At Seattle Coffee Company the beans they use are ethically sourced, artisan roasted and lovingly prepared – a winning combination. Below is a summary of the journey Seattle Coffee Company’s coffee beans follow from bean to cup. Also see the post The Way You Like It for more information on Seattle Coffee Company.
Farming
The best quality coffee starts with premium-grade green beans from all the major coffee growing regions of the world, spanning Indonesia, Africa and South America. Arabica and Robusta are the two main species of coffee trees, and Arabica is by far the superior strain. Seattle Coffee Company sources the top 1% of the world’s finest Arabica beans. They work closely with every farmer and co-op to ensure that their methods of soil preservation, harvesting and processing will maximize their crop quality and ensure the sustainability of their environment. All Seattle Coffee Company’s coffee is direct-trade, ethically sourced through Union Roasted in London. Green beans are sent to Union Roasted in Cape Town, where they are roasted fresh. Long story short, Union Roasted pay their farmers directly, at least 25% above Fair Trade prices.
Roasting
Careful thought and 20 years of experience have gone into every step of our roast. This extends from the intricacies of the gas burner, how the beans are tossed within the roasting drum, all the way to the cooling system that quickly removes excess heat from the freshly roasted coffee. By hand-roasting each batch, they are able to adjust the heat and pressure within the roasting drum in response to constantly changing atmospheric conditions and differing moisture levels within the beans. Coffee that has been steered through all the sections of the roast at the optimum rate will sing with complex hints of caramelized sugar and dark chocolate. These are the highlights of the distinctive taste of our coffee. The coffee is roasted, bagged, and then couriered to all out stores across the country. The beans they use are no younger than 1 week and no older than 4 weeks from roasting. Within the first week the taste of the coffee will lack refinement. Older than 4 weeks and it starts to lose it’s sparkle.
Store preparation
To the untrained eye, making a great cup of coffee may seem simple and pedestrian. This couldn’t be further from the truth. According to Seattle Coffee Company, there are close to 100 steps to making a great cup of coffee. In the mix are humidity or temperature changes that require their baristas to make incremental adjustments to grind size in order to avoid under or over-extraction. Under-extract and the coffee will taste sour and thin; over-extract and the coffee will taste bitter and heavy. At Seattle Coffee Company they freshly grind coffee for each order placed.
Below are links to interesting info relating to coffee:
Source: Taryn Scholtz from Seattle Coffee Company.
