Growing Regions

Like most agricultural products, coffee is a highly variable raw material with which to work. Describing coffee is a highly subjective exercise. Over the years, we have endeavored to use the same vocabulary and methodology to compare the different coffees and regions. There is no one "correct" way to quantify coffee, however, this one works well for us. We rate three dimensions each on a 5 point scale. The increase from 1 to 5 represents an increase in the intensity of the respective dimension and not a rating of quality or coffee preference.

The inherent characteristics of a coffee are greatly influenced by the roast, grind, and brewing method. We use the following methodology to evaluate coffee and establish a baseline for comparison.

Coffee = 2.75 ounces of medium dark roasted coffee directly from the roaster's cooling car.

Water = 64 fluid ounces of cold fresh filtered water.

Grind = Ground between auto drip & fine; a little more fine than table sugar.

Brewer = Bunn commercial brewer.

Body: "Mouth Feel" or the weight or thickness of the coffee on your tongue.

Acidity: The clean sparkly quality or lively palate cleansing property that is prized in coffee. It is often felt on the sides of the tongue, but is not bitter or sour. Acidity in coffee has nothing to do with the objective pH acidity measurement.

Flavor: The total combined impression of the aroma, body and acidity of the coffee.