Getting to Know You: Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is a country in the Pacific Islands just North of Australia.  The soil is a rich volcanic soil and the weather is some of the best for the cultivation of coffee.  The central region of the country is the Highlands which is at an altitude of  1,500 meters to 2,100 meters.  Coffee production in Paupa New Guinea dates back to the late 1920's when the Highlands were first explored. The original seedlings were the Jamaican Blue Mountain which were planted in 1927.  

Riding the (3rd) Wave

Imagine, if you will, you are a surfer.  Not just any surfer, but a pretty good surfer.  One who competes on a national level, if not global.  (I don't really know anything about surfing so this analogy may be a wipe out, pun partially intended.)  So say there are different types of waves.  And also say that there are some new waves that are completely different than any waves ever before.  Maybe better, maybe not.  But a lot of people like them and all the top performers will only surf these waves.  They roll different and you can do different moves on them, all in ways that have not been done in a long time, if ever.

This is like third wave coffee.  It is something new and different and people like it.

Mr. Peaberry, a Series of Unfortunate Events?

One day, Mr. Coffee, a well to do coffee bean, was walking home from his highly sophisticated job on Wall Street when he came across a charming dervish of a coffee bean.  This odd coffee bean was smaller and round, unlike Mr. Coffee who was a little bigger with a flat side.  Being a generous and benevolent  bean, asked this odd bean if he was OK.  The round bean introduced himself as Mr. Peaberry.  Mr. Peaberry began to talk with Mr. Coffee about his work on Wall Street.  Mr. Coffee was obliged to share his love of work with his new acquaintance.  However, Mr. Peaberry was not impressed and began to show an air of superiority about all things of which Mr. Coffee spoke.  This began to offend Mr. Coffee and he eagerly looked for a way out of the conversation.  Mr. Peaberry, either through malice or indifference, began to talk louder and faster leaving Mr. Coffee no exit from the conversation.  Finally, Mr. Coffee could take no more of the insolent Mr. Peaberry and struck him while loudly shouting, “Shut up, shut up!”

Acidity and Coffee, not what you think.

A lot of people I know have an opinion on how acidic they like their coffee.  Most of the ones that prefer low acidity coffee say that the higher acidity gives them stomach problems.  Now this may very well be the case.  Coffee is acidic.  It is usually around a 5 or so on the pH scale but it can range from 4-6.  But when someone in the coffee industry is going on and on about how they love the acidity of this coffee or that coffee they are speaking in different terms than pH.

Acidity, in reference to coffee, is speaking about how bright and/or dry the coffee feels on the tongue.  Acidity is experienced on the back and undersides of the tongue in a way that is similar to red wine.  In coffee, it is usually a desirable attribute that brings a refreshing and mouth-cleansing quality to the cup.  It should not be confused with a sour taste.  Sour is referring to a sharpness that is usually unpleasant.  You actually want some acidity in your coffee.  Without some level of acidity coffee tends to be flat.

You will hardly ever see a coffee in a store described as being acidic.  This is because retailers believe that most consumers do not fully understand what is meant by acidity and do not want to confuse them.  Instead, you will find words such as bright, dry, crisp, sharp, or vibrant.  This just means that you will get something akin to a dry red wine feel on the back of your tongue and not that this coffee is going to eat the spoon you use to stir it.

Where the coffee is from has a fair amount to do with the acidity.  East African coffees, especially Kenyans, are well known for having a higher acidity.  How the coffee is processed also contributes to the acidity.  Washed coffee typically has more acidity than the natural processed coffees.

Quality of coffee can also be a determinant in acidity.  If the cherries are picked before they are fully ripe they will not have fully developed their flavor profile and have less sweetness.  This can happen on farms where they are not as selective about which cherries are picked.  These coffees are generally sold as a cheaper bean.  To an extent, in coffee, you get what you pay for.

You can get around some of these problems on the roasting level.  Roasting to a darker degree will reduce the acidity you taste in a coffee.  This is the only way some coffees will taste good by any means.  The darker you roast the coffee the less of the actual flavor of the bean you will taste.

If you don't like the taste of acidity in coffee, and not the pH of coffee, then you should look into a darker roast of coffee or a higher quality of coffee.  If you dislike the pH acidity of coffee then you should try a different brewing method, which I will talk about later so stay tuned!

How do you feel about acidity?  Let me know in the comments below. Don't forget to like us on Facebook Google+ on Twitter as @fpcoffee and on Instagram as freshpresscoffee.

Location, location, location

As with most things in life, there are certain criteria that make things better or worse and coffee is no exception.  Where it is grown imparts a certain flavor to the cup.  Enter the coffee belt.  The coffee belt is the region between the Tropics of Cancer and the Tropics of Capricorn.  This belt is the ideal climate for producing mature coffee cherries.  It typically has high altitudes, moist environments, and fertile soil.

There are three main regions of coffee when you look at the map in this way.  There are the American, African, and the Indonesian areas.  All three create a distinct growing region.  The differences in each region add to the specific taste qualities of each coffee varietal.   Rainfall, humidity, altitude, amount of shade, and soil all contribute to the flavors in the cup.  

There are many different micro climates in each region that can have an effect on the bean but for the most part the following characteristics hold for each region.  The amount of variables that contribute to the bean from the environment for each farm would fill several books so this is just a brief overview of some very general factors.  

The Americas

This region includes the Central and South Americas.  This region produces more coffee than the other two regions.  

Central American coffees tend to be wet processed and I can almost always taste some level of chocolate in them.  Most of my favorite coffees are from Central America.  I especially like Costa Rican and Guatemalan coffees.

The South American coffees, especially Colombian, are probably what most people are familiar.  I would say that these coffees have the most 'coffee' flavors of all the coffees.  They are generally mild and aromatic.  I find them to have a bit of nutty flavor to them, mostly peanut (especially in Brazilian coffees) but some hazelnut or walnut, and a mild milky chocolate.

Africa

African coffees are some of the most cherished among coffee lovers.  It is commonly believed to be the birthplace of coffee.  This region includes all of Africa and the Middle East countries such as Yemen.  The biggest characteristic of African coffee in the cup is the fruit flavors.  African coffees typically are very bright with flavors ranging from blueberry to orange and grapefruit to cherry with a winey finish.  I have had some natural processed Ethiopian coffees that are so fruity they smell like herbal tea when grinding them.

Indonesia

There are many islands and countries in this group.  Basically it is everything to the East and South of India.  I would consider these to be the most eclectic of coffees.  These are the ones you either love or hate, there is usually no middle ground.  These coffees tend to have a very earthy taste to them such as oak and ceder.  Most people just say they taste dirty and musty.  Indonesian coffees seem to be more hit or miss than the other regions.  I really like a good Sumatran with those deep woodsy flavors and dark chocolate.

What is your favorite locale for coffee and why?