What is Single Origin Coffee?
One for all and all for one
The name says it all; Single Origin coffee is made from one type of bean which is harvested at a single location. That location can be a single farm, a general area, a special region, or a single country.
Every area has its own environmental conditions that affect the growing conditions which in turn affects the eventual taste of the coffee produced from those beans. The weather, soil, and location of the plantation all play a part in a coffee’s flavor.
In addition, each region has its own way of processing the beans once they’re harvested. You can taste all of these elements in the pure flavor of Single Origin coffee. This means that Single Origin coffee from Brazil has a sweeter flavor than one from Ethiopia that has undertones of fruit.
Unconventional exclusivity
Single Origin coffee is often seen as a superior type of coffee. The smaller the location the beans come from, the more exclusive it becomes. Single Estate coffee capitalizes on this by being sourced from one farm, estate, or plantation. This type of exclusivity imbues Single Origin coffee with a unique marker of rarity. These coffees are grown on a very small part of premium farmland. By planting these types of plants in areas with a lot of sunshine, or a lot of shade, or on a mountainside or wherever, coffee plantations can create these ultra-premium varieties called Micro-lot coffee.
Blended versus Single Origin
There are several differences between blended and Single Origin coffee. Blending several varieties of beans allow roasters more flexibility in the way they process their beans. Single Origin coffee is almost always lightly roasted to retain its unique, original flavor and the taste that comes from its source location. Because this type of coffee is more vulnerable to growing conditions, the taste can vary slightly from harvest to harvest. It is always enjoyed without additives like sugar or milk. Because of this, Single Origin coffee is perfect for espresso.
Blended coffee on the other hand, often has a uniform taste that is better suited to darker roasts that can stand up to the addition of things like milk or sugar. Because of this, coffee blends are often used for lattes and cappuccinos.
Try some for yourself
It’s difficult to say which is better because both varieties are so different. It really depends on what type of coffee you prefer.
Coffee blends are more about a special smell, taste, and mouthfeel. By combining different beans from different areas, sometimes from different continents, roasters can create their own unique taste while ensuring a more consistent flavor with the smell and mouthfeel that goes along with it.
Single Origin coffee is about an experience and teasing out the flavors of a unique location. You can experience the pure flavor Single Origin coffee at KoffiePiraat. Here are three you might like to try:
- Lavazza Single Origin Cereja Passita Brazil
- Dallmayr Espresso Decaffeinato Capsa