Something to keep in mind throughout this analysis is that quality can never be added to coffee only destroyed. If you have the right seeds planted at the right altitude growing in the correct soil type that is the most you can do to add value to the coffee. After the coffee is picked at its optimum ripeness all one can do is try to preserve the inherent qualities already extant in the beans.
I believe that there might be several definitions of specialty coffee; this being dependant on which stage of production the bean is being scrutinized. That production starts with the right seeds in the right region, soil, and microclimate. It then continues to harvest, specialty coffee is produced only from ripe cherries (coffee is not actually a bean but the seed inside the fruit of a coffee tree, the fruit is called a cherry), and then to processing. Cherries that are not processed at a wet mill in a timely manner will suffer and their quality will degrade. Wet mill equipment that is not properly maintained and calibrated will damage the coffee and can ruin quality ripe cherries. Likewise after wet processing when the coffee is dried “in parchment” it is again at risk. Coffees that are not properly dried or are exposed to moisture after being dried will be degraded. There is also dry possessing and sorting, which requires another round of well maintained and calibrated machines. After dry processing there is storage and shipping, which is almost always done via shipping containers loaded on huge ships and delivered to port. In this shipping process there are many perils that must be avoided, a container that is exposed to huge swings in temperature will “rain” condensation that damages coffees not shipped in grain-pro or other prophylactic bags. Exposure to chemical compounds such as gas fumes can be absorbed in the green coffee and give it an aromatic fault.At the point that the roaster receives the coffee after it’s dangerous journey from origin it is referred to as “green” coffee. So I think a definition of specialty with regards to green coffee might be summed up something like this:
Coffee that when graded as a 350gram green sample contains no primary defects, and when properly roasted and evaluated by means of cupping yields a robust cup with flavors and aromas that are distinctive to the region and micro climate where it was produced.
Hi John, I've attended and helped host some of the Topeca Coffee classes and I've asked the question a couple of times about shade grown coffees, but it still isn't clear to me whether or not the Topeca beans are of the true shade grown variety.
ReplyDeleteI think there's a difference between certain kinds of coffee trees or bushes and the kind that can typically be found on plantations vs. the type the typical small family farmer's have. I know many coffee plantations cut down their trees in the 70's in order to plant newer hybrids that produce more coffee bean that are hardier and more resistant to pests and so on.
I've read about this many times in articles like this one that I'll quote from:
" Traditionally, all coffee was shade grown.
Most varieties of coffee are naturally intolerant of direct sunlight, and prefer a canopy of sun-filtering shade trees. The trees not only protect the coffee from direct sun, they also mulch the soil with their fallen leaves which helps retain soil moisture.
The nitrogen-fixing shade trees enhance the soil, and also provide habitat for birds. The birds in turn provide natural insect control with their constant foraging. This sustainable method of farming uses little or no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.
In 1972, new hybrid varieties of coffee were developed to help increase production of the valuable crop. These new varieties produced significantly more coffee beans, were smaller and easier to harvest, and produced best in direct sunlight.
Many growers cut their shade trees and switched to the new varieties. Of the 6 million acres of coffee lands, 60% have been stripped of shade trees since 1972. Only the small, low-tech farms, often too poor to afford chemicals, preserved their shade trees.
Unfortunately, the new varieties of "sun" coffee came with an additional cost: the hybrids were dependent on high doses of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Soil erosion, water runoff and soil depletion caused producers to clear vast tracts of rainforest for new soil to plant, and it became apparent that this new method of growing coffee was unsustainable."
I understand that its probably a lot less profitable and a lot harder and more expensive to go to the small farmers to get the true shade grown coffee beans, and also, that what was done in the 70's can't be undone now. But I think it's important at least to me and perhaps others, to have the option of being able to buy the shade grown coffee if given the option to do so. Frankly, I've had the shade grown coffee and lots of it out in California, and I wouldn't care if the shade grown coffee cost twice as much as the specialty coffees do now. If Topeca offered it, I'd gladly pay it.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGood question. Topeca's coffee grown on fincas El Manzano and Ayutepeque is in fact shade grown. We never switched to hybrid seeds, in fact most of the coffee there is heirloom bourbon (I say most because emillio also has some pacamara yellow bourbon and Kenya growing there) that dates back to the founding of the farms in the 1850's. As a matter of fact our farms are rainforest alliance certified. Most of the hybrid trees that you're talking about are grown in brazil. Actually most of the commodity grade coffee period is grown in brazil. Not only do they grow a lot of "sun" coffee there brazil is one of the only places where cherries are mechanically harvested. In contrast at our farms we harvest only by hand and only at peak ripeness. The way we do things is labor intensive and expensive but I believe worth it.
ReplyDeleteOhh that is awesome. I knew there was a reason I like Ayutepeque the best!
ReplyDeleteReally a great addition. I have read this marvelous post. Thanks for sharing information about it. I really like that. Thanks so lot for your convene.
ReplyDeleteread more