What is Single Origin Coffee?
Have you ever heard that one coffee friend talk about single origin coffee? Or maybe you've seen your local roaster post on social media about new single origins they're going to be offering. Either way, you might be wondering what that means. Simply put, single origin coffee comes from one region or farm within one country. But there's a reason coffee enthusiasts enjoy them so much. Single origin coffee is the best way to taste unique flavors from different coffee producing countries. Let's talk about why.
Single Origin Basics
Single origin coffees come from one country, region, or farm. As opposed to blends whose coffees come from different countries and/or regions. If you want to tell the difference when looking for beans to buy, take a look at the label. Most single origin offerings will list a single country as well as the name of the farm or producer.
For example, our Ethiopia Yirgacheffe is from the Yirgacheffe region in Ethiopia. In contrast, blends will usually have a unique name created by the roaster. Take our Journey Onward blend for example. We use beans from Colombia and Ethiopia to create a blend.
Now that you know the differences between single origin coffees and blends, what makes single origin so special? Glad you asked.
The Magic of Single Origin Coffee
Many things influence the flavor of a coffee, but it all starts at the farm level. Single origin coffees offer customers a chance to enjoy different characteristics from each country. To understand this, lets looks at flavor profiles from different coffee producing countries:
Brazil - Nutty, Milk Chocolate, Full Body, Low Acidity
Colombia - Citrus, Milk Chocolate, Caramel, Higher Acidity
Ethiopia - Floral, Tea like, Berries, Lemon, High Acidity
Guatemala - Citrus, Milk Chocolate, Stone fruits, Malic Acidity
Kenya - Citrus, Stone fruits, full body, bright acidity
Peru - Red fruits, Nougat, Caramel, Medium Body
All these variations in flavor comes from the climate, soil, and environment the coffee is grown in. For example, coffee from Brazil is grown at a much lower altitude which means the coffee cherry matures quicker, so it absorbs less sugar from the cherry creating a less complex flavor profile. Kenya on the other hand grows in rich soil in much higher in altitude and takes longer to mature, creating a complex flavor profile.
This is the primary reason that roasters and coffee enthusiasts like to try different single origin coffees. It's an opportunity to experience flavors unique to each growing region. Furthermore, single origin coffees enhance traceability and quality.
Keeping Quality High
Traceability, transparency, and quality are key factors that weigh into an importers decision to buy a coffee. With single origin coffees, you can easily trace it back to who produced it under what conditions. As well as work directly with the producers to name a fair price so everyone gets a fair deal.
Combining traceability and transparency helps improve the livelihood of coffee farmers and by extension, helps them keep quality high. This is another reason you'll hear coffee roasters speak so highly of single origin coffees: it's like working with a local farmer rather than a factory farm.
So as a result of these transactions, you're supporting the livelihood of a farmer (usually a family business) and ensuring you get the highest quality beans in your cup.
Now that you know the benefits of buying single origin, how should you select one to buy? Glad you asked!
Selecting Single Origin Coffee to Buy
What coffee you like and how you like to make it is 100% subjective, so we're going to break this down by drinking styles and brewing methods. Cream or no cream, pour over or french press, etc. Let's dive in!
We'll start broad first, depending on whether or not you like cream in your coffee:
Black, no cream - If you're like us and want to taste all the flavor already inside the beans, try coffees from Colombia, Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Kenya. These coffees will have complex flavor profiles that stand out compared to other producing countries.
With cream - If you prefer a richer, more decadent coffee experience, these are the producing countries for you to try out: Costa Rica, Brazil, Mexico, and Honduras. The beans you find from here will offer flavor profiles that complement cream and sugar.
Now let's choose some coffees depending on your brew method.
Pour over - Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Kenya provide exciting flavor profiles for pour over.
French Press - Look for coffees with a fuller body like Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico, and Colombia.
Espresso - Have fun with this one! Coffee from Ethiopia and Kenya will give you an adventurous and fruity espresso, while Guatemala and Brazil will work great for lattes and cappuccinos.
Automatic Coffee Maker - This type of brewing also benefits from fuller body coffee like Brazil and Costa Rica, but a fruity Ethiopia could also be a delicious option.
As with most things in coffee it comes down to personal preference. These aren't hard and fast rules, but rather some tips if you want to get the most out of your coffee experience.
Topping it Off
Hopefully with all these information you feel a little more equipped to take on the fun and exciting world of single origin coffees. There's a ton of unique flavors and coffee you can try that tell a story about the country and region it was produced in. If you need any help feel free to reach out to us with questions and check out the coffee we offer here.
Cheers and happy sipping!