Putting the BOO in BOOTH: SCA Coffee Expo

August 27, 2021

Some slightly bitterBitterness is one of 5 basic tastes: Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter and Umami (savory flavors). There are many types of bitterness, hence not one avenue to tracking down its source. Bitterness as a positive quality More reflections on the values of the Specialty CoffeeSpecialty coffee was a term devised to mean higher levels of green coffee quality than average "industrial coffee" or "commercial coffee". At this point, the term is of limited use, since every multi-national coffee broker More Association, with a touch of unpleasant acidityAcidity is a positive flavor attribute in coffee, also referred to as brightness or liveliness. It adds a brilliance to the cup, whereas low acid coffees can seem flat. Acidity can sound unattractive. People may More and a tainted defectIn coffee, a defect refers to specific preparation problems with the green coffee, or a flavor problem found in the cupping process. Bad seeds in the green coffee sample are termed defects, and scored against More note in the

Good Reads: What Happened to Zimbabwe Coffee?

July 17, 2021

A recent Specialty CoffeeSpecialty coffee was a term devised to mean higher levels of green coffee quality than average "industrial coffee" or "commercial coffee". At this point, the term is of limited use, since every multi-national coffee broker More Association newsletter article offers an updated picture of the turmoil for Zimbabwe’s coffee trade I remember when I started buying green

Podcast: Discussing Decaf with Mike Strumpf of Swiss Water Decaf (Podcast Ep. 29)

July 16, 2021

An in depth discussion of the decaffeination process and how it affects green coffeeGreen coffee refers to the processed seed of the coffee tree fruit. Coffee is a flowering shrub that produces fruit. The seeds of the fruit are processed, roasted, ground and prepared as an infusion.: Coffee More. This podcast episode is a recording of a Zoom discussion Tom

Closeup on Roasting Decaf Coffee

July 4, 2021

A side-by-side video guide to the color changes we see roasting decaf coffee versus non-decaf. If you want to challenge your ability to roast coffee,

Coffee Filter Comparisons - Cafec, Hario, Melitta, Filtropa

What We Sell, What We Don’t: The Case of Cafec Coffee Filters

June 23, 2021

On coffee brewingThe process of making an infusion of water and roasted, ground coffee. In the most basic sense, hot water is added to coffee ground to produce a drink. Some brewing methods (espresso, turkish coffee) produce More, coffee filters and coffee products. And why (maybe) the old internet was better. When I started Sweet Maria’s I would look into

First Crack FAQ: What is First Crack? What is Second Crack?

May 18, 2021

If you’re struggling to identify the sound of first crackFirst crack in one of two distinct heat-induced pyrolytic reactions in coffee. It is distinguished by a cracking or popping sound in the coffee, and occurs between 390 and 410 degrees Fahrenheit in most coffee More and second crackAfter First Crack, a roast reaction around 440 to 450 degrees that is distinguished by a snapping sound. Second Crack is the second audible clue the roaster-operator receives about the degree-of-roast, following First Crack. Whereas More when roasting coffee, read on… I remember many years ago writing a

Wet-hulled coffee, white and swollen, called Gabah or, after hulling, Labu. Sumatra 2008, Lintong Lake Toba Trip Thompson Owen, Sweet Marias Coffee

Sumatran Coffee Processing: Why You Should Know Giling Basah

January 20, 2021

A guide to understanding the Giling Basah method, a Sumatran coffee-processing tradition. In the Bahasa language of IndonesiaUSDA is (obviously) the United States DepartmentA Department is the term used in some Latin American countries for a State or County. For example, Huila Department is the state in the South of Colombia. More of

sweet maria's crew unloading the incoming green coffee on bean board pallets

Sweet Maria’s Green Coffee List: When to Expect New Coffee Arrivals

November 18, 2020

A look at the coffee crop cycleThe Coffee Crop Cycle refers to the period of growth of the cherry to maturation and harvest. Coffee has one harvest period a year, although in some there is a second small harvest. From the More and other factors that affect our Green CoffeeGreen coffee refers to the processed seed of the coffee tree fruit. Coffee is a flowering shrub that produces fruit. The seeds of the fruit are processed, roasted, ground and prepared as an infusion.: Coffee More List (jump directly to the lists of upcoming and incoming

How Sweet Maria’s Receives Shipments at our Green Coffee Warehouse

November 16, 2020

Few coffee roasters or importers store all their stock of green coffeeGreen coffee refers to the processed seed of the coffee tree fruit. Coffee is a flowering shrub that produces fruit. The seeds of the fruit are processed, roasted, ground and prepared as an infusion.: Coffee More. That includes Sweet Maria’s Ever wonder where all that Sweet Maria’s coffee comes

Gesha 11 coffee variety at Kenya coffee research

Coffee Variety Gardens, Kenya, Central America, Colombia, Sulawesi

November 15, 2020

Coffee varieties are my thing! Here are some visits I have made to coffee researchThe study of the agronomy of coffee, its chemistry, or other improvements: The study of the agronomy of coffee, its chemistry, or other improvements. There are coffee research organizations throughout the world. In Central America, More collections. I am a big fan of unusual coffee varieties

Category: Topics

Coffee issues and topics: We can’t find a good name for this meta-category of articles about the coffee trade, the science of coffee, issues of coffee evalutation and taste. It’s the best we can do…

Putting the BOO in BOOTH: SCA Coffee Expo

Good Reads: What Happened to Zimbabwe Coffee?

Podcast: Discussing Decaf with Mike Strumpf of Swiss Water Decaf (Podcast Ep. 29)

Closeup on Roasting Decaf Coffee

What We Sell, What We Don’t: The Case of Cafec Coffee Filters

First Crack FAQ: What is First Crack? What is Second Crack?

Sumatran Coffee Processing: Why You Should Know Giling Basah

Sweet Maria’s Green Coffee List: When to Expect New Coffee Arrivals

How Sweet Maria’s Receives Shipments at our Green Coffee Warehouse

Coffee Variety Gardens, Kenya, Central America, Colombia, Sulawesi

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