What is individual coffee? What does a single cup of coffee represent? What's the point of a cup of coffee?

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Have you ever walked into a coffee shop, saw other people's coffee, and wondered why everyone was drinking individual coffee? What does that mean? Does it have any special meaning?

What does a single origin, a single producing area and a single manor represent?

"single origin" is a widespread term, usually interpreted simply as from a single producer, a single crop, or a region of the same country of origin. On the other hand, "single manor" and "single producing area" represent that the coffee comes from the same manor, processing plant or cooperative, and then the buyer can see the name of the producing area, specific producing area or manor where the coffee is grown. It is even a micro-producing area (a specific variety in a particular manor).

However, this does not entirely represent the meaning of individual products, such as SCAE's Andra Vlaicu said: "the most important thing about single coffee is that it can be traced back to the source, you can know exactly where the coffee comes from, it is a single product rather than a mixed formula." Usually of higher quality, you can see the resumes of the production of specific estates, and the flavor of these coffees is as it should be, with the characteristics of specific coffee grown in a particular area.

This is why the third wave of coffee craze loves single coffee-everyone knows more about the coffee you drink and how it will affect the flavor of the coffee during the planting stage.

The increasing popularity of individual coffee

So how does individual coffee get into the mainstream? According to Jeremy Torz, founder and general manager of Union Hand-Roasted Coffee, the interest in coffee is due to the increase in the number of boutique coffee shops that offer different brewing methods such as hand brewing or Philharmonic pressure. "other coffees can be provided without sacrificing the core value of coffee, and these coffees are transferred to the world of coffee. Based on the rapidly changing nature of the industry and the desire of baristas to keep experimenting and innovating, it is not surprising that many people in the industry are ready to jump away from tradition and let us look forward to the experience of reshaped coffee in the 21st century. "

Individual coffee seems to be popular because of the traceability of the source. Andrew Hetzel of Caf é Makers Coffee Consultants said: "the educated consumers I have met are looking for new flavor coffee to help them explore these multi-flavor experiences and feelings from the good coffee experience. Most consumers are not educated or interested in being educated, but they can be guided to try good coffee in ingenious ways. This information provided by bean bakers or retailers is very helpful, explaining the source of coffee beans (manor, land, farmers, climate, variety, treatment, etc.), the more detailed the better.

In the coffee trend, providing transparent information and innovative methods is very attractive, so it is not surprising that individual coffee will be very popular.

The demand for individual coffee has driven the change of origin.

So in the process of coffee production, what affects the increasing popularity of individual coffee?

It turns out that the market is large enough to influence the way it is grown, and some farmers (farmers who specialize in fine coffee) are developing and improving high-quality crops for market demand. Find out some of the varieties or cultivars they have chosen to experiment with, and their techniques have been able to control the growth stage, harvest period and harvest techniques, treatment plants and coffee treatments.

Direct Trade promotes Coffee quality

These experiments would not have happened without direct trade, and we have seen deeper communication between bean bakers and coffee farmers in pursuit of higher quality coffee. Producers expect bean bakers to share market trends with them, but boutique bean roasters, who have been looking for new items of coffee, now have easier access to farmers and can learn about coffee from farmers.

Searching for beans in the producing area is becoming more and more popular, providing more knowledge about bakers and raw bean merchants. As a matter of fact, few boutique bean bakers do not know the information about their beans in detail to understand the effects of planting noodles and treatments on coffee beans. Growers, buyers, and bakers test directly in cups of origin. In order to compare the scores of processing and bean cup tests, sometimes up to 100 cups of coffee a day are tested as coffee information for both parties. As far as consumers are concerned, the coffee information they have seen is becoming more and more detailed.

However, not only farmers and bean bakers, but also end consumers play a role. Why? Because the last person to accept high-quality coffee is the consumer. According to Jorge Raul Rivera, vice president of J. Raul Rivera SA de CV and representative of Finca Santa Rosa Manor in El Salvador:

"consumers will enjoy the harvest of farmers' hard work throughout the year, which also encourages coffee farmers to work hard and show the results of their hard work to provide consumers with a great coffee experience.

As end consumers continue to put forward higher requirements for quality, coffee farmers will try their best to grow better beans, so bean bakers have to pay more reasonable prices for hard-working coffee farmers.

So the next time you order a boutique coffee, it feels good to remember that you are improving the quality of your coffee and pursuing business ethics.

How does the coffee industry measure the quality of coffee?

So we would think that usually a single origin represents good coffee, and this coffee must be combined with direct trade, promote the improvement of the quality of high-quality coffee and stable supply conditions, but how do we know that coffee is of good quality? After all, a single item does not mean good.

So the coffee industry has developed evaluation systems, and these globally authoritative systems (such as Outstanding Cup CoE or coffee quality appraisal agency Q) are evaluating coffee quality, covering high-quality single-origin, single-producing areas and micro-batches of coffee. These systems not only guide consumers to buy coffee, they also lead to the continuous purchase of higher-quality coffee beans, and when farmers and bean bakers use these systems to market their coffee, the good coffee produced will be well paid.

The three main systems used are Zhuoyuo Cup CoE, coffee quality appraisal agency Q, and Coffee Review. The excellent Cup Competition is to evaluate these professionally produced and quality rare batches of coffee, which is the most recognizable evaluation in the boutique coffee industry. The system of coffee quality appraisal agency Q follows the standards of SCAA (American Fine Coffee Association). From the evaluation of producers and planting stages, the categories include boutique Arabica, boutique Robusta and formula beans. Coffee Review, on the other hand, is arguably the most well-known and influential coffee purchase guide in the world. It is very valuable to bean bakers and retailers, and can present a complete resume of baked beans.

So how do these people judge the quality of coffee? Isn't coffee drinking subjective and biased? Yes, but these evaluation systems try to quantify coffee quality and remove subconscious biases, usually using blind tests and 100-point evaluations, although the criteria for each system are slightly different, and you will usually find that they use professional sensory and taste scores when describing coffee flavor categories.

What do coffee farmers think of individual coffee?

We have heard a lot of theories about individual coffee. What do coffee farmers think of the coffee?

Today's coffee farmers, especially those who focus on boutique and individual coffee, are very proud of the quality of their coffee. they care about the flavor that is finally presented in the cup and can reflect the quality to consumers. "Coffee farmers have an obligation to let consumers know the appearance or outline of boutique coffee," said Andres Salaverria of Jasal Caf é in El Salvador. It is also to show consumers how these coffee farmers devote their efforts to the coffee they grow.

Cesar Magana opened Lechuza Caf é in El Salvador and worked as a coffee farmer, barista and bean baker on three small estates for growing coffee in Pacamara (a hybrid cultivated in El Salvador known for its floral flavor, sweetness and mellow mellow). Magana believes that consumers want the best coffee, which means they must rely on direct trade between coffee farmers and producing resources to do so. "if they know the value of coffee, everyone guarantees that they will continue to invest more in the coffee supply chain," he said. Baristas or bean bakers should provide first-hand information about farmers and estates. For me, this is a beautiful picture and the true meaning of individual coffee.

Therefore, the Coffee Farmers' Association supports the promotion of individual coffee as a way to enhance the transparency of coffee information.

What does the bean baker think of individual coffee?

Steve Hall, Caravan Coffee Roasters's raw bean buyer and director of quality control, said that at first, the purpose of individual coffee was not to pursue high quality, it was just to distinguish it from the bean baker's exclusive formula in the cafe. Now, it feels that for most boutique bean bakers, individual coffee has not been treated fairly to coffee farmers and coffee. now we have been talking about a single variety, a single manor, and the more we discuss it, the more fascinating it becomes.

So isn't it a good word for a single origin? For Steve, it may be more appropriate to describe a single origin as inadequate. "think of a country like Tanzania, which has a tropical marine climate, to the snow-capped Kilimanjaro Mountains, the Neri Desert, Lake Victoria and the Serengeti National Park. It is right on the edge of the following coffee producing areas: Luanda, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique and the Republic of Congo; its coffee flavor changes very well. You can't just use a single origin to describe the beautiful and diverse flavor of this coffee, but because there is no better word, we can only use a single origin to call these coffee. Over time, single origin has become synonymous with quality, and basically the bean baker will say, "I think this coffee is great. I want you to know more about it!"

What does individual coffee mean to consumers?

We all agree that the single origin is good coffee, especially the coffee that has won the prize in the Excellence Cup competition, but is that what we want?

No, no, no.

"single estates are now more likely to be mainstream than single origins," Jeremy Torz advises. When coffee shops want to offer some unique drinks, and many agents and importers are looking for a variety of small batches of coffee, rather than 300 bags of the same type of coffee, bean bakers will pursue coffee with a clear source. like marking wine estates or brewers, the provision of information on the origin of food and drinks seems to increase public interest in the product. " He advises consumers to know more about the pre-harvest procedures in addition to the country of production and roasting, because these are to help you learn more about the factors that affect the flavor of coffee, not just about the origin of coffee.

So a single origin lets you know why these coffees are so good.

Filtered coffee

In my experience, "single vs formula beans" are often compared to "exploratory vs conservatives" by filtering. If you want your coffee to be your signature, reliable, irreplaceable and out-of-stock item, the formula beans are perfect for you. For those who want to continue to explore the flavor of coffee, individual coffee can provide a variety of flavor choices, from unrestrained flavor to insipid flavor.

Espresso

The choice is similar to filtered coffee, boiled and concentrated with single or formula beans is also the "Discovery vs Adventure Pie", to some extent, the author's advice may not be the same as the drink you ordered. The primary purpose of brewing espresso with formula beans is often to pursue flavor balance, and when it comes to drinks based on milk, it is recommended that formula beans be fused rather than single beans, because formula beans can provide firmness with extended flavor. and set off the coffee with milk. Some individual beans are suitable for making espresso, and the ratio of milk to coffee should be right, but the best way is to ask your barista to give you advice. If you often drink espresso, you should try the difference.

Now you have a preliminary understanding of individual coffee, what's the next step? If you know that different geographical conditions and micro-climate will have such a great impact, it is normal to be a little scared. The way of the world is more for you to explore, and there is no need to say it here. Don't hesitate to explore and start trying a single cup of coffee. Bean bakers and coffee farmers want to bring you in and help you understand the industry, so don't be afraid to ask questions and give some feedback as you enjoy your coffee, sharing one cup of coffee at a time.