The Coffee Purist Vs. The Roast Stylist
Roasting is a fairly straightforward act. You dump coffee in a heat chamber, it cooks, you stop the roast where you think it will taste best and that’s it. When we roast coffee we are basically cooking a dried seed, a singular ingredient, a singular and continuous cooking process.
Every professional roaster-operator knows that if you divide the roast time into 3 equal time periods, the first two stages are a good time to fill some bags and set up your next roast. In the first stage the coffee simply turns from green to yellow, absorbs heat and loses moisture in the form of steam distillation. In the second part the seed bakes to a light tan color as low temperature roast reactions occur. It’s only in the last third of the roast that needs great attention. This is the stage that begins with the first pyrolitic reaction in which the coffee actually reverses the heat process and expels heat (becomes endothermicA term applied to thermodynamic reactions, referring to one that absorbs heat. Most parts of the coffee roasting process are endothermic, as coffee acquires heat from the environment....), and cracks for the first time. In this stage the critical event is called the MaillardAn important reaction in coffee roasting that results in the browning of the green coffee seed.: The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between an amino acid and... reaction where free amino acids
Many acids contribute to coffee flavor: acetic, malic, citric, quinic, tartaric, phosphoric, etc.: Many acids contribute to coffee flavor; malic, citric, quinic, tartaric, phosphoric, etc. See Acidity or..., proteins and peptides react with reducing sugars and much of the volatile aromatic constituents and browning pigments are formed. The coffee becomes endothermic during a lull between cracks, and then the coffee structure fractures as 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... begins.
There are massive reactions between the organicGrown without the use of artificial fertilizers, herbicides, etc.: Organic coffee has been grown according to organic farming techniques, typically without the use of artificial fertilizers. Some farms... compounds that have formed during the roast, and to the cellular matrix of the bean itself. Coffee is wholly transformed from the dried seed it begin the cooking process as, to the browned, enlarged “coffee bean” we have come to appreciate. But the roaster operator hasn’t done a whole lot during this time but make sure the machine was ramping up the heat the right way, or in the case of air roasters, making sure the right amount of coffee was added to the roaster and the machine is working right. Yep, it is fun to watch, but even on a roaster that takes a full 60 kilo bag per batch, minding the machine and watching is about all you really do! Yet there is so much to know about coffee that nobody ever truly masters it. From the intricacies of each coffee producing originIn coffee talk, it refers to a coffee-producing region or country; such as, "I was just at origin." Of course "Origin" for most product we use is not..., to processingThe removal of the cherry and parchment from the coffee seed.: Coffee is either wet-processed (also called washed or wet-milled) or dry-processed (also called wild, natural or natural... at the mill, to transport, to the brewing technique; roasting is but one small step in a very large endeavor.
To address this gap between to simplicity of roasting and the enormous complexity of coffee from origin to cup, there are two philosophies you might see expressed at local roasting shops in your area. On one hand there is The Stylist, a roaster who considers green coffee
Green 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,... as an ingredient that will be transformed by the alchemy of their roaster. The Stylist will be more interested in blending that straight, single-origin roasts, and will emphasize their technique and their chosen degree of roastDegree of Roast simply means the roast level of a coffee, how dark it has been roasted.: Degree of Roast simply means the roast level of a coffee,... as a personal signature of their craft. Coffees might be given brand names rather than origin names.
On the other hand, The Purist celebrates the origin of the coffee, the cultivarCultivar is a term used interchangeably with Varietal in the coffee trade to indicate plant material, although there are distinctions.: The naming of a cultivar should conform to..., the farm and seeks a roast technique and degree of roast that does not interfere with maximizing the “origin distinctness” intrinsic in the seed. This is perhaps akin to the world of wine, where flavors in the glass are the final result of soil, weather, and varietal more than a particular human hand that claims to have created the flavors. In fact, these two approaches are probably not as distinct as portrayed here, and might exist in combination at a shop that offers branded blends and origin-specific roasts. Even Starbucks vends Full City roasts of single originSingle Origin refers to coffee from one location, in contrast to blended coffee. This term is particularly useful in discussing espresso, since most commercial espressos are made from... coffees at some locations!
As for Sweet Maria’s, you can day we fall into the camp of the Purist. I, Tom, certainly am. And sometimes I think we forget to be understanding towards those who like a heavier “roast taste’ in the cup, and like to play with blends because … well … it’s fun to blend! And after all, you are roasting to meet your own requirements, and to your own tastes, not ours. But maybe it is best that we emphasize the quality of the coffee over the style of the roast: our job is finding really good green coffee for you, and a blend or a dark roast has never been damaged by having the best quality green coffee as its ingredient.
Vietnamese Robusta
Ateng is a common name for Catimor coffees widely planted in Sumatra and other Indonesia isles.: Ateng, with several subtypes, is a common name for Catimor coffees widely...: A Cruel Joke?
I thought it would be interesting to offer single Lbs. of the coffee that is taking over the universe: Vietnamese RobustaRobusta usually refers to Coffea Robusta, responsible for roughly 25% of the world's commercial coffee. Taxonomy of Robusta is debated: some sources use “Robusta” to refer to any.... It seems it would be fun to give home roasters the chance to try out some of the lowliest coffee on the market, the stuff that ends up in the cheapest pre-ground coffee blends in your supermarket. This coffee will set you back a big .75 cents per Lb. and we ask you to respect our 1 Lb. limit for your safety and for my sanity. Please do not consider our offering of this coffee as a Sweet Maria’s endorsement of this … er… crap.
A Great Coffee MillA coffee mill might mean a coffee grinder, but we usually use the term to refer to a coffee processing facility, either a Wet-Mill or a Dry Mill....
The new Solis Maestro mill is available and it is truly the best of all the previous Solis conical burr grinders. The internals are Swiss- and German-made, the bodywork is from Asia, and it is assembled in the U.S. by Baratza LLC. We offer the mill for $129.00, quite and investment for a grinder but I really think it is worth it! Our web page has a detailed description and pictures -Tom
Sweet Maria’s Coffee Inc.
9 E. 2nd Ave Columbus Ohio 43201
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Sweet Marias Green Coffee Offerings on 11/5/01:
This list is always superceded by the current list on our web page! http://sweetmarias.com/prod.greencoffee.shtml
Central American 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb 20 lb
Costa Rican Tres Rios -La Magnolia $5.00 $9.50 $21.75 $77.00
Costa Rican La Minita Tarrazu $7.10 $13.49 $31.60 $113.60
Guatemalan Finca
Spanish 101: Finca is the Spanish word for farm. Sometimes the term Hacienda is used to imply an Estate, which would mean the farm has its own wet-mill.... El Injerto ’01 $4.90 $9.31 $21.32 $75.46
Guatemalan SHB Huehue -Finca Huixoc $4.60 $8.74 $20.01 $70.84
Guatemalan Org. Atitlan -La Voz FT $5.30 $10.07 $23.06 $81.62
Mexican Chiapas Org.La Alianza $4.50 $8.55 $19.58 $69.30
Mexican Org. San Augustin Loxicha $4.70 $8.93 $20.45 $72.38
Mexican Oaxaca San Pablo Becafisa $4.60 $8.74 $20.01 $70.84
Nicaragua
Nicaraguan coffees from the Segovia, Jinotega, Ocotal and Matagalpa regions are nice balanced cups. They often possess interesting cup character along with body and balance, outperforming many other... Matagalpa Eugenio Lopez $4.50 $8.55 $19.58 $69.30
Nicaragua Segovia Canta Gallo Co-op $4.50 $8.55 $19.58 $69.30
PanamaPanama coffee ranges from medium quality lower altitude farms to those at 1600 - 1800 meters centered in the area of Boquete in the Chirqui district near the... Boquete -Finca Maunier $5.10 $9.69 $22.19 $78.54
El SalvadorEl Salvador coffee had an undeservingly poor reputation for years, marred mostly by the inability to deliver coffee of high quality in an unstable political climate. Unfortunately, agriculture... – San Rafael Naranjo $5.20 $9.88 $22.62 $80.08
South American 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb 20 lb
BrazilBrazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra sang, "they grow an awful lot of coffee in Brazil".: Brazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra... Mogiani BourbonA coffee cultivar; a cross between Typica and Bourbon, originally grown in Brazil: Mundo Novo is a commercial coffee cultivar; a natural hybrid between "Sumatra" and Red Bourbon,... $4.80 $9.12 $20.88 $73.92
