Natural History and Soils

Posted on by in Permaculture and Coffee.

 

(Seeds of Trade )

Today coffee is produced all over the world, from Central to Northern Africa to the Philippines and the Americas. The plant native to the Ethiopian Plateau grows in exclusively tropical environments with in 20 degrees north and south of the equator and prefers elevation of 1,600-3,600 feet. In environments within 10 degrees of the equator coffee prefers elevation ranges of 3,600-6,300 feet, these environments are prized for producing especially tasty cups of coffee. This is because the growth cycles are slowed resulting in cherries with more mucilage around the beans; producing a more acidic, sweet and flavorful cup of coffee. A healthy plant enjoys 60-80 inches of water a year with intermittent dry seasons. The plants also like a constant temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit in partial to full sun. In full sun coffee plants may be susceptible nitrogen deficiency because a shade plant in full sun require more nutrients to juggle of balancing all the nutrients it needs for the sun it receives, full sun also means the forest floor is more exposed and more likely to be eroded. Soils ideal for coffee would be slightly acidic (arabica can grow in 4-7 on pH scale) and high in nitrogen. A good site also needs decent drainage because the plants are susceptible to root rot, but the ground must also be able to hold water deep enough to provide water to the plant in the dry seasons.

The coffee in peoples cups today are  mostly likely of two varieties; Arabica and Robusta. The difference in the two trees and beans while morphologically minuscule mean a world of difference in the industry. Over all the Arabica plant is preferred because its believed to produce a better cup of coffee than Robusta, and so it makes up more than 70% of the world coffee production. The differences in the two varieties become crucial when talking about geography because Arabica is just more fragile than Robusta. Robusta’s name seems to fit it perfectly, at least in terms of its preferred conditions as it tolerates higher temperature, less precipitation and is more disease/pest resistant than its relative.

(Batdorf & Bronson “What is Specialty Coffee”)

A taste of Olympia, and the industry behind it

Posted on by in Field Study.

 

Although the taste of place, or terroir, as was said at Olympia Coffee Roasters is the least important or recognizable thing about the coffee they produce and serve terroir as a business strategy is very important to reflect not only where the coffee beans came from, but also their fermentation style used, which is one of their biggest selling points to the general public. Olympia Coffee Roasters’s video that they showed our group was was about their direct trade system is not only a kind-hearted business model, but also a business strategy that allows them to advertise their companies beliefs in a beautiful way that if a potential customer saw would likely draw them to their brand. Due to this direct trade model though their prices are fairly high (up to $19.50 for a bag of whole coffee beans), which limits their consumer poll of regular customers down to only those who budget accordingly for their products or, more likely, to those who are finically “well off”. Although the majority of Americans might find their direct trade model appealing the average middle to lower class consumer might find it endearing enough to offset the high price tag and unbalanced their check book.

Defining Terroir

Posted on by in Terroir +.

photo courtesy of Katherine Garcia

Terroir isn’t simply the taste of a place. Nor is it just a result of human intervention. Terroir is a give and take relationship. It’s an innate understanding of ones environment, and an understanding of the role one plays in this relationship. Nature imparts certain traits to a place, and its our job as facilitators to help guide the uniqueness that nature imparts on its bounties along their road to success.

by, GT

Favorite Cafes

Posted on by in Field Study.

Consider how cafes may serve as places to educate coffee drinkers about coffee terroir. Create a post that includes a table of your group’s 4 favorite coffee cafes (eg. places) that offer customers information related to different aspects of terroir. In your table include: business name, business address, any particular resourceful people, and the aspects of terroir you can learn about at this place. At least three of these places should be other than Olympia Coffee Roasters or B &Bronson.

Cafe Address Terroir Aspects
Olympia Coffee Roasting Company 108 Cherry St NE, Olympia, WA 98501 Personal roasting of each blend, bean origin, washing methods
Burial Grounds 406 Washington St SE, Olympia, WA 98501 Roasting methods or various blends
 Einstein Bros Bagels 2700 Evergreen Pkwy NW, Olympia, WA 98505   Seasonal Blends, Brewing
Traditions cafe & World Folk Art  300 5th Ave SW, Olympia, WA 98501  Sustainable Practices, Fair Trade

Olympia Coffee Roasters Insight

Posted on by in Field Study.
Water Availability “Water has become the most important commodity in the future”

An increase in more stringent water laws, has brought about various new forms of bean processing. As a primary example, Steve discussed how the progression of the privatized coffee sector in Costa Rica has lead to honey processing. This new process uses honey instead of water to wash the cherry after it is picked. As a result, Steve continued to explain how the process contributed to the produced flavor of Costa Rica’s coffee, stating that it “turned its flavor on its heels”
The three wave movement The evolution of the coffee industry also was presented at Oly. Here Steve discussed how the general demand has shifted from a cup of coffee toward specialty coffee with an increased awareness of the origin and an increased attention to fair practices and ethical principles that benefit not only the people but also the environment. The first wave was seen with a popularity of instant, cheap coffees such as Folgers and the like. The second wave was introduced by large corporate coffee companies such as Starbucks which introduced darker roasts and expresso blends in response to Folgers. The final, most recent wave which we are now experiencing, Steve characterized by speculate coffees like those sold at Oly. This third wave is characterized by local production and an emphasis on the specific production of a certain cup. Another defining characteristic of the third wave is an increased demand for fair practices. The consumers of specialty coffee are willing to pay higher for coffee that was traded directly between the roaster and farmer. This also entails fair land practices, those which cause the smallest environmental damage.
Terroir “Terroir plays the smallest role in what you taste in a cup of coffee” Both Evergreen Grads explained the diminishing importance of where the bean was grown as it went through roasting and reached the cup. The most important factors, Steve explained, are the varietals used and the processing (i.e. washing and roasting). Terroir tasted in a cup of coffee is, however, still mainly attributed to the altitude and soil in which the bean was grown. Although this favor is manipulated and diminished as it is, primarily, washed, a bean grown at a higher altitude ripens slower in highly acidic, volcanic soils, and therefore will be naturally sweeter. This, and coffee’ ability to only grow between the Tropic of Capricorn and Cancer, is also the reason most to all coffee comes from the plateaus of Ethiopia.