules and traceability hurdles.  In general, the move towards traceability in the specialty coffee realm is a good thing and indicates a desire by importers, roasters, retailers, and ultimately consumers to be better stewards."

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Woody DeCasere on May 8, 2012 at 7:13am

I think what you can say is that a Single Origin Coffee is from a single growing area, i.e. Costa Rica, that is a simplistic definition. I think what we now do is get really specific with the coffee as a roaster i like to define it as much as possible to show all the details we can to educate and inform. Now we say something like Costa Rica Naranjo, Familia Navarro "El Llano" Micro Lot. 100% Caturra, 1600 Meters elevation. This to me is a microlot, but we could also call it single source or something to that effect, we also call it direct trade or relationship coffee because not only are we buying microlots, but now we are visiting the El Llano farm and meeting the Navarro Family. I think this is a logical and positive step for coffee, and the industry.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by victoria fallon on May 8, 2012 at 10:17am

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post. As a former cheesemonger I understand origin, recipe, method of production and aging. Then there's the history... and each little or big cheese has it's own story.

Education is vital when we as "stewards" serve and honor all the work that goes into the noble bean... I want to learn the right way on how to talk terroir, process and flavor profiles. The noble bean is similar to milk in many ways. It is "culinary" and  "artisanal".

Are there rules and regulations when it comes to defining beans as "single origin" ? For the roasters out there: what goes on your labels to distinguish single origin from the rest?

Thank you...I appreciate all participation.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by victoria fallon on May 8, 2012 at 10:21am

I believe I picked that term up on the internet in reference to Single Origin...maybe it was on Coffeegeek. I have to look into that. I am a fan of this approach when it comes to description..."the originating farm, region, process, and variety". very much like talking cheese and wine.

Dennis McQuoid said:

Never heard the process being defined in SO. But SO is not real defined and has a much wider meaning. It could be a growing region - including several varieties, not just a single variety, single estate coffee. When I describe coffees to my customers, I mention the originating farm, region, process, and variety. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by victoria fallon on May 8, 2012 at 10:22am

Thank you Mr. Eckert...appreciate the link.

Keith Eckert said:

Here is a blog post I just wrote on the topic.  Been asked this question a few times lately, and your post put me over the edge to write it up.  Read it here: Venia -- Defining "Single Origin" Coffee | A Response to Several Questions

Might qualify as "Late night Reading", so throw down a shot or two first. 

Keith

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by victoria fallon on May 8, 2012 at 10:30am

Thank you...this approach to education is vital to Specialty Coffee Industry. We as "stewards" need to understand what it is that we are selling , where it comes from , and details of the work that goes into it.

Comparisons in style was a tool I used when talking about specific cheeses and most customers related to that approach, especially if they walked away armed with knowledge.

I would like to get to a level in my education about coffee so I can comfortably talk about beans this way.

Woody DeCasere said:

I think what you can say is that a Single Origin Coffee is from a single growing area, i.e. Costa Rica, that is a simplistic definition. I think what we now do is get really specific with the coffee as a roaster i like to define it as much as possible to show all the details we can to educate and inform. Now we say something like Costa Rica Naranjo, Familia Navarro "El Llano" Micro Lot. 100% Caturra, 1600 Meters elevation. This to me is a microlot, but we could also call it single source or something to that effect, we also call it direct trade or relationship coffee because not only are we buying microlots, but now we are visiting the El Llano farm and meeting the Navarro Family. I think this is a logical and positive step for coffee, and the industry.

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion