Trying to decide on what coffee to buy can be an overwhelming process. In the day and age of Specialty Coffee, you will see coffee from all over the world from Hawaii to Ethiopia, Brazil, Indonesia and everything in between! What does it all mean? Is there actually a difference in origins and regions coffee is grown in? How do you decide what to buy? 

In the last couple decades Specialty Coffee has taken over the industry by storm. Previously, coffee has been looked at as a cheap intake for caffeine. This started as mass produced coffee that was often stale and had no transparency about where it was grown. Progressively over the years, the industry has slowly begun to emphasize the importance of cafe culture, milk-based flavored drinks, and branding. Since the early 2000s the focus of the coffee world has been the origin of coffee. This began as what is called “Third Wave Coffee” and has led to coffee becoming an artisanal craft much like wine and beer. Nowadays you can’t go into a store or cafe without seeing coffees from around the world with tasting notes, varietal types, and farm names. Let’s break it down and see how all of these factors intermingle to provide the amazing tastes that define the new industry standard.

Coffee can only be grown in very specific areas around the world. These areas form what is known as the “Coffee Belt”.  The countries within the belt are spaces where temperature, rainfall, altitude and soil composition are well-suited for the coffee plant. Each coffee-producing country has its own unique makeup of these factors. This makeup heavily influences the tasting notes of the coffee bean. Regions around the world have general rules for tasting notes:

• Africa has many bright flavors that are full of complexity. Often referred to as tea-like. Hints of berries, citrus, and typically has higher acidity. 

• Central/South America often is known for their lower acidity with homier flavors including nuts, caramel, and chocolate. A well-balanced cup. 

• Asia has many unique flavors of coffee that tend to be earthier, spicier, and bolder. 

These are three of the biggest coffee producing regions around the world. However, it has been realized that coffee tastes can vary widely within these regions. Much like wine, people become familiar with the flavor profiles of countries, regions within countries, all the way down to the farm where it has been grown. This is due to the nature of the microclimates that coffee is grown in. As well what is grown around the coffee. Our own Costa Rican coffee comes from the Central Valley region within the country. Well known for its fruity flavors complimented well with hints of chocolate and a rich aroma.

Every farm also handles and processes their coffee differently. There are different varieties that are used throughout the word, and many other factors that lead to the variety of flavors experienced in coffee. Our packages and many coffee packages provide a few tasting notes determined after the coffee has been roasted. This is a good indicator of what you can expect out of the coffee. 

Along with tasting, this new emphasis on the origin of coffee has led to Traceability Stories that shed light onto the wonderful people that make our industry and the amazing flavors of coffee possible. Traceability Stories help maintain ethical standards and allow us to understand the coffee from farm to cup to ensure we provide the best cup of coffee. On top of understanding the people that provide our coffee we also become familiar with the agricultural practices of farming. Our “Ole’ Faithful” coffee is grown in Nicaraguan fincas. These fincas are self-contained communities that provide health services, schools, and housing for the workers and extend into the local community. They also practice shade grown coffee to help maintain the ecology of the cloud rainforests of North Nicaragua. We also work with Onyx Coffee which provides us with our well known ‘Ella’ brew. This coffee comes from completely women owned and operated farms in Guatemala. 

So not only can we enjoy the flavors of different countries, but we can be assured about the story of the bean from start to finish. This is what sets Cody Coffee and other specialty coffee shops apart from big retailers like Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Dutch Bros, and many of the other chains around the world. When you walk into our shop you know you can grab a great cup of coffee that is ethically sourced from specialty grade green coffee. 

Cody Kisner – The Roaster