Fresh Cup Magazine, providing specialty coffee and tea professionals with unique insight into the trends, ideas, products and people that shape their world.
Issue link: http://freshcup.epubxp.com/i/105573
NINE BARS by Holly Bastin Single origins vs. blends? Instead, choose both I n the short stint that I have been a part of the coffee universe, our community has churned through a rather remarkable number of epiphanies and explorations. As we have collectively become more aware of all the variables at play, coffee has gone from a simple communal beverage to a complicated beast of processing methods, bean varieties, roast profiles and brew methods. We can't even produce resource materials fast enough to keep up with our constant artisanal evolution. If this is what it's like to be on the inside of our crazy world, how do we even begin to communicate facts and flavors to the average retail customer? That interaction with the customer is important to keep in mind when considering one of the most exciting and ongoing developments in this artisanal evolution: the prominence of "single origins"—coffees typically from one farm—pulled as espresso shots. Up until the last few years, roasters have typically created blends of several coffees to serve as the basis for 48 Fresh Cup Magazine freshcup.com espresso. This was long thought to be the best solution for an ingredient that so often gets buried in milk—to build a balanced, full-bodied flavor that many consumers expect when ordering espresso. Single origins change the equation, bringing unique but sometimes hard-to-predict flavors that represent singular places but may not offer the same tastes that long-time drinkers associate with their shots. Coffee geeks are falling in love with single-origin espressos, but will customers jump on board as well? In large part, it's up to us to convince them. It's also our responsibility to deliver experiences that satisfy their coffee preferences and keep them coming back to our stores. SLEEK SINGLE ORIGINS Single-origin espressos are fated to be conversation starters. They are intense and dynamic. They make a distinct impression and leave very little mystery. The variety of experiences an S.O.