There is so much more to coffee, than just the pick up it gives us in the morning. The more we can understand about coffee, the more we can appreciate it. Our friends at Zest Coffee shared some insights into coffee blends, the processes involved in blending coffee and the reason for it.
What is a coffee blend?
Simply put, coffee blends are a mix of two, three or sometimes even more different coffees. Each coffee comes from a unique country of origin. The ‘Origin’ is where the coffee is grown and processed, but not necessarily roasted.
Many cafes use an espresso blend for milk-based coffees such as lattes, flat white and cappuccinos. While single origin coffees are preferred for black coffees such as long blacks, espresso and filter coffee.
The difference between single origin and blend coffee
‘Single origin’ means that all of the beans within a blend are sourced and blended from the same country. Single origin coffees are perfect for black coffee, milk coffees and filtered brews. ‘Microlots’ are single origin coffees from one specific farm.
‘Coffee blends’ allow specialty coffee suppliers to meet the demand of consumers with consistent and affordable coffee experiences at their favourite café. By blending, a roaster can achieve consistent results, even with coffee being an organic and seasonal product.
Neither single origin or blend coffee is better than the other, preference will actually depend on an individual’s palate. If you are using manual brew methods, you may prefer single origins. Although if you prefer espresso and long black coffee, you may prefer single origins or a seasonal blend.
Typically, for those that just want to relax with a familiar flavour, a specialty blend is the way to go. And that is why specialty coffee suppliers offer blends that are reconisable and repeatable.
How is a coffee blend produced?
It is important to understand the different aspects involved in the overall process. To start with, coffee beans are gently mixed together in a large purpose-built blender, ensuring not to break any of the beans. To ensure that the blend is perfect in every cup, the roaster follows a coffee blend recipe with the correct proportions. A roaster can actually choose to pre-blend or post-blend the batch, this is important as it can make a big difference in the overall flavour.
Pre-blending coffee is when all of the different coffee beans are mixed together and roasted in a single batch. This is the quicker alternative, as it cuts out the step of post-blending the beans.
Post-blending coffee is when the single origin coffee beans, otherwise known as ‘green component’ are roasted separately, to its own ‘sweet spot’ and then blended with others afterwards. The benefit of post-blending is that the roaster has more control over the final product. This is because some beans can be over or under-developed if roasted by pre-blending, as the density and moisture content of each single origin is different.
Specialty coffee vs commodity coffee
There are many different attributes to consider when grading and classifying a coffee blend. Some of these attributes include the cupping score, certification, grade, appearance and number of defects in a sample size. Even the small details are considered, such as the origin, flavour profile, technical sensory terms and the complexity.
Specialty coffee is recognised for its distinctive attributes, and offers a higher value to the marketplace. While commodity coffee has less distinctive attributes and is usually produced in higher volumes, with less attention to the smaller details.
Which coffee blend is perfect for your café?
There is now quick answer for this one as there are several factors to consider before choosing a blend for your café. You also need to consider the barista, the machine and quantities, just to name a few. This is why the Zando team take the time to work alongside you when finding the perfect blend for your café.
Not only can the Zando team provide you with coffee tastings and barista training’s, they can also suggest the perfect coffee equipment and help you maintain everything to a high standard to ensure the perfect cup of coffee every time. Call the Zando team on 1300 926 362 or fill out a contact form to get in touch.