Brazil Organic -Blue de Brasil $4.90 $9.31 $21.32 $75.46
Brazil Cerrado-Monte Carmelo $4.20 $7.98 $18.27 $64.68
Colombian Popayan SupremoA Colombian coffee grade referring to screen size of 17-18 screen. In the traditional bulk Arabica business, Supremo was the top grade Colombia, with Excelso one step below... -Lot1406 $4.50 $8.55 $19.58 $69.30
Colombian Caracol
The Spanish-language term for Peaberry is the same for "snail". See Peaberry for more information on the single bean fruit of the coffee tree. A peaberry is the... del Abuelo-Peaberry $5.30 $10.07 $23.06 $81.62
Colombian Santa Isabella Var.Typica $4.80 $9.12 $20.88 $73.92
PeruPeruvian coffees have Central American brightness but in a South American coffee flavor package overall. The good organic lots do have more of a "rustic" coffee character.: Organic... Org-FT Chanchamayo La Florida $5.00 $9.50 $21.75 $77.00
African- Arabian 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb 20 lb
Ethiopian Harar Horse – Lot1900 $5.20 $9.88 $22.62 $80.08
Ethiopian Organic Limmu -Oromia $5.20 $9.88 $22.62 $80.08
Ethiopian Sidamo DP ’01 $5.00 $9.50 $21.75 $77.00
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe -Lot 957 $5.50 $10.45 $23.93 $84.70
KenyaKenya is the East African powerhouse of the coffee world. Both in the cup, and the way they run their trade, everything is topnotch.: Kenya is the East... AB Gakui Auction Lot’01 $5.70 $10.83 $24.80 $87.78
Kenya AA Auction ’01 – Lot 82 $5.30 $10.07 $23.06 $81.62
Kenya AB Gichugu Auction Lot’01 $5.60 $10.64 $24.36 $86.24
Tanzanian AA Ruvuma Flatbean ’01 $4.70 $8.93 $20.45 $72.38
YemenYemen has a coffee culture like no other place, and perhaps some of what we enjoy in this cup is due to their old style of trade...: Technically,... MokhaThe Yemeni type of coffee, both in terms of the family of cultivars planted there, and the general trade name.: Mokha Yemeni type of coffee, both in terms... Ismaili (Hirazi) $7.90 $15.01 $36.74 $126.40
Yemen Mokha Mattari $7.00 $13.30 $30.45 $112.00
Yemen Mokha Raimi (Rimy) $6.90 $13.11 $30.02 $110.40
Zambian AA Isanya EstateA "coffee estate" is used to imply a farm that has its own processing facility, a wet-mill. In Spanish this is called an Hacienda. A Finca (farm) does... $5.00 $9.50 $21.75 $77.00
Indonesian- Indian 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb 20 lb
Indian Monsooned Malabar AA $5.50 $10.45 $23.93 $84.70
Indian Pearl Mountain Flatbean $4.50 $8.55 $19.58 $69.30
Java
There are several types of Abyssinia variety coffee, but they are not from Ethiopia but rather Indonesia. Abyssinia 3 = AB3. PJS Cramer, a Dutch plant researcher, introduced this variety... Govt. Estate -Jampit ’01 $4.80 $9.12 $20.88 $73.92
Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of the island it shares with the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya, part of Indonesia. The two primary areas for... Kimel Estate $5.00 $9.50 $21.75 $77.00
SulawesiSulawesi coffees are low-acid with great body and that deep, brooding cup profile akin to Sumatra. The coffee is sometimes known as Celebes, which was the Dutch colonial... Toraja Gr. 1 -Lot1504 ’01 $4.80 $9.12 $20.88 $73.92
SumatraIndonesians are available as a unique wet-hulled or dry-hulled (washed) coffees. Giling Basah is the name for the wet-hulling process in Bahasa language, and will have more body... MandhelingA trade name used for wet-hulled Sumatra coffees. It is an area and a culture group as well (spelled Mandailing often) but there is not as much coffee... DP Gr.1 ’01 $4.75 $9.03 $20.66 $73.15
Sumatra Lake Tawar 18+ $5.40 $10.26 $23.49 $83.16
Sumatra Organic Gayoland ’01 FT $5.20 $9.88 $22.62 $80.08
Aged Sumatra Mandheling ’98 $6.20 $11.78 $26.97 $95.48
Islands- Blends -Etc. 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb 20 lb
SM’s Moka Kadir Blend $5.80 $11.02 $25.23 $89.32
SM’s EspressoA small coffee beverage, about 20 ml, prepared on an espresso machine where pressurized hot water extracted through compressed coffee.: In its most stripped-down, basic form, this is... Monkey Blend $5.00 $9.50 $21.75 $77.00
SM’s Classic Italian Espresso Blend $4.80 $9.12 $20.88 $73.92
SM’s Decaf Espresso Blend $5.70 $10.83 $24.80 $87.78
SM’s French RoastSugars are heavily caramelized (read as burned) and are degraded; the woody bean structure is carbonizing, the seed continues to expand and loose mass, the body of the... Blend $5.50 $10.45 $23.93 $84.70
Malabar Gold Espresso Blend $6.00 $11.40 $26.10 $92.40
Decafs 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb 20 lb
Brazil Santos SWPSWP means Swiss Water Process is a patented water filtration decaf method, not a chemical solvent method. The plant is in Vancouver, Canada. Decaf $5.40 $10.26 $23.49 $83.16
Costa Rican SHB Natural Decaf $4.70 $8.93 $20.45 $72.38
Ethiopian Ghimbi MC Decaf $5.10 $9.69 $22.19 $78.54
GuatemalaGuatemalan coffee is considered a top quality coffee producer in Central America. Due to our proximity to Guatemala, some of the nicest coffees from this origin come to... Atitlan Org-FT SWP Decaf $6.20 $11.78 $26.97 $95.48
Indonesian Komodo Blend Org SWP D $6.10 $11.59 $26.54 $93.94
Kenya MC Decaf -German KVWA decaf plant in Germany specializing in the methylene chloride solvent method. KVW stands for Kaffee Veredelungs Werk: A decaf plant in Germany specializing in the methylene chloride... $5.25 $9.98 $22.84 $80.85
Mexican Cepco Co-op Natural Decaf $4.60 $8.74 $20.01 $70.84
Mexican Chiapas Org/FT SWP Decaf $6.10 $11.59 $26.54 $93.94
Sumatra Mandheling Natural Decaf $5.20 $9.88 $22.62 $80.08
Sumatra Gayo
Gayo is ethnic group from the area of Aceh Sumatra around Lake Takengon. They use the name Gayo Coffee to market their production. The Acehnese are a different... Mtn. Org.SWP Decaf $5.80 $11.02 $25.23 $89.32
Premium Robustas 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb 20 lb
Indian Kaapi Royale Robusta $5.00 $9.50 $21.75 $77.00
Indian Monsooned Robusta AA $5.20 $9.88 $22.62 $80.08
Java Washed Robusta $4.30 $8.17 $18.71 5 lb limit
Other 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb 20 lb
Vietnam Robusta $0.75 1 lb limit
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The application of heat to green coffee seeds (beans) to create palatable material for brewing a great cup!: Coffee roasting is a chemical process induced by heat, by...
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The 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....
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Cupping is a method of tasting coffee by steeping grounds in separate cups for discrete amounts of ground coffee, to reveal good flavors and defects to their fullest....
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Central America: Costa RicaCosta Rican coffee is typically very clean, sweet, with lots of floral accents. hey are prized for their high notes: bright citrus or berry-like flavors in the acidity,... | Guatemala | Honduras
Honduran coffee was absent from the top ranks of the Specialty market, but that has changed. It has all the environmental factors on its side: soil, altitude, climate.... | MexicoMexican coffee originates from South-central to Southern regions of the country. For that reason, coffees from Coatepec and Veracruz are much different from Oaxacan Plumas, which are in... | Nicaragua | Panama | El Salvador
South America: BoliviaBolivia has always been a coffee origin with great potential, the potential to have a unique Specialty coffee offering with unique cup character.: There's no better way to... | Brazil | ColombiaColombian coffee is highly marketed and widely available in the US. They have been largely successful at equating the name Colombian Coffee with "Good" Coffee. This is half-true.... | EcuadorEcuador has everything it takes to grow great coffee. Positioned between Colombia and Peru, the interior mountain ranges have plenty of altitude, weather patterns, and ideal soil for... | Peru
Africa/Arabia: BurundiBurundi coffee bears resemblance to neighboring Rwanda, in both cup character, but also the culture surrounding coffee. Burundi is a small landlocked country at the crossroads of East... | CongoKivu is the general name for East Congo (Kinshasa), covering a very broad geographical area, and the lake of the same name that divides them. It borders on... | EthiopiaEthiopia, formerly known as Abyssinia, or a coffee cultivar: Ethiopia, or more specifically the Empire under Haile Selassie, was known as Abyssinia. The name is Latin, derived from... | Kenya | RwandaA Bourbon cultivar variant from Rwanda and Burundi. Bourbon coffees are named for the island in the India Ocean where French colonists grew it. Some history from the... | TanzaniaIn terms of the Tanzania coffee character, it belongs to the Central/East African family of washed (wet-processed) coffees, bright (acidy), and mostly aggressively flavorful of which Kenya is... | UgandaWhile Arabica was introduced at the beginning of the 1900's, Robusta coffee is indigenous to the country, and has been a part of Ugandan life for centuries. The... | ZambiaFrom the country formerly known as upper Rhodesia in a country now named for the Zambezi River, Zambian coffees range from Kenya-like brightness to subtle, balanced coffee with... | Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe, formerly known as lower Rhodesia until independence in 1980, has produced great coffee since production was introduced in the 1960s. Like Zambian coffees, these coffees are often... | Yemen
Indonesia
USDA is (obviously) the United States Department of Agriculture. USDA also had coffee plant breeding programs in the past and one variety they distributed to Indonesia and was.../Asia: BaliCoffee from the Indonesian island of Bali was formerly sold mainly to the Japanese market. Perhaps it is the changing face of world economics that finds the first... | India
S-795 is a variety based on the " S-Line" coffees of India, and stands for Selection 795, It has a very fine cup, one of the best in... | Java | Papua New Guinea | Sumatra | Sulawesi | TimorTimor-Leste (East Timor) is a tiny island between Australia and Sulawesi, annexed by Indonesia and liberated in a referendum several years ago. Small scale coffee farming was jump-started...
Islands/Blends/Others: HawaiiThe Kona district on the big island of Hawaii produces the best coffee from this state - clean, sweet and mild. : Ah, Hawaii... what a nice place.... | Puerto RicoPuerto Rican coffee has the typical"island profile". These coffees, which include Jamaica and Kona, have a soft cup, not acidic, balanced, and mild. : I have tried other... | JamaicaJamaica coffee can be excellent mild, lush coffee... sometimes. Like Kona and Puerto Rican coffee, it is soft, mild, clean and well balanced when it is good.: Ah... | Dominican | ChicoryChicory was a popular coffee substitute and economizer for 2 centuries, back when coffee was more prized, and pure coffee was a luxury. : Chicory was a popular... | Saint Helena | Sweet Maria’s Blends
Decafs: Water Process, Natural Decafs, MC Decafs, C0-2 Decafs
Robustas: India | Uganda Archives: 2008-2009 | 2007 | 2005-2006 | 2003-2004 | 2001-2002 | Pre-2000 Review Archive
This page is authored by Tom Owen and Sweet Maria’s Coffee, Inc. and is not to be copied or reproduced without permission.
Green Coffee Beans 70+ Selections Hearthware I-Roast 2 Fresh Roast Home Coffee Roasters – Two Models Gene Caffe Drum RoasterA roaster with a rotating drum that provides agitation to the beans, while a heating element (typically either electric or gas) provides heat. The metal drum conducts heat...
BehmorA popular electric drum roaster designed for home use, with variable batch sizes (from 1/4 pound to 1 pound) and a smoke-reduction system. It has been modified and... 1600 HotTopA home drum roaster with a 9oz capacity, adjustable heat and airflow profiling, and an external cooling tray.: A home drum roaster with a 9oz capacity, adjustable heat... Drum Roaster Stovetop Popper Roasting Espresso Equipment & Accessories
Nesco Home Coffee RoasterA machine for roasting coffee. Or the person operating it! The basic requirements for a coffee roaster are a heating element that gets suitably hot and a mechanism... TechnivormThe Technivorm is a Dutch-made electric drip brewer for the home that is known for it's good design, and good results. You can find them for sale on... Electric Brewers Chemex Coffee Brewers Coffee Bags: for green and roasted
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Our Weekly Roasted Coffee French PressA simple coffee brewer also called a Press Pot: grounds and hot water are added to a carafe, allowed to sit for several minutes, and then a filter... Coffee Brewing IbrikA pot for making turkish coffee with wide bottom, narrow neck, and long handle."Ibrik" is the Turkish word for this coffee pot. It is usually made out of...: Turkish CoffeeA strong preparation of coffee, finely ground, and often prepared in an Ibrik over a heat source like a gas stove. Traditionally it was placed in hot sands... Brewing Mokapot: Stovetop Espresso
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