Why pay extra for a single origin coffee?

Sep 16, 2023Vladena Heliova

Welcome to the world of La Bohème, where coffee is not just a drink that gives you a reason to get up in the morning, but also a passion that makes us travel all over the world. Today we want to show you how long a journey a fine coffee has to take before it reaches your table. So prepare your favorite coffee, sit back and join our coffee journey.

What is premium coffee?

"Specialty Coffee" is made from only the highest quality coffee beans grown in ideal climatic and geographical conditions. Their unique properties and taste usually reflect the quality and character of the soil in which they were grown, the so-called "terroir".

According to the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America), a coffee that achieves a score of over 80 points out of a total of 100 points during professional evaluation (so-called cupping) is considered a premium coffee.

These varieties are grown at higher altitudes in unique microclimates. The first selection begins with the picker, who only picks ripe coffee cherries. A typical feature of premium coffee is the cultivation of the coffee plant in harmony with nature and sustainable agriculture. Another typical feature is the fact that it is not commercial coffee. Farmers focus exclusively on quality, and the result is a limited amount of high-quality coffee, the unique taste of which may not be repeated in the future. Premium coffee can only exist thanks to the enormous dedication and patience of people for whom quality coffee is the highest priority.

Searching for quality

La Bohème's main goal is to source quality coffee and build long-term partnerships with farmers around the world. At the same time, we strive to educate our customers about the significant difference between coffee purchased honestly, directly from the farmer, and cheap alternatives where the origin is unclear.

Direct trade means greater transparency, fair rewards for farmers, best practices and training, and finances that they can then put back into their farms and grow more quality coffee.

Direct Trade, the way forward

Your decision to support direct trade has long-term consequences. It helps farmers in coffee-growing countries receive a fairer share of the profits from the sale of their products. In this way, together we can contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future for the coffee industry. So as you enjoy your delicious cup of coffee, remember that you are not only toasting to great taste, but also to a better future for farmers and entire coffee communities.

Probably the biggest advantage when buying coffee beans is their freshness. Experts agree that once roasted, coffee retains its distinct flavor and aroma for about a week. After two weeks, the coffee still tastes great, but the aroma has faded. A month after roasting, the flavor and aroma noticeably diminish. For the best tasting experience, it is recommended to consume the coffee within 3 weeks of roasting.

Coffee taste

The way coffee is roasted plays a significant role in the taste of the coffee. Achieving the optimal taste of a single-origin coffee requires precise roasting, where the real art is choosing the right roasting profile that allows the coffee to release all its unique notes and aromas. At La Bohème, we try to support the taste profile of each coffee as much as possible, so that each coffee tastes great, but each one is different. That's why you can easily tell Brazil from Ethiopia with us.

Grinding

Unfortunately, once coffee is ground, it loses its flavor and aroma almost immediately. It only retains its flavor and aroma for a few hours. To achieve the best possible level of flavor and aroma, it is recommended that coffee be sold in beans and consumed immediately after grinding.

Specialty coffee roasters have both the expertise and the quality beans to produce bold, complex flavors that will satisfy even the most discerning customers. When purchasing specialty coffee, you can choose a flavor based on the season, a perfect complement to your favorite meal, or even a mood-boosting experience. Simply exceptional